The theater lights dim and silence follows for the opening weekend of the “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” on Nov. 17. The movie is the prequel to the original Hunger Games trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth are the main characters in the movie.
The film made over $100 million in the first three days it was showing domestically and over $200 million worldwide. The soundtrack for the movie is composed of songs performed by Rachel Zegler as well as a special song written by Olivia Rodrigo for the movie.
The soundtrack for the movie was composed of folk-like songs such as “Can’t Catch Me Now,” by Rodrigo, and “The Ballad of Lucy Gray Baird,” sung by Zegler. Zegler’s voice had a Southern accent, which brings the character of Lucy Gray Baird to life. Her acting was impeccable and the emotion she conveyed was moving.
Zegler, who plays the main character in the movie, does a fantastic job portraying Lucy Gray. “I loved the movie a lot; I think seeing the Hunger Games prequel come to life was amazing. Rachel Zegler did an amazing job playing the main character. All of the actors did a great job portraying their characters,” sophomore Trixie Verrija said.
“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” covers the 10th annual Hunger Games where Coriolanus Snow is assigned to mentor the District 12 tribute – Lucy Gray Baird. The movie covers the entire Hunger Games as well as what happens afterward.
Lucy Gray is forced to fight for her life in the arena, while Snow, her mentor, tries his best to help her win. Meanwhile, in the Districts and in the Capitol, a rebellion is occurring. Lucy Gray Baird manages to win the Hunger Games with the help of her mentor Snow. Afterwards, Lucy Gray and Snow try to live a quiet life, but they want different things and Snow becomes more and more power-hungry. In the end, Lucy Gray runs away and Snow stays in the Capitol gaining power. The plot twist at the end of the movie leaves viewers with their jaws dropped and makes for a shocking experience.
Students enjoyed the movie and found the production realistic. “I love the movie and I think there was amazing production. I also loved how it was super similar to the book. Overall, it was a very good production and I enjoyed it,” sophomore Sophia Escobar said.
In Panem, there is an event called the Hunger Games where two tributes are chosen from each district and have to fight to the death in an arena. During these games, the citizens of the Capitol who tend to be very well off get to watch these kids fight to the death for their entertainment. Meanwhile, the media takes this horrific tragedy and makes it a spectacle of mass consumption. The movie highlights themes of rich vs. poor and emphasizes class differences. Overall the “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” was a fantastic watch with a beautiful soundtrack and is worth a watch.
