The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

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.

No matter how faithful a movie is to the book, it can't save itself from the fact that it's unneeded. Backstory to snow is fine if it adds something new to the universe, however nothing new is added here, we get taught everything we knew about the world and get tiny little snips of backstory of the origins of the Hunger Games. For the movies insane long run time, the final act of this film seems like a race to get to the end of the story. The slow paced world building it creates in the first two acts is immediately thrown out for the purpose of reaching that finish line. Unlike the last Hunger Games movies being split into two, this is the Hunger Games movie that should have been split into two. We don't get to the motivations and reasonings behind characters other than a line or two then we arrive at them. Another hour and a half of story telling could have fleshed these characters out and made the ending more meaningful. However we're left with a film that doesn't seem to ever end, masked with good acting, set design and great cinematography. But a film that is messy, long and drawn out only to be shot into a moc 10 speed at the end. Leaving this movie feel completely unnecessary.

I've struggled before with finishing a movie or a TV show I've started because they were boring and lackluster, but I've been struggling with this one for 4 days to finish it and I don't think I have it in me to do it.

It's incredibly long and boring. The characters are bland and most of them annoying , especially Lucy Gray who starts singing out of the blue every step of the way.

I think the only likeable characters are Tigris who has little to almost no screen time and Sejanus who acts like a moral compass throughout the movie and who was done dirty. Otherwise I wasn't rooting for anyone .

I kinda regret starting the movie but I wanted to give it a try. Now I want to finish it on principle because I hate living movies and shows unfinished not because I like it in any shape of form.

It's a pity because its such a downgrade compared to the previous Hunger Games. The only good thing in this movie is Viola Davis who is spectacular as always ... other than that nope, nothing.

I came into this movie with low expectations hoping to have my socks knocked off. But they are still very much on. Ziegler's acting and accent was bad no other way to put it just plain bad. The story was hard to buy into. The chapters almost felt like loosely connected but widely under developed stories that to do properly could have each been a movie on their own. It's a very basic see it once and say you have seen it. Several parts of the movie felt like they wanted to be rated R but were dumbed down to make a pg13 movie I'd also give a parent warning my daughter wanted to see it which is why we went and it was VERY dark for PG13.

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.