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The year is 2012. I had finished 'The Hunger Games' trilogy just in time for the release of the first movie. Soon after its release, fans on Twitter and Tumblr found the next new thing— reshares of YouTube tutorials on Effie Trinket nail art, Josh Hutcherson fan edits, and "That is mahogany!" memes. And I absolutely loved it.
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The Hunger Games movies and books are somewhat of a legend in the dystopian fiction genre. The genre had its moment in the spotlight with Jennifer Lawrence as its face, but it fizzled out as quickly as it rose. Though the conclusion to the trilogy keeps you wanting more, it wraps up neatly.

So, when Suzanne Collins announced another prequel novel, which was later adapted to a movie, 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,' I was left a little confused. Revisiting a solid series after so many years could only taint its memory.Ìý
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The prequel film is essentially the story of young Coriolanus Snow and how crossing paths with Lucy Gray pushed him directly on to the path of becoming the ruthless tyrant he was in the original trilogy.

In this timeline, The Hunger Games is finding its footing and is in desperate need of more viewers. So, the academy appoints the students to be the tribute's mentors. What unfolds is violence, mind games, and an unnatural romance.Ìý
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The movie casts Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray and Tom Blyth as President Snow. The film also features well-loved actors and actresses such as Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow, Viola Davis as Dr Volumnia Gaul, and Peter Dinklage as Dean Casca Highbottom.
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Appearance is everything
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Starting from the first movie of the original trilogy, the franchise had put an emphasis on fashion and costumes. Katniss Everdeen twirling in her fire-lit dress is a memory embedded in fans' minds, which even led to some content creators trying to recreate it in real life.
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High fashion plays a pivotal role in the films, due to the story's capitalist themes. Tributes are dressed in memorable outfits to appeal to viewers, while Capitol residents flaunt extravagant clothes to showcase their wealth, emphasising that appearances are crucial in Panem.

The prequel further highlights this by exploring Snow's character. Despite his family's high social standing, they live in poverty, which contrasts sharply with the grand exterior they must maintain.

Snow meticulously prepares his appearance in a decrepit house, showing the lengths he'll go to uphold his image. Additionally, Lucy Gray's distinctive, yet tattered dress and Dr Gaul's frightening genetic experiments underscore the film's focus on appearances.

They reflect colours of the rainbow, like an oil spill. Even Dr Gaul comments when Clemensia inquires about the colour of the snakes, "I want my enemies to see a rainbow of destruction."Ìý

Collins draws a parallel between Lucy and the snakes through her dress, referring to how these reptiles sneak up on you, the quality that seems to be Lucy's upperhand in the Games.
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The villain was always there
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Snow's backstory is a proper villain story — it does not make you empathise with him. One thing that is clear from the plot is that Snow has always been manipulative, self-serving, and an intelligent schemer, just not always a villain.Ìý
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The film has been criticised for having too many characters by some reviewers, however, many of these characters serve a purpose; they reveal facets of Snow's character.Ìý

Tigress is the voice of reason in Snow's life. When Snow mulls over the idea of asking Lucy to sing for the camera, Tigress gives Snow Lucy's perspective, explaining that realistically Lucy would not want to sing for a stranger.Ìý
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On the other hand, Sejanus Plinth is the moral compass and the voice for the oppressed.Ìý
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Snow cleverly uses others' remarks to craft strategies that benefit him. For example, when Plinth suggests District kids are human too, Snow twists this into a tactic to make them more relatable and engage the audience with the Games.Ìý

Despite his disdain for the Districts, Snow's true goal is to excel in aligning himself with the Capitol, aiming to restore his family's prestigious name.
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Did it live up to its predecessors?
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Watching a movie adaptation will always feel like you're fast-forwarding through the novel, and this movie is no exception. Even as a film alone, the relationship between Lucy and Snow lacked chemistry. The way Lucy trusts Snow from the beginning felt like a rushed beginning to a relationship.Ìý
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Plinth is one of the core characters of the plot, however in the film, Plinth only felt like an accessory to Snow's character development. The only part of his personality we saw was his anger towards the Games and just the fact that he was from the Districts too. He did not really appear to be a fleshed-out character.
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At the end of the day, the question is whether 'The Hunger Games' franchise needed a whole new instalment? And the answer is no. With the exception of hardcore fans, viewers will not particularly be interested to revisit a genre that has gone out of trend. However, for fans that had spent their time making video content and fan edits after the initial trilogy, this was the perfect way to revisit a classic.Ìý
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