Welcome to the 10th Hunger Games (movie version), may the odds be ever in your favor
And the mentor for District 12 is…Coriolanus Snow. The Snow family name still holds respect on the Capitol but ten years after the end of the rebellion, Coriolanus is living in near poverty with his cousin and grandmother. To resurrect the family’s prestige, he must win the 10th Hunger Games. The problem is, with a female tribute from lowly District 12 assigned to him, the odds may not be in his favor.
Geek Rate: 3 out of 5 stars (Mortal Worthy). Political power and social questions are explored in the movie adaptation of the new Hunger Games book “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.” While the original source had a broader leeway in discussing these themes, the movie version did not fail to examine it in length on the big screen. But it falls short of the sequels’ magic. At times, it just feels too long, you will just wish to hear the sound of the Games’ cannon and end it all.
After almost a decade, the Hunger Games has returned. When I finished reading “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” during those dreadful months of the pandemic, I had no doubt that the book would be turned into a movie.
The 10th Hunger Games features the life of a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), the future president of Panem. The movie takes a look into the early days of the oppressive regime (like a communist-era city) after the defeat of the thirteen districts. Snow’s life is explored as the brains behind the modern concept of the Games. His father died during the rebellion, leaving the family in poverty. At the Academy, he maintains the charade that his family is still well-off, hoping for a scholarship prize that is his ticket to university. But then the dean of the Academy announced that the prize would belong to the mentor of this year’s victor.
In “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” the social and political discussions are explored more deeply as Snow navigates the Games with District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). The 10th edition of The Hunger Games was devoid of any colorful entertainment from the more recent editions such as the interviews, the televised scores from the judges, and the grand parade. But the thrill of watching it is still there. Stripped of its grandeur, the story of this new Hunger Games movie is much more honed and clear. The movie is divided into three parts and not shockingly, the last part is the most boring one. Overall, it falls short of the sequels’ magic.
The cinematic production is flawless with regard to its set design and costumes. But the actors sadly failed to justifiably portray their characters. Nonetheless, Blyth and Zegler showed some depth in their acting (albeit inconsistently), as well as, Josh Andrés Rivera who played Snow’s best friend Sejanus Plinth.
Is this new Hunger Games movie worth that expensive cinema ticket? For having to watch the 10th Hunger Games up close, the answer is yes.
Reignell Francisco
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