I Just Rewatched the Hunger Games Movies, and They're . . . Not Great, You Guys

Like any antisocial, dystopian-loving bookworm, I was a huge fan of The Hunger Games in high school. I was sucked into the high-stakes excitement of the games and deeply invested in the love triangle. I related to Katniss's independence and stubborn grit and off screen appreciated how Jennifer Lawrence keeps it real. But more than that, it is a series that explores 21st-century issues like political corruption, propaganda, and war through the eyes of its 17-year-old protagonist. The Hunger Games is a rare YA story that doesn't condescend to its audience, and I soaked it up. So when I heard that a Hunger Games prequel book, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, was being released on May 19, I decided to go back and rewatch the films so I was fully up to speed. Here's what I found revisiting the series as an adult.