Summary

• Critics are divided on The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, with some praising the cast while others criticize its lack of originality.
• Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth deliver standout performances as Lucy Gray and Coriolanus Snow respectively.
• The film is criticized for being overstuffed narratively, lacking momentum in its final act, and being too long, while still remaining faithful to the source material. Critics question whether the prequel was necessary within the franchise.

The reviews are in for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and critics are mixed on the prequel franchise movie. Director Francis Lawrence returns to the world of The Hunger Games with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a dystopian film set 64 years before Katniss Everdeen becomes a tribute. The prequel follows the rise of Coriolanus Snow, who goes on to become the villainous President Snow in the original films. Based on Suzanne Collins’ book of the same name, the first reviews for the film land somewhere in the middle. Critics have praised certain aspects of the film while thoughtfully evaluating others.

The first reviews for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes are out, and the consensus is that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Rotten Tomatoes score is bound to change between now and its release date on November 17, but the film’s early reviews indicate that critics are largely on the fence regarding the prequel’s quality. There are various reasons for it, too, especially as The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes unsurprisingly draws comparisons to its franchise predecessors.

8 Critics Unconvinced The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Has Anything New To Offer

Reviews suggest the prequel is a rehash of The Hunger Games movies

Considering the plot revolves around the future President Snow, it’s not hard to guess where The Hunger Games prequel is headed. And while many critics believed The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has much to offer in the way of a fresh perspective, there are others who thought the opposite. The film has everything that made the original movies great, but reviews suggest the prequel fails to capitalize on it. Rather, it’s more of the same in of its story, including the way in which the Capitol treats the Districts — inside and outside the Hunger Games arena. It seems like many critics agree it’s simply more of the same.

7 Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Reviews Praise Rachel Zegler & Tom Blyth

Rachel Zegler can hold her own as a franchise lead

Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth portray Lucy Gray Baird and Coriolanus Snow, respectively, and the critics collectively praise both their performances. Zegler’s character is not an archer like Katniss, but she manages to charm as Lucy Gray, using her singing voice to bring people together. Although she doesn’t have the same fighting spirit that Katniss does, Zegler is noted as an excellent franchise lead as she imbues Lucy Gray with a different set of strengths. Blyth’s portrayal of Snow is commended for providing complexity and conveying the future of president of Panem’s interiority. The film’s other performances are more hit-and-miss per reviews, but Blyth and Zegler shine.

6 Mixed Reviews Reveal The Hunger Games Prequel Is Overstuffed

Criticisms of the film say it's doing too much while being hollow

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has been criticized for having too much going on narratively while also being empty at the same time. The film being overstuffed suggests screenwriters Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt attempted to include multiple aspects of the book, but it’s also what leads to, in some critics’ opinions, a rushed conclusion to the story. Some reviewers argue that the prequel doesn’t sing in the same way its predecessors did, leaving the story feeling rather hollow and lacking the same energy and tension as the original movies had. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ story has multiple layers, but it’s considered bloated and lacking nonetheless.

5 Critics Agree The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes’ Final Act Slows Its Momentum

The Hunger Games prequel’s first two acts are much stronger

Regardless of whether some critics enjoyed The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes more than others, the general consensus regarding the prequel’s final act is the same. While the first two acts of the film follow the buildup to the Hunger Games and the arena action itself, the final part doesn’t live up to the anticipation and intensity that came before. Critics agree that The Hunger Games prequel’s last third dwindles in excitement and runs out of steam before finally reaching its end. Not only is the film criticized for losing momentum, but, despite being one singular narrative, the final act makes the movie less cohesive, especially given its tonal shift.

4 The Hunger Games Prequel’s Reviews Agree It’s Faithful To Suzanne Collins’ Book

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes includes the important parts of the novel

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is said to cover the important aspects of the story. This includes many of the musical numbers Lucy Gray sings throughout the book, most notably her rendition of “The Hanging Tree,” which was initially heard in the original Hunger Games movies and grew in popularity beyond District 12. And though one character's death isn’t treated with the same importance as it is in the book, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes makes sure to keep it — and many other moments and characters — as a part of the film. Like its predecessors, the prequel is at least faithful to its source material.

3 Reviews Are Torn About Hunger Games Prequel Being Worthy Franchise Addition

Some critics claim Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is better than the Mockingjay films

While some critics claim The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is better — and even stronger in its storytelling — than either of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay films, and Indiewire called it “the strongest installment” of the franchise by far, many other reviewers questioned whether the prequel was all that necessary to begin with. It’s an extension to the existing story, one that provides backstory for what came before. And while most critics are sure fans of The Hunger Games movies will like the film, some feel like the prequel’s existence within the franchise — that ended eight years ago in 2015 — isn’t a justification for reentering the world of Panem.

2 The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Reviews Suggest The Movie Is Too Long

The Hunger Games prequel is 2 hours and 37 minutes long

At 157 minutes long, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the longest movie in The Hunger Games franchise, suring Catching Fire, which is 146 minutes long. Reviews of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes generally agree that the film is way too long, and that its length lends itself to pacing issues and narrative lulls that don’t add to the overall viewing experience. Blockbusters have been criticized for being overly long, and the same issue has befallen this one.The prequel isn’t set up to have a sequel, so it had to include everything to stand on its own, though it seems certain elements could have been cut down.

1 Critics Are Mixed About The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes’ Story

The Hunger Games prequel’s story can be occasionally compelling

With the focus of the story being on Coriolanus Snow, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is essentially a cautionary tale involving greed and propaganda, among others. But while the prequel’s story can be compelling, critics had mixed reactions to its details and the validation of Snow’s perspective. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes resurrects the Hunger Games and gives viewers the history of the violence they wrought thanks to the Capitol, but some critics argue that this ultimately becomes a backdrop to the relationship between Coriolanus and Lucy Gray, which detracts from the potential of the film’s premise and the nuance laced into the story.