Starring: Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Ella Jay Basco, Ewan McGregor, Chris Messina
Writer: Christina Hodson
Director: Cathy Yan
Studio: DC Films, LuckyChap Entertainment, Kroll & Co. Entertainment, Clubhouse Pictures
Birds of Prey is finally here! And I’ve had the absolute pleasure of watching it pretty soon after it was released. For those who haven’t watched the trailer, let me give a short recap of the plot.
After Suicide Squad happened, Harley Quinn and the Joker broke up. Harley is pretty much known for being the Joker’s sidekick. Now, she’s trying to figure out who she is, what she wants to do, and where she fits in. During this journey of self-discovery, Harley gets caught up in something that she wants to fix, mainly because her own life is on the line. But of course, she does this in Harley style, and she’s not alone.
Now, personally, I never was much of a DC person until I started watching Gotham. Then I watched more DC movies and even picked up some comics. Harley Quinn grew on me rather quickly, so I was thrilled to see she got her own movie (especially because Suicide Squad was … well, let’s not get into that). In my opinion, DC is very good at writing villains. They’re often likable, but still just bad, y’know? In a good way.
But enough about the whole background and DC. Let’s talk about Birds of Prey! I enjoyed this movie from the beginning to the end, and here’s why:
First of all, “Harley Freakin’ Quinn” narrates it herself, so that’s a good start! She tells it only the way you’d expect from said villain: in all blunt honesty with chaos sprinkled on top. Second, it shows relatable scenarios. Superhero (or villain) movies often seem out of reach. The actions of heroes and villains are so disconnected from our world. It’s sometimes hard to imagine what it’s like being in their shoes. With Birds of Prey, it didn’t feel like that at all. Sure, it’s still all very fictional, with certain things happening that wouldn’t be possible in the real world. But what the women in this movie go through feels very real. It’s about heartbreak, loss, disappointment, loneliness. But … all that shifts quickly into kick-ass action with amazing soundtracks to support it.
As I said, all of the women in the mainframe of this movie have been broken in some way. But they’ve all reached the point where they’ve had enough. Because of the circumstances they’re in, they find themselves having a common goal, and with little time to think about whether or not they trust each other, they have to work together to save the day. They empower each other, lift each other up, and have each other’s backs. That’s what a (haphazardly put together) team (of misfits) looks like.
Not just the soundtracks of this movie are a-ma-zing; the visuals are great as well. It truly fits the vibe I expected from Miss Quinn as if you see the world through her eyes (I mean, she’s narrating it, so you already do). The story felt strong and solid, so there’s no comment there. I also really liked the casting, as everyone did an amazing job. Margot Robbie was on her A-Game again, and I truly feel like she was born to play Harley Quinn. I want to give extra points to Chris Messina’s portrayal of Victor Zsasz, aka one of my favorite characters. I very much enjoyed his performance.
The action scenes in the movie caused me to eat my popcorn more quickly and glue my eyes to the screen. There is this one fighting scene towards the end (no spoilers from me though), which I think everyone will enjoy. Fast-paced, spot-on, and just plain badass.
For everyone wondering if they should see Birds of Prey, the answer is YES!
Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is in cinemas now.
Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey
