One of the most anticipated films of the year has finally been released, and fans are already demanding more! For those who have been a fan of the Hunger Games world created by Suzanne Collins, this film was much overdue. Since the final movie of the trilogy in 2015, fans have been desperate to see more of this incredibly dystopian universe and the history of the Hunger Games.
Many fans of the franchise, including myself, have been eager to see more of the world and the resurgence of the dystopian genre. There has been an intense excitement amongst the fans which is evident through the show winning the domestic weekend box office by holding off both Trolls Band Together and The Marvels by earning $44.0 million in ticket sales in the first weekend. The film takes place 64 years before the first film and follows 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, the future sadistic president of Panem, and his journey being a mentor in the 10th Hunger Games.
This job is to attract more people to view and support the games and if successful, he will be rewarded with a large monetary prize. He is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray from the impoverished District 12, which is traditionally the worstperforming district due to its lack of basic necessities and resources. However, Snow soon realises that Lucy is not to be dismissed due to her lack of physical strength, but supported because of her intriguing personality.
At the reaping, she is seen putting a snake down the mayor's vindictive daughter's dress and then singing on the stage. Snow sees this as an opportunity to use Lucy's unique and intriguing personality to inspire people to watch the games. The rest of the film follows the harrowing Hunger Games and Snow's influence on them.
We uncover the truth of Snow’s family and Lucy’s life as part of the Covey, a musical group, and District 12. What makes this film so fascinating is viewers are given the opportunity to see the evil and sinister President Snow in a completely new environment. The Snow we see in the original trilogy is evidently bloodthirsty and wicked from the moment we meet his character.
However, even though 18-year-old Coriolanus definitely displays some alarming qualities, he is not yet the evil villain we know he transforms into. The film does an excellent job of making the audience feel sympathy and understanding for the 18-year-old, whilst also providing reminders of the monster he eventually turns into and was always capable of being. Without revealing any spoilers, we see many instances in the film where Snow's true colours are relieved and we are reminded of what he is and has always been capable of.
The film portrays how Snow’s overwhelming thirst for power and control overtakes any other emotion he is feeling and will do anything and hurt whoever he feels necessary to achieve what he wants. One question that has always left fans yearning to understand more of the game's origins and how it developed. Viewers will be happy to know what the film tells us about how the idea of the Hunger Games was invented and who came up with it.
Again, without giving away any spoilers, the characters whose idea it was to invent the games may surprise you. We also see how Coriolanus Snow had a profound impact on some of the now common practices in the games such as sponsors, bettings, and getting the audience personally invested into the tributes and who wins. The latter is what also led to the tribute's interviews and how many of them would put on a persona in order to gain the public's attention and affection.
One of the stand-out attributes to this film which has already claimed to be a profound success, would be its highly talented cast members. The film has its two protagonists, Coriolanus Snow and Lucy Gray Baird portrayed by Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth. Both actors have been credited for their sensational portrayal of these characters.
Both actors represent the complexity of their characters amazingly and truly make the audience feel connected to them. Other magnificent actors in the film include Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth, Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow and Peter Dinklage as Casca 'Cas' Highbottom. However, one of the actors that stood out to me is Oscar Winning Viola Davis who portrays Dr.
Volumnia Gaul, who is the sinister game maker of the 10th Games. Her portrayal of the villain was honestly quite unsettling to watch at times. This ominous character has a profound impact on Snow and her power and influence over him is likely what began his spiral into control and thirst for death.
Overall, this film definitely lived up to its expectations and did an excellent job of portraying the dystopian world of the Hunger Games and the complexity of the characters. The direction is amazing and the visuals are