The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes review: This action-drama fails to create enough engaging moments

Cast: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis Director: Francis Lawrence Just three weeks after the atrocious Ganapath, we get another film that creates a dystopian world, albeit not as hideously. This time, it’s in the West and this is a world The Hunger Games franchise creates. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is the name, to be precise. It’s the fifth film in the series and a middling one at that. For all the bloodshed and drama on celluloid, it pales when it comes to creating palpable emotions and engaging characters. The Snow family’s patriarch has been killed in war, and 10 years later, his son swears to restore the family’s legacy. The creator of The Hunger Games himself, Dean Casca Highbottom, is played by the always entertaining and hoot Peter Dinklage. He chooses two children from each district to fight the death in the Hunger Games. Hunger here could be hunger for right, honour, legacy, or power. Rachel Zegler as Lucy, one of the chosen ones, has an arresting ability about her that leaves a lasting impression. The challenge for Mr. Snow is to turn these chosen ones into spectacles and not survivors. The plot is crisp and pulpy, but the execution falters. Director Francis Lawrence doesn’t quite create enough stirring moments to allow us to root for the characters’ lives or sulk at their deaths. A voice repeatedly asks us and them to enjoy the show. Only if we could. It’s based on the best selling novel of the same name, and credit must be given to the makers to recreate a dense narrative into a sprawling saga that boasts off some impressive action and set-pieces. There are some nice exchanges too, when one character says it’s not just about winning, the quip says it’s always about winning. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a cool name, only if the ballad didn’t turn into a lullaby. Rating: 2.5 (out of 5 stars) The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is playing in cinemas

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