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The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (4K UHD Blu-ray) review



Studio:  Lionsgate
 Release Date: February 13, 2023
 Rating: PG-13
 Film:  3.5/5
 
 Plot
 64 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, and decades before Coriolanus Snow became the tyrannical President of Panem, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Coriolanus as he unites with Lucy Gray Baird in the 10th Hunger Games, and battles his instincts for both good and evil.
 
 My Thoughts
 I enjoyed the original Hunger Games films but wouldn’t exactly call myself a fan of the franchise. That being said, new releases are quite rare these days and I’ve been looking for some new movies to watch and while I didn’t expect to be blown away by the film, I thought it would be mildly entertaining after seeing how well it scored on Rotten Tomatoes.

 
I watched the film with my wife and mid-twenties daughter who read the original books when she was a teenager and we both agreed on one thing—the first 20 minutes of the film were tough to get through. The filmmakers did their best to make you care about the characters, but in all honesty, it was a hard sell. Thankfully, we kept with it—and yes, there was discussion to turn it off—because once it found a firm footing, it was actually quite entertaining.
 
The highlight of the show is the A/V presentation, which is reference quality from beginning to end. The video was shot in 4K and presumably has a 4K DI because I couldn’t find one thing to complain about. Black levels are inky and deep, colors are accurate and consistent, and the detail is off-the-charts good. Not to be outshined is the Dolby Atmos track, which utilizes every speaker in the room to great effect. There are moments that come from above that will have you ducking for cover and the sound designer does a great job of placing voice cues throughout the room.
 
Video 10/10
 Audio 10/10 (Dolby Atmos)
 
 
 Special Features:

 
  • Audio Commentary
  • Predator or Prey: Making The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  • The Hanging Tree: Song by Rachel Zegler
  • A Letter to Fans
  • Three Theatrical Trailers
  • 4K + Blu-ray + Digital Copy
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxW_X4kzeus&ab_channel=LionsgateMovies


 Conclusion
 While not a perfect film, it is entertaining. The start of the film is a bit rough and at over 2.5 hours, probably a good 30 minutes too long, but technically speaking, it’s worth watching just for the audio/video quality alone. If you watched the original movies, you may want to check it out to fill in some of the blanks on the characters, but even if you haven’t seen the original films, it does a good job of standing on its own. Recommended for fans.        
 
 
 Reference Review System:
 JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
 Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
 ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Kaleidescape Strato + Server
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-990
 M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
 M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
 Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
Blu-ray Reviewer / Technical Writer
Sound & Vision Magazine

AVSCraig

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Re: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2024, 12:20:04 PM »
I just got this. I've been wanting to rewatch the original movies ever since I got them on 4K, and I think I'll schedule this movie followed by the other 4 soon.
Direct (585) 671-2972 8:00am - 4:30pm Pacific 
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Re: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2024, 03:42:21 PM »
I just got this. I've been wanting to rewatch the original movies ever since I got them on 4K, and I think I'll schedule this movie followed by the other 4 soon.
Craig, you'll probably like it just for the eye/ear candy alone. Some great demo sequences for sure. 
Blu-ray Reviewer / Technical Writer
Sound & Vision Magazine

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