On this review Wednesday, I’ll be talking about The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a musical-style prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy. With this story, we discover how Snow becomes the villain we first met in the original installments.
To begin with, I must admit I didn’t have much faith in this prequel, mostly because of the controversy surrounding Rachel Zegler—who recently played Snow White and gained a somewhat questionable reputation online. Nevertheless, in this prequel she takes on one of Panem’s leading roles, bringing Lucy Gray Baird to life.

SYNOPSIS:
Panem is looking for a way to sell the Hunger Games as a strategy for the most privileged students of the Capitol—in short, it was part of the school curriculum. In this installment, the story has a central thread: Coriolanus Snow, a young man striving to restore his family’s status and reputation during an economic crisis, while at the same time experiencing a passionate love with tribute Lucy Gray, which pushes him to rethink his beliefs and ambition.
AESTHETICS
As I mentioned before, I didn’t have much faith in this story because I honestly believe the trilogy had already given us everything it had to offer. However, the curiosity of seeing how extravagance in the Capitol was born, how Snow evolves and becomes such a powerful figure in Panem, and above all, how the Hunger Games began—that’s what drives the whole narrative.
That said, this prequel had a very high bar to reach, since the four Hunger Games films were marked by an impeccable aesthetic, with every detail so carefully crafted. As a fan, I didn’t think it was possible for them to match that level of quality—yet they proved me wrong.
First, to really understand this aesthetic, you have to be a true fan of the trilogy and have read the books. Second, this is the beginning of a dystopian world with deep shortages, political tensions, and broken families. The opulence and spectacle we saw in the first installments isn’t present here.
In short, the aesthetic reveals the social and historical context of Panem, marked by a vintage color palette with rather striking and immersive steampunk touches.
THE STORY
But the most remarkable thing about this film are the nods to the entire Hunger Games universe we first discovered with Katniss Everdeen: the roses, the mockingjays, District 12, love, power, and ambition—all of them are present in this dystopian narrative.
Lucy Gray is a fantastic character, full of courage, strength, and determination to face the Hunger Games. She may have been Snow’s Achilles’ heel, as in her presence he experienced emotions that made him seem like someone else—less cold and more empathetic.
This prequel follows the path of many other stories that aim to humanize villains, to explain how they ended up in a position of vileness. However, Snow knew perfectly well the path he was walking, and if there’s one thing I didn’t like about the film, it’s that they placed too much emphasis on the love story and less on Coriolanus’s personal conflict.
Unlike his classmates, Snow felt a certain fascination with the Hunger Games—something was awakened in him that went beyond his values and beliefs. Love, no matter how strong, would not change his essence. Or would it?
LUCY GRAY
Alright, let’s talk about Rachel Zegler’s beautiful performance as Lucy Gray. Even though I was already aware of the actress’s reputation, I was pleasantly surprised by her work in this role. Since this prequel incorporates musical elements, Lucy Gray’s voice becomes her greatest hook.
Through her songs, she conveys so much that for a moment you forget about the violence of the Hunger Games, and it moves you deeply. Personally, I really enjoyed her performance. At times, her expressions even made me laugh because she had such a particular charm—it almost made me suspicious of her. But overall, Lucy is a tremendous character who manages to captivate not only Snow, but the audience as well.

CONCLUSION
It’s a good movie—it gives you more context about who Snow was, how his obsessions marked a turning point in the execution of the Hunger Games, and lets us see more of Panem, reminding us that not everything was glitter and grandeur in the Capitol. We also learn the story that shaped him into the cold, frivolous man he became, as well as why he harbored so much resentment toward District 12.
However, if you’re not a follower of the trilogy, you might not understand even a quarter of what happens in Panem. Even though the film touches on a bit of everything, its true essence lies in exploring the origins of the Games.
I also appreciated that it isn’t a “literal” film—it suggests the ending while hinting at the beginning of new stages. It keeps the audience piecing things together, connecting dots through the scenes and dialogues.