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The Hunger Games: the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

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The Hunger Games: the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

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• Adventure
• Romance

• 2023
• Francis Lawrence
• 156 mins
• 12

Summary

Action adventure prequel starring Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler and Viola Davis, set 64 years before the events of The Hunger Games. In the run-up to the Tenth Annual Hunger Games, ambitious future president Coriolanus Snow is tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray Baird, a poor but self-confident tribute from District 12 with a determination to win. But their relationship becomes more complex than Snow had anticipated.

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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Dave Golder

This suitably bleak prequel is set 64 years before the first Hunger Games film. It chronicles the rise to power of future president Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth). With the Games waning in popularity, Snow and other political wannabes are tasked with mentoring contestants of the Tenth Annual Hunger Games in an attempt to make them more audience friendly. Snow lucks out when he's paired with Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a cocky tribute with a determination to win. Returning director Francis Lawrence makes the bold decision to stage all the big action scenes in the middle of the film, meaning this is more of a character-led dystopian tale, with a tragic relationship at its core. Despite some jarring moments of hokey artifice - and a surprising amount of singing - the film is compelling and dark, and benefits from an impressive cast including Viola Davis and Peter Dinklage, plus evocative production design and some gut-wrenching twists.

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6.6/10

How to watch

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Streaming

• Prime Video
• Sky Store

Credits

Cast

rolenameCoriolanus SnowTom BlythLucy Gray BairdRachel ZeglerTigris SnowHunter SchaferLucretius "Lucky" FlickermanJason SchwartzmanCasca HighbottomPeter DinklageDr Volumnia GaulViola DavisCommander HoffBurn GormanGrandma'amFionnula Flanagan

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Crew

rolenameDirectorFrancis Lawrence

Details

Theatrical distributor

Lionsgate

Released on

2023-11-17

Languages

English

Guidance

Some violence and swearing

Formats

Colour

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