Reactions to the “best Hunger Games film” promise breathtaking action

Jennifer Lawrence appeared in four The Hunger Games films from 2012 to 2015. Then she said goodbye popular science fiction series out of the cinema. Most recently, the book of the same name by Suzanne Collins was completely filmed. But then the author came back with a new part: a backstory.

This story has now been adapted for the cinema. The Hunger Games – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes takes us back to the world of the Hunger Games. The plot of the prequel begins 46 years before Katniss Everdeen’s fight for survival and tells about it young Coriolanus Snowthe eventual villain of the series.

Dark sci-fi epic: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is hailed as the best film from the Hunger Games universe

Yesterday, Sunday, The Hunger Games – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes celebrated its European premiere in Berlin. In addition to director Francis Lawrence, stars Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Hunter Schafer and Josh Andrés Rivera were present. After the screening they are straight away first reactions hit the internet.

You can watch the trailer for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes here:

How good did the new part turn out? One voice that stands out from the crowd on Twitter belongs to Next Best Picture’s Daniel Howat. In a euphoric tweet he writes that “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the best Hunger Games film to date” is what is due to the dark tone and serious approach.

The pop culture account Atom goes even further and calls the film a masterpiece. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes unfolds as “emotional epic full of breathtaking action, great dialogue and bold images” – with these ecstatic words, even the celebrated Jennifer Lawrence films are surpassed.

Film critic Lauren LaMagna, who writes for Polygon and Nerdist among others, promises one epic return to the world of Panem. She is particularly impressed by the design of the film: “The production design and world building are outstanding.” She also gives the all-clear to all fans of the book – they will be thrilled.

The cast receives a lot of praise. Entertainment journalist Jeff Conway highlights four names in particular: “Rachel Zegler is a charming heroine. Tom Blyth is brilliant and dark. Viola Davis plays excellent evil. And Jason Schwartzman steals the show.” In addition, the boundaries between good and evil become blurred in the plot.

Lauren Garafano of Buzzfeed felt transported back to their childhood and youth. “As a long-time fan of The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes completely delivered for me. When I saw the film, I felt the magic again that I felt when I saw the first part when I was 14 years old.”

A little more critical Collider’s Perri Nemiroff sees the film: ” […] the new movie is pretty good! The first two thirds are actually excellent. I can understand why they didn’t split the book into two films, but it’s noticeable that the first two-thirds are excellent and the last third is so-so – half-baked and rushed.”

With its running length of two hours and 37 minutes The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is the longest part of the series. Starting next week, you can find out for yourself whether Francis Lawrence and his team have created a worthy adaptation of the book. And whether the new part really surpasses the Jennifer Lawrence films.

When does the new Hunger Games film start in cinemas?

The Hunger Games – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes opens on November 16, 2023 in German cinemas. It is the fifth film in the Hunger Games saga. When, how and whether the story continues afterwards is currently unclear.

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