Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (released 11/17/23)

I read the book recently before seeing the movie. I know that's dangerous because books have the time for nuance. A nearly 500-page book condensed into a 2.5-hour movie is going to be hard. I do appreciate a movie with obvious themes. There is a big focus on the brutality of man and how when backed in a corner, we become savages. This is true in a literal and metaphorical sense. I think the movie did a great job of selling the characters as they are in the book. Viola Davis’ character was a Disney villain performance wise which is fair considering how evil she can be. The southern drawl of Lucy Gray was a little distracting. Beautiful singing voice but it's a bit much. I imagined her band being more southern sounding but not so much Lucy. It does rush through several moments from the book, barely giving them an explanation. Which again, is because the book has the time for the finer details. It felt true to the book, but like many adaptations never felt a perfect 1 to 1.

Story - 17%

Characters - 18%

Pacing - 17%

Spectacle - 18%

Entertainment - 19%

Total score: 89%

Grade scale:

90%-100% = must watch

80%-89% = solid, but could be better

70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you

60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons

0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here