The action scenes remain well-shot and tightly edited, and even without the provocative political energy of the Katniss years, the cultural parallels between Panem’s world and ours retain their unsettling power.

"The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" is a film of contrasts — visually stunning yet narratively uneven, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the origins of Panem, but not without stumbling over its own ambitious intentions.

I do not buy it philosophically for one second.

Combined with outstanding lead performances and a host of sumptuous visuals, it’s an overall entertaining and worthwhile entry in the massive Hunger Games franchise.