hunger games 2023 reviews

Well, folks, let me tell ya, I ain’t one to watch them fancy movies much, but my grandkids told me I oughta give this new “Hunger Games” movie a go. Now, I ain’t never seen none of the other ones before, but they said this one, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” was a prequel. That means it’s supposed to tell you all ’bout how that President Snow fella turned out so mean, all that stuff that happened before the other movies. I thought, “Well, what’s the harm? Might as well give it a try.” And ya know what? I didn’t expect much, but it wasn’t half bad, I tell ya. Not the best thing I ever seen, but not a total waste of time neither.

The movie starts off with this young Snow fella, played by Tom Blyth, lookin’ all serious and all. Now, this ain’t the same Snow we know from the other films, but it’s him in his younger years, when he’s still trying to figure out his life. He’s been given a job to mentor this girl Lucy Gray Baird, played by Rachel Zegler. She’s a tough one, that girl. Got herself into them Hunger Games, but instead of just bein’ a regular ol’ tribute like the others, she’s got this special kind of fire. They don’t get along at first, but it don’t take long for somethin’ to start buildin’ between them, even if it’s a little strange-like. But don’t worry, I ain’t gonna spoil too much for ya. You’ll have to watch it yourself to see how things turn out.

Now, lemme talk about the setting for a minute. This movie’s all about the Hunger Games way before the big ol’ war and chaos we seen in them other films. It’s more about how the Games started and how it all turned ugly, with folks in charge who ain’t got no care for the common people. If you ask me, it’s a lotta talk ’bout power, control, and how the rich folks use the poor to make themselves feel big. It kinda gets ya thinkin’ ’bout how the world works today, y’know? But they do it all with them Games, folks fightin’ for their lives, while the rich folks up top just watch and bet on who’s gonna die next.

The action? Well, it ain’t like them other movies where folks are runnin’ around killin’ each other left and right. It’s more about the build-up, the strategy, and the way Snow and Lucy work together—or don’t work together, dependin’ on how ya look at it. There’s some moments that’ll have ya at the edge of your seat, but mostly, it’s a lot of talkin’. And I ain’t gonna lie, sometimes it drags on a bit, but if you’re into that kind of stuff, you’ll probably be okay.

As for the acting, I gotta say, them two leads did a fine job. Tom Blyth, he played that young Snow so well, you could see the gears turnin’ in his head, like he was startin’ to realize what kind of monster he might become. And Rachel Zegler, well, she was somethin’ else. That girl’s got a voice on her that could make a cat sit up and take notice. She plays Lucy Gray like she’s got somethin’ to prove, and she sure does. The chemistry between them two is a little odd, like I said, but it works in a way that makes the story more interestin’.

But I reckon, if I had to be honest, this movie didn’t quite hit the mark like them other “Hunger Games” flicks. Some folks say it was too slow, and I gotta agree with ’em. It’s like they tried to do too much buildin’ and not enough of the action that folks expect from this kind of movie. Sure, they give ya some nice moments here and there, but overall, it ain’t got that same punch that made the first ones so exciting. Still, I’d say it’s worth watchin’ if you’re a fan of the series. If you ain’t seen none of the other movies, well, you might be a bit confused at first, but it’ll still make sense eventually.

Now, what about all them folks out there who ain’t too sure if they should bother with this one? I’d say, go on and watch it if you’re curious. It’s not a perfect film, but it does give ya a glimpse into how everything came to be, how that Snow fella became the way he is. And for some, that might just be enough to make it worth watchin’. But if you ain’t too big on all that talkin’ and world-buildin’, you might find it a bit too much to sit through.

So, there ya have it. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”—it’s a fine movie for what it is, but it ain’t gonna be the one to top the charts for everyone. Some folks loved it, some folks didn’t. Me? I’m in the middle. Could’ve been better, but could’ve been worse. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if it’s worth your time.

Tags：[Hunger Games, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, 2023, movie review, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Snow, Lucy Gray Baird, prequel, film review, Hunger Games prequel, Hunger Games movie]