If you are familiar with the popular culture of 2012, you must remember that The Hunger Games by the creative mind of Suzanne Collins, helped start the trend of dystopian stories in the media. This was shortly followed by other stories including the Divergent series then Maze Runner, each finding less success than before.  So what made The Hunger Games such a hit? The actors? A nuanced imaginative world? A compelling story? I think it was a specific mix of all three.

It’s interesting that The Hunger Games brand has had so much staying power in our culture, because no book or other medium has been published other than the prequel book The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Once the prequel came out it was received fairly well by fans, as it became a #1 New York Times Bestseller.

I read the prequel  to prepare for the movie and I was pleasantly surprised, despite it not having any of the characters we’ve come to know and love.  The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes adds so much context to the world of The Hunger Games. This novel was released in 2020 and follows Coriolanus Snow 65 years before the start of the original trilogy.

I remember when the book came out, there was backlash in the media because President Snow was the main character. It was clear that people wanted another “games” story following fan favorite characters, like Finnick Odair or Haymitch Abernathy. I have more respect for Collins as well, as she has followed the heart of this narrative rather than what could make a quick buck.

With the use of children as participants in a death game, this piece of media exemplifies how a vulnerable population is used to oppress people. Further, using characters and actors who have disabilities sets this project different from its predecessors. This evolution provides commentary on the “children” in the games and how the audience finds their deaths even more unsettling to watch.

Ten years after the release of the original Hunger Games movie, the new prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows President Snow on his path to becoming a villain. This series seemed like it could have the potential for another renaissance, because of the impact on social media. However, in reference to the other Hunger Games movie openings, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the lowest box office opening in the series. With the popularity of the original trilogy, I wonder why this is? Isn’t The Hunger Games brand big enough for  higher box office returns?

With the recent cancellation of Shadow and Bone and its spin-off Six of Crows by Netflix, it may seem that book-to-screen adaptations are dead. This best seller book series by American author Leigh Bardugo had been highly anticipated by its audience, but its recent cancellation has been a hit to the book-to-movie adaptation industry. This fear that media is being consumed at such a different rate may further change how movies are marketed and which films will be seen on the big and small screens. 

Spoiler Comments to follow

With a new cast, this piece of media follows the original text fairly well, again bringing the The Hunger Games world to life. The fashion sense for the academy students, particularly Viola Davis’s character, is deliciously creative. The architecture that is brought to life seems to transport me into the story immediately and leaves a lasting impact.

There were a couple of changes made to the movie’s storyline that left me feeling a little lost at times. In the book, Snow’s father’s relationship with District 13 added the motivation our leading male was lacking in the film. Snow’s internal monologue added so much understanding to his character in the book that I felt like something was amiss during the first half of the film.

The third act is clearly messy and even within the book I had a hard time following the differently-paced climax of the story. Several times throughout the movie, I was left wondering how long was left in its run time because the book had so much detail they were leaving out. With many references to the original novels, I feel like this adaptation stands on its own, although it’s  better understood and enjoyable with the context of the other three Hunger Games books.

With the current political climate I fear that this movie will not do as well as the original trilogy box-office-wise. Because there are so many similarities to history and current events, it may be hard for people to see this as an objective piece of media. But I guess that is what stories are supposed to do, make us look in the mirror, no matter what we may see.

Francis Lawrence as director brings his Catching Fire flare to this film, involving Collins in a creative role. I absolutely love it when  creators of an original story are involved in different adaptations, because it is so rare to see that faithfulness to its creator. If more Hunger Games movies are to be produced, I recommend that, similar to the Harry Potter series, another director takes their shot at this film series as I feel a new perspective can only elevate this franchise.

Standouts for actors are Tom Blyth as the leading character Coriolanus Snow and Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman. Rachel Zegler was an unexpected highlight, as she differed from Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen from the original series. Her strength lies in her voice and performance, not in her hunting abilities and here, they are well utilized to bring dimension to a flat book portrayal.

I found it interesting how music was used to communicate complex ideas and character motivation, especially with Lucy Grey Baird and her relationships. In my opinion, the title of a “ballad” therefore makes sense and is this work of art’s legacy.

On the “Sharon scale of sublime,” The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes book received a 7.5/10 whereas the film received a 7/10.  My favorite is still Catching Fire, from the original series – movie and book. 

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