Hey everyone! Welcome to yet another brand new review of the year’s only comic book movie (thus far?). Now as some of you may know I actually am a fan of the way DC Films’s has been doing things lately with Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam! all being very worthwhile endeavors that were both commercially, and financially successful as well as being well liked by general audiences, and fans alike. So now we have Birds of Prey which is essentially a spin off that concerns the break out character of the much maligned Suicide Squad (easily the worst movie of the series and the only one I do not like), Harley Quinn. I was actually really looking forward for this as I like a lot of the talent involved, and the trailers looked like a lot of fun. It ended up under-performing financially (though not quite the huge disaster people would claim) despite being well received by critics, and gaining a lot of fans. That’s a shame because I for one really enjoyed the heck out of this one and find it to be one of my personal favorites of the franchise as well one of the most unique movies in the comic book genre. Now let’s dive straight into the Gotham underbelly and see just what makes this movie tick.
After an animated prologue which explains psychiatrist, Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s transformation into the Joker’s girlfriend, Harley Quinn, we cut to Harley finally dumping the Clown Prince of Crime after years of abuse. This now means that Harley is free to do whatever she wants as she takes advantage of this newfound freedom going out to drink at nightclubs, adopt a hyena, watch cartoons, take up roller derby, and eat her favorite bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich (which I found myself suddenly craving after seeing the movie). However this also means that she doesn’t have the immunity she got from being Joker’s significant other so anyone who has a bone to pick with her can very well try and kill her. This includes nightclub owner, Roman Sionis, AKA the Black Mask, the most ruthless crime lord in Gotham who is currently trying to retrieve a diamond that was stolen by local pick pocket, Cassandra Cain. So Harley offers to retrieve the diamond for Sionis in exchange for his protection and all of this leads her to get tangled up in a lot of situations which involve GCPD detective, Renee Montoya, Sionis’s nightclub singer/driver, and metahuman, Dinah Lance (AKA Black Canary), and a mysterious, crossbow wielding vigilante known simply as “the Cross Bow Killer” (or as it is eventually revealed to be actually, Huntress). But will all these colorful characters be able to work together in order to put an end to Sionis’s reign and will Harley be able get that freedom she oh so wants so much?
When it comes to the structure of the story, the writers decided to make the descion to play things a little out of order in order to feel like you are in the physch of Harley Quinn since she is the one narrating everything (hence why it was a little challenging to write the plot synopsis). So we essentially re wind back to certain places and fast forward to others and while it may seem a little jarring at first I got used to it and actually really liked what they were going for here as it was a fun artistic choice that also matches with the gleeful/darkly comedic tone of the film, a tone that is surprisingly handled well and is consistent. It almost feels like one of those Guy Ritchie gangster movies that he did as it has a similar energy as some of his work one that is especially infectious here and some sharp writing from Christina Hodson that help make this movie stand out from the other DC movies in this universe. There really never is a dull moment throughout the run time and the comedy presented is really funny, and often times clever as Harley’s jokes, and actions got a lot of laughs out of me and it helps justify the choice to use her voice over to tell the story. I also like how while this is an R-rated movie it doesn’t feel like its wallowing in gore, and profanity as it’s just doing its own thing and not trying to censor what it has and I really didn’t find the violence to be gratuitous (it’s closer to Deadpool than something like Punisher War Zone in that respect). It even has a little something to say about disrespected individuals rising up against oppressive powers, and how misogynistic men use fear to control others and how women are abused by them stand up to them which doesn’t feel out of place. My biggest issue with the movie though is that due to the way in which is the story is told the plotting can be a little bit muddled at times and that does affect the pacing at times even if I followed it fine. That and (spoilers) the Birds of Prey aren’t really formed until the very end of the movie making this feel like one of those franchise starters that wait till the end to get the titular character, or team as we know them to be, though in this case the rest of the movie works well, and it does deliver what one would want from a Harley Quinn movie which is what this movie is and it does a great job of capturing the spirit of the character.
