Birds of Prey drags its feet a little too much at times, but Harley’s fabulous emancipation is still a zany action-comedy from start to end.
Birds of Prey Synopsis
Harley Quinn finds herself the hit target of Gotham’s worst hooligans after word of the Joker ditching her goes out. She is then captured by Roman Sionis i.e. Black Mask, and in exchange for her life, she offers to help Sionis retrieve a precious diamond from young pickpocket Cassandra Cain. Upon discovering Sionis still placed a bounty on Cassandra despite the deal, Harley kills Sionis’ goons and flees with the teen to her hideout. Meanwhile, Dinah Lance, Renee Montoya, and Helena Bertinelli i.e. three superbly talented women all recovering from personal trauma, incur Sionis’ wrath too. Their only chance of survival might be to find and team up with crazy Harley.
Snappy Review
In spite of several (partial) misfires from the past, I still look forward to DCEU movies. Including those starring the actors from past entries.
This is not just because of the lifelong Superfriends fanboy in me. With entries like Aquaman and Shazam!, you would agree that DCEU movies are getting better, albeit in a MCU clone-like way?
If you watch the animated DC movies, I’m sure you’d agree too that DC does, on the whole, knows how to chain together a compelling or unforgettable story. What’s missing from the cinematic movies, IMO, are usually confidence and character. The latter referring to DC’s own recognizable approach/formula. One that’s not born of desperation to emulate its arch-rival’s cinematic domination.
Coming to Birds of Prey, well, I’ll just say it outright. Entertaining and hilarious as it was, it reminded me of Deadpool 2, and I don’t mean because they both feature a whacky protagonist. The over-the-top comedic action and soliloquies place both movies in practically the same universe, and for the more unforgiving, I’m sure they’d say DC is attempting a Deadpool clone here.
Which, if said, wouldn’t be an unfair accusation, although I have to highlight DC and Marvel comics have been cloning each other for decades. This aside, Birds of Prey does shine with its own merits, these being: Margot’s fantastic second portrayal of Harley Quinn, the fun and appropriate soundtrack, and the various comic book like / Gotham settings. (That Funhouse! Mr. J will approve)
Incidentally, the supporting cast threw in commendable performances as well; Ewan McGregor absolutely seduces with his semi-delirious version of Black Mask. In many ways, I wish this version would, one way or another, face off with the next Batman to step onto the big screen. Hey, who knows, given the story flow, this might just happen!
Read my other Snappy Movie Reviews.
