Welcome to the 10th Annual Hunger Games. Years after we last visited this franchise with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, it’s time to return to Panem for a story that takes place decades before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is set 64 years before the first film. This prequel follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) as he mentors the new tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). This is an excellent prequel that recaptures everything a Hunger Games movie should be.

The Hunger Games movies have always been able to attract Oscar-worthy talent, with the original series bringing in people like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Mahershala Ali, and of course, Donald Sutherland as the first actor to play Snow. This prequel keeps up the tradition, bringing in West Side Story alums Zegler and Josh Andrés Rivera, along with the stunning talents of Viola Davis and Peter Dinklage as Dr. Volumnia Gaul and Casca Highbottom, respectively. Gaul and Highbottom appear early on in the film and leave a lasting impression. Davis brings a horrifying, unsettling aura to Gaul, while Dinklage portrays Highbottom with both charisma and sympathy.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Snow. It’s a fascinating perspective to tell a story about because he’s the antagonist of the original series, but he’s the protagonist of this film. It’s similar to what George Lucas did with Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The screenplay from Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt, adapted from Suzanne Collins’s novel, needed to get us on Snow’s side despite knowing what he would become. His family is going through financial issues after the death of his father, and he wants to restore their former glory by winning a scholarship. We find ourselves supporting him through his journey as he becomes a mentor for the Hunger Games.

He is assigned to Lucy Gray, a singer who develops a connection with Snow. The bond they form feels very natural, and it makes sense for what they both want. Soon enough, we find ourselves in the middle of the games, where Lucy Gray must fight to survive. Witnessing an older version of the Games is a fascinating exploration, adding a fresh perspective to the established lore while maintaining the series’ essence. The film strikes a balance between the fun action-thriller element and devastating drama seamlessly, thanks to a fantastic screenplay that navigates through terror, suspense, and cruel moments.

The premise surrounding children killing other children is grim, and this movie handles that without making it feel painful to watch. Jason Schwartzman’s darkly funny performance as Lucky Flickerman adds a unique, chilling dimension to the narrative. Furthermore, the arena where the Games take place creates a very different atmosphere from the other films. The first two Hunger Games movies were futuristic, with incredible technology, as they found themselves in many different settings. As these Games are set in an arena with an analog feel, it’s a grittier movie with a retro production design, creating such a unique look.

Director Francis Lawrence returns to the series, and he crafts a very different setting than he did in the other films. He retains the elements of his other work in the series while creating something very new. There’s a freshness to this action-packed spectacle, and the decision to do a prequel instead of a sequel is wise. The characters this time around are very different from what we are used to. Blyth’s performance as Snow is multilayered, with a lot of complexity to him. This is his first big role in a film, and he owns every bit of his time on screen. He doesn’t get us to like or agree with Snow, but we understand who he is as a person.

Zegler gives a good performance as Lucy Gray. Her singing is stronger than her acting, but her singing takes center stage for the majority of the film. She portrays Lucy Gray very differently from how Jennifer Lawrence played Katniss because they’re very different characters. Katniss is a reluctant fighter forced to perform, while Lucy Gray is a performer forced to become a fighter. Rivera is also superb as Sejanus Plinth, a mentor who is strongly against the Hunger Games. He gets many moments to shine as this character struggles with anger and desperation during an unjust time.

Hunter Schafer portrays Tigris Snow, the cousin of Coriolanus Snow. She has very limited screen time in this movie, and while her performance is great, her existence in the film feels unnecessary. She has virtually no effect on the main story surrounding the Games. She mainly exists as a person in Snow’s life to enrich his character, but for the most part, her actions don’t affect who he eventually becomes. Furthermore, the film is divided into three parts. The first two parts are incredible, but the movie loses steam in the third. It’s never a bad movie, but by the nature of the narrative, the third part was never going to be able to live up to the first two.

Ultimately, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes sticks the landing with an emotionally powerful ending that provides fitting resolutions for all its characters. This is a strong movie filled with excitement, tension, and drama that will keep you watching. The performances are excellent, the screenplay is fantastic, and Lawrence shines again as a superb director. What can I say? The odds were ever in his favor.

SCORE: 8/10

As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.

Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes review.