Spoiler alert, I’m warning you! It won’t be much.
Harley Quinn and the girls made their theatrical debut on February 7, 2020. Fans were excited and satisfied. The movie was an entertaining action pack film, but something was missing. Again, you should see it if you need something to do. But it wouldn’t kill you to wait to watch it at home.
Where the movie fails!
I’m going to start with a compliment. Margot Robbie plays the hell out of Harley Quinn, and that’s the problem. She is too good, and you see that even when it’s the other characters time to shine. Quinn is everywhere; as soon as you start to feel or get attach to the other characters, Harley Quinn appears and snatches that attention away. It’s only a problem because those other characters have the potential to be great like Quinn, but don’t get the chance to show what they have.
The other actress and actors were great, but they were not on Harley’s level. The movie focuses on her too much; they should of let the actresses portraying their comic characters tell their own story in narration. Quinn narrates the whole, film which makes it seem like the movie is strictly focusing on her.
Birds of Prey should have been titled, “Harley Quinn and the Marvelous Birds of Prey,” or something like that. Overall, the movie focuses too heavily on Margot Robbie’s, Harley Quinn. We should have gotten longer breaks from Harley so we can vibe out with the other characters.
The Villians!
Secondly, Roman Sionis AKA Black Mask, wasn’t a great villain. He was ok, but he could have been better. Ewan McGregor brought a different vibe to the Black Mask that seems like he was being manipulated. But in the comics, Black Mask wasn’t the type of villain to be controlled. His relationship with Chris Messina’s Victor Zsasz was mediocre at its best. They were always around each other, and you see Victor trying to make Roman crazy like him. An example of this is when (spoiler) a female laughs, and Zsasz told him that she was laughing at him when she wasn’t. So Roman went over there and made her strip and dance on a table in front of everyone.
However, I believe that Zsasz should have been the quiet killer type who takes commands from Sionis. Black Mask should have been based on a hard-headed old school Italian mobster who leaps before he looks. It would have been better than their weird… love…homosexual… crazy relationship; I don’t know how to explain it. It was just odd.
Lastly, and this is a DC problem all around (spoiler). They don’t have any relatable villains. None of the DCEU villain’s crimes or reason will have you be like, “they have a point.” They are just simple crims that you don’t care about. Also, DC makes the villain’s death or defeat, fast and dull. There is no dramatic effect or character interest in their villains. They are just there to fill the antagonist role, and you see that in Birds of Prey.
Where the movie succeeds!
These ladies sure can fight. The choreography fights in Birds of Prey was dope and carefully played out. The scenes where Canary, Huntress, and or Harley Quinn fights bad guys are exciting and shot beautifully. Notably, the final scene in the funhouse (spoiler) where all the females come together to fight Black Mask’s all-male gangsta army. Each fought in their unique style, which made the scene exciting and rewatchable.
Secondly, the film shows a great display of womanhood. There are hints in the movie that indicates that men take credit for women’s work, they are creeps, and a woman can do a man’s job too. They give us strong females who can get the job done themselves.
Lastly, when all the ladies of the movie are all together, they make magic. They work well together, even if Quinn takes up most of the shine; the other characters still show why they are needed for the movie.
Birds of Prey is a movie that you will enjoy, but it’s not one you should rush to see. It’s fun, exciting, colorful, and action-packed that its a movie. I would give it a 7.9 out of 10.
If you saw the movie and agree, comment below and let us know what you think.