One highlight of the current batch of movies in this DC cinematic universe is that they are very auteur driven with such directors like Patty Jenkins, James Wan, and David F. Sandberg each bringing a unique to their respective features. Happy to say that trend continues here with Cathy Yan doing a very good job behind the camera with a nice energetic direction throughout the feature as there are plenty of scenes that feel like she’s going all out (the first 20 minutes or so in particular). As befitting a Harley Quinn movie it is as bright and colorful as one would expect from this time of flick with all sorts of colors just popping of the screen at certain points and I really dug the production design that really captures the more seedier side of Gotham. Also gotta give props to costume designer, Erin Benach, as he did a really good job in designing some pretty fun, and memorable attire for certain players to wear, in particular Harley Quinn’s who wears a bunch of flashy costumes, and Black Mask’s which was not only pretty comic accurate but pretty much how I’d imagine he’d look in live action (with the mask, and all). As for the action well they were actually helmed by John Wick director, Chad Stahelski, and they are tons of fun to watch! Given that the movie is R-rated the fight scenes are indeed brutal yet also fluid, and well shot as they use the environment, and weaponry on display in clever ways. My personal favorite would have to be the break in at the police station as Harley has to break Cassandra Cain out and she uses non lethal means to fight off the police as it is very well done and just an awesome, and creative sequence, though I am also partial to a chase early on as Harley runs away from those who want revenge (which also has some of those character name titles that appear similar to Suicide Squad which was amusing), and the climactic showdown between the ladies and Black Mask’s gang at an abandoned carnival where we get to see everyone shine, and where Margot Robbie shows off some the skills she learned from filming I, Tonya. Also really dug the soundtrack of the picture as there were some original songs made for the film like “Sway With Me” by GALXARA, “Jokes On You” by Charlotte Lawrence, “Diamonds” by Megan Thee Stallion and Normani, and “Boss B**ch” by Doja Cat among others which are all pretty catchy and fit the tone of the picture very well (also liked the rendition of “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” sung by ADONA). Then there’s that animated opening I briefly mentioned in the plot summary and I really loved it as it is very well animated by Warner Bros. Animation with plenty of colorful visuals, it does a great job of explaining Harley’s backstory and setting up the ride that we are in for (gotta love a major live action movie using 2D animation), and it fits in perfectly with the no hold barres energy present in the movie.
As I briefly touched upon before, I find the choice to name this movie Birds of Prey very odd as not only does it have very little in common with it’s source material but also because this is the Harley Quinn show through and through. Given that she was one of the bright spots of the otherwise disappointing Suicide Squad it’s no surprise that Margot Robbie brings her A-game to the role once again as she really does a great job capturing the crazy nature of the character, while also striking a nice balance between her darkly comedic antics, and more dramatic moments while also making her surprisingly sympathetic. I actually found myself really invested in her journey to make her own life now that she has ended a relationship that essentially defined her identity for so long and how she deals with it and the pay off to her arc was very satisfying. I also enjoyed the relationship she develops with Cassandra Cain who is a fun character that got some good laughs out of me and is played nicely by Ella Jay Basco who does well for her feature film debut even if she is completely different from the character in the comics though I still enjoyed her here. Jurnee Smollett-Bell plays the straight woman here as Dinah Lance as she gives a much more grounded performance compared to her other quirky teammates and I really enjoyed her interactions with Harley and seeing her go from not wanting to get involved in crime fighting becoming someone who wants to help out as much as she can. Then there’s Rosie Perez who is great as the cynical, yet still more than capable detective, Renee Montoya, a cop whose not really appreciated as much as should by her peers. She reminds me of one those classic action movie cops in a good way and I really like how she’s always trying to encourage people to be their best selves (also found it refreshing that the movie doesn’t make her sexuality a big deal and is treated naturally). Rounding out the main team is Huntress who is both a really cool, and fun character with Mary Elizabeth Winstead giving an excellent performance, and having some of the funniest scenes in the entire movie (heck I actually wish we got to see more of her). As a whole the team has plenty of neat interactions with one another and are a hoot when we see them all come together to fight off their common enemy. Speaking of which another stand out is Ewan McGregor who seems to be having a blast as the slimy Roman Sionis who is a very erratic individual who can go from being cool, and collected to throwing a temper tantrum in a second and he’s conversations with Harley are highlights. His unpredictable nature is what makes him an interesting, and often times intimidating threat who will stop at nothing to get what he wants and it makes him into one of the better DC movie villains. Also doing a good job is Chris Messina who brings low key menace to the role of Victor Zsasz, Sionis’s right-hand man, and he as well has some great interactions with Sionis. While some characters may not be what fans expected, on their own they make for one heck an ensemble where everyone gives it their all.
All in all I personally found Birds of Prey (and the ridiculously long, redundant, title) to be one blast of a movie as some muddled plotting, mis leading title, and not quite as much screen-time for the whole team together aside its just oozing with energy, a unique way of telling it’s story, excellent direction from Cathy Yan, brutal action, a game cast, and more. It once again shows what DC films is capable of and continues their current hot streak making me excited for what they do next. It’s a real shame that this one didn’t do as well as it should’ve even though there are plenty of reasons that can be attributed to that (Suicide Squad’s reception, the R-rating which might’ve scared away a potential audience, maybe the demand for a Harley Quinn movie wasn’t all that high, the fact that it’s one of the most unconventional comic book movies in quite some time, etc.) though at least it was well received, and has a pretty big fan-base and really that’s what matter most. If this sounds like the type of movie you’ll dig than absolutely check it out if you get the chance as it really is a fun time. It may not be for everyone but for those who want more variety in their comic book movies this fits that bill perfectly. Plus with this, and the extremely vulgar, and violent (but also excellent) Harley Quinn animated series, the character really is having one heck of a moment!
Rating: A-
Please Leave your thoughts down below in the comments and see you guys later!
Review Time 