The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

I couldn't wait to see this. I read the book & loved it. But It was honestly the worst movie I've seen in a while. It was so choppy, didn't explain why anything was happening really (everyone with me who hadn't read the book, was so lost - esp towards the end). I was so frustrated. I knew what was going on because I read the book. But I still got confused watching this movie. There was NO chemistry between Snow & Lucy - they didn't spend enough time on developing their relationship. The ending was a rushed mess. Truly Very disappointing. The Only bright spot was Tom Blyth as Snow - he was excellent.

I understand that many people highlight how faithful they were to the books. That's brilliant but this is a movie made for the mass audiences now.

First of all, there's way too much of singing, it gets cheesy and annoying. Secondly, they've tried too hard to remind us our "Katniss Everdeen" it's does not feel natural. I don't like Rachel Ziegler's performance at all she is way too theatrical her accent is too comedic. They have tried to make her Katniss.

There must be a Part II for this movie as well I suppose because it left many questions unanswered. I don't want to include spoilers so I will skip those questions.

The latest Hunger Games installment introduced a captivating concept, but its execution left much to be desired. Unexpectedly, certain scenes carried a whimsical Disney musical vibe, a stark departure from the series' gritty tone. The depiction of arena deaths fell disappointingly flat, lacking the visceral impact that defined the franchise. Moreover, the CGI work was subpar, failing to immerse the audience effectively.

However, the film wasn't without its merits. A standout feature was the commendable ensemble cast, with each actor bringing a nuanced performance. Yet, some talents were sadly underutilized, leaving viewers wanting more from characters who had the potential for greater depth and development.

One major flaw that overshadowed the positives was the rushed pacing of the narrative. The movie struggled to explore the intricacies of its intriguing concept thoroughly. A more deliberate approach, possibly as a two-part installment, could have allowed for a more immersive and satisfying exploration of the dystopian world.

Despite its shortcomings, the film managed to maintain a semblance of the franchise's essence. The core themes of rebellion, survival, and sacrifice were present, but the execution failed to capture the intensity that fans expected. In essence, the latest Hunger Games installment had all the ingredients for success, but its hasty execution prevented it from reaching the heights of its predecessors.

As someone who read the book days before seeing this film, I can tell you it should've been in two parts. I did thoroughly enjoy it! However, there are so many things that they left out that I felt were integral to the story. In order to properly see Snow for who he is-a spineless boy who only does things that look good to others-I think they needed to spend more time with the character. I'm not usually a fan of two parters, but this one really should've been. The characters fell flat to me because we didn't get great looks into them.

My boyfriend, who didn't read the book, really liked it and said he felt he understood the characters well enough though. So maybe it's just a me problem.

Because so much of the book is Snow's internal monologue, I know it would've been hard to capture that properly on film, but I think they could've. Also, it's SO much darker in the book, and I think that was necessary for the audience to see.

I will start by saying I don't think it's an 8, maybe a 7.5-7.7 so I rounded up.

However, I went in with low expectations, expecting a big budget movie with a poor storyline but otherwise reasonably watchable. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself hooked! And I daresay it was one of the better Hunger Games movies.

The bad reviews I've read seem to miss the point. This is not a story about the origin of the games, it is not a story about 'Lucy Gray" (even though her name is said about 1000 times)... It is a story about Snow and why he became the psychopath we know from the original stories. I found the not-so-happy ending refreshing and if you enjoy and understand social economic/philosophical dilemmas in terms of human psychology then it adds a notch of appreciation.

Viola, Tom and Peter were excellent in their portrayals. Zegler was fine, a little theatrical but given her background I suppose understandable.

I don't understand the hate. Especially the 1-3* reviews. Like, what were you watching!?