‘Stupid people are dangerous…’
My love for The Hunger Games franchise burned brightly for around five years and then faded completely to the point where I was only vaguely aware that a prequel book (entitled The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) had been released at all. Well, now that that book has received a cinematic adaptation I felt it only appropriate for me to dive back into the franchise in earnest. And so, here we are, every entry in the franchise (including the prequel) ranked from least worst to best. May the odds be forever in your favour…
The Hunger Games (2012) – 8.5/10
Gary Ross’ only entry in The Hunger Games franchise does a great job of setting the table for everything that follows. There is a ton of exposition to get through here, but Ross handles it wonderfully to the point where the whole thing flies by, even with a 2hr plus running time. Jennifer Lawrence delivers an iconic, star-making performance that would mark her out as perhaps the defining actress of her generation and she is ably assisted by a talented supporting cast made up of Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci (who is excellent).
Whilst Ross doesn’t quite capture the darkest moments of the book, the wolf mutts that arrive at the film’s conclusion here are nowhere near as dark and deranged as what it is described on the page, The Hunger Games is still a captivating and compelling dystopian thriller that takes all the best bits from Battle Royale, The Handmaid’s Tale and 1984 to craft something truly unique. If anything, it’s underrated.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) – 9/10
Not only the best film in this franchise but one of the most effective blockbusters of the decade. Director Francis Lawrence takes a big swing in withholding the actual tournament until 80 minutes in and while the third act is a little rushed at times, the breathless pace makes for an undeniably propulsive experience. The already stacked cast is enhanced with new additions Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright and Sam Clafin, all of whom blend seamlessly into this world, and Jena Malone is a revelation as livewire Johanna Mason.
Elsewhere, the old hands get to do more character work with the world already established and this allows the trio of Lawrence, Harrelson and Hutcherson to do their best work of the franchise, and the fact that Liam Hemsworth, always the weak link, hardly appears, only improves matter further. A modern classic.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 – 5/10
It’s always disappointing when a promising franchise takes a turn for the mediocre and it’s difficult to recall a bigger drop in quality in any franchise than the one we have here from Catching Fire to Mockingjay – Part 1. Firstly, the ludicrous decision to split the third book in the franchise into two feature films is catastrophic. Never does this approach work. The new additions to the cast are either forgettable or just flat-out miscast (Julianne Moore is a fine actress but she brings nothing to the table here). Without the plot device of the actual games themselves, we are left with a generic and derivative teen melodrama that only comes alive in the rare moments in which Jennifer Lawrence is given something interesting to do (specifically her stirring speech delivered in the rubble of District 12 after shooting down a helicopter with a bow and arrow).
Mockingjay – Part 1 is an average film when taken out of context but as a follow-up to Catching Fire it’s a straight-up disaster.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 – 7/10
Out of the run of original movies, this final instalment is the one that I could remember the least about which perhaps doesn’t bode well. In the end, it’s an improvement on Mockingjay – Part 1 (which isn’t saying much) but still quite dissatisfying as the end to what could have been an all-time classic franchise. There are some good moments here. Peeta’s rampage. The death of Finnick. The big scene between Katniss, Snow and Coin. There is a nagging feeling that this film could have been so much more, however. Obviously, the untimely death of Philip Seymour Hoffman didn’t help matters but other characters are sidelined too. There isn’t enough Haymitch here for my liking, nor do we see enough of Effie Trinket. That being said, this final entry steadies the ship after the dumpster fire that was the previous film and I must admit I enjoyed revisiting it this time more than I thought I would.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – 4/10
Well, that was a letdown. I know that the word ‘songbird’ is literally in the title but every time Rachel Zegler opened her mouth and started warbling another maudlin ballad a small part of me died. None of the new cast members impress. Tom Blyth is bland as the young Snow. Zegler herself is irritating. Jason Schwartzman offers a pale imitation of Stanley Tucci. Viola Davis is overacting way too much. Even Peter Dinklage, normally so reliable, seems fairly bored throughout. The plot is full of holes. The games themselves fall flat as we spend no time with the contestants and so every death is met with a shrug. This simply doesn’t feel as if it is taking place in the same universe as the rest of the franchise.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a bad film with some occasional moments of flair that just about stop it from being a complete disaster. Still, this is undoubtedly an immense disappointment.