The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (dir. Francis Lawrence) is the newest installment in the Hunger Games saga (dir. Francis Lawrence/Gary Ross) and is a prequel about the life of a young President Snow—the face of the enemy in the original Hunger Games movies. While Ballad can be seen without any prior knowledge of the Hunger Games movies or books, it is definitely suggested, as there are many nearly imperceptible nods to the original series.
Ballad begins with the 10th annual Hunger Games, and the announcement that every tribute should be given a mentor from the best of the best at the Capitol Academy. Among these students is Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), who is looking to impress in order to win a large monetary prize so he can keep both his public image and his familial home. Snow is then paired with Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the female tribute from District 12, and she definitely puts on a show.
Throughout the film, there is the constant use of music to help influence and further the narrative at play. Rachel Zegler has an amazing voice, and she puts it to use wonderfully in Ballad. It begins with Lucy Gray at her reaping, where she sings that “nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping”, showing her disdain for the Hunger Games and her refusal to stay quiet and demure like they want her to be. Later on, Lucy Gray also sings in her interview before the Hunger Games, and this song is used to garner support for her before she enters into the arena—showing that the tributes only have value and are worth donations if they put on a good enough show. All the songs that Lucy Gray sings fit beautifully into the narrative and not only add to the scenes that they’re in but can also foreshadow future events. Overall, every song was enjoyable, and while there were many, there never seemed to be an excess, and instead the filmmakers found the perfect balance.
Also worth nothing within the soundtrack, is the use of music reminiscent to the original Hunger Games’ score. James Newton Howard, the composer/music producer for the original saga, was brought back on for this project and was able to give audial recollections of the original movies as well as make comparisons between situations in this movie and mirroring situations in later movies, as consequences of Snow’s actions from his earlier days.
Ballad is also able to show the slow development and corruption of Snow throughout the duration of the film. In the beginning, he is shown as a hardworking student merely working to get money and keep up his image. Though he isn’t exactly humble, and his reputation is very important to him, there is nothing inherently bad about who he is or what he does. However, as the film goes on, and Snow’s relationship with Lucy Gray deepens, his character development is very apparent, and though he may start off as a likable or attractive character to the audience, by the end of the film he is very much the antagonist seen in The Hunger Games. By humanizing his character, and then illustrating his corruption arc, Snow’s journey is an excellent villain origin story that perfectly fits into the Hunger Games universe and only works to enhance his character as shown later on in the timeline.
Overall, this was an exceptional film and definitely a 2023 standout. From the wonderful acting performances of the leading Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth to side characters like Josh Andrés Rivera, the experienced Peter Dinklage and Viola Davis, to the beautifully thoughtful soundtrack and cinematography, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a must-see film. If there have been any doubts about the state of cinema in 2023, Ballad is the exception. It perfectly brings back the nostalgia of the original era of the Hunger Games movies releases and provides much needed social commentary. Ballad is a perfect mix of dystopia, action, romance, and music that can be enjoyable to all audiences.
5/5 STARS