Everyone loves a cold-hearted villain, and Coriolanus Snow is as cold-hearted as could be.
Satiating the urge to watch a good guy go bad, it is no surprise “The Hunger Games” prequel, “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” snagged the No. 1 spot in the global and national box office since it came out on Nov. 17.
Following ambitious, young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) — first introduced to readers as the tyrannical president of Panem — this enticing origin story shows the beginning of a long process to make the Hunger Games the spectacle it is in the original trilogy. Caught between the love of his assigned tribute, Lucy Gray (Rachel Zegler), and his thirst for power, Snow must make a decision that will define the rest of his life.
What captures those feelings in ways words can’t — and something that had been on loop since I left the theater — is the soundtrack. Once again proving her talents in writing lyrics, Suzanne Collins wrote incredible songs in the books. Going into the film, I was worried the scenes would not be given the justice they deserved, but each melody provided another heartfelt moment. Combined with the angelic singing of Zegler, this soundtrack is one to put in the history books.
Singing is not the only thing the cast is good for, as their stunning performances lived up to those of the original trilogy. Capturing the audience’s attention from the moment she stepped into screen, Zegler wore her heart on her sleeve the entire time and made it hard to blame Snow for falling in love. Blyth held viewers captive with his interpretation of the cold-hearted descent to madness Snow underwent.
Of course, a movie can only be as good as the story it’s based off of — another thing “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” can check off its to-do list.
Similar to its predecessors, the movie follows the book excellently, with subtle differences and many line-to-line translations to please any fan of the book. The story itself is dark, gruesome and cunningly witty, getting viewers to root for Snow without letting our hope stray far enough from the knowledge of who he becomes.
As someone who’s already scanning my calendar for the next time I can go see it, this thrilling prequel surpasses the bar set by the original trilogy. The movie is just eerie enough to keep viewers on their toes, but heartfelt enough to root for a happy ending.
A thrilling re-entrance to Panem, “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” proves that “Snow always lands on top.”
