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Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn): Movie Review

Birds of Prey | Warner Brothers
Birds of Prey | Warner Brothers

DC’s films seem to be on a hot streak as of late. Starting with Shazam! The passed year has been good for them. And considering the colossal popularity of Harley Quinn, hopes were high that her solo outing would deliver as well. Thankfully, like the character herself, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn) is a chaotic fun-bag of excitement and action.

When you are dealing with a complicated, tortured, and anarchic soul like this one, you could make a huge mess. And while some of the movie is very sloppy with its editing and storytelling, by the end all of the loose ends come together in a very satisfying way that makes for a very fun movie.

After being dumped by Mr. J. Harley, Quinn is out on her own. Then she finds a young girl in possession of an expensive diamond wanted by the terrible Black Mask. Now it is up to her and the friends she meets along her journey to protect this girl and stop him.

Who said they were sick of clowns?

Birds of Prey | Photo: Warner Brothers | Warner Brothers
Birds of Prey | Photo: Warner Brothers | Warner Brothers

By far the most important part of the film is its characters. Margot Robbie is incredible as Harley Quinn, funny and freaking good in a fight; obviously, she’s the reason you’d watch the film. However, the supporting cast lend some serious acting chops to their roles. Ewan McGregor relishes in playing the menacing and dangerous Black Mask, though some scenes with him may cross the line just to show that he is in fact… evil. And the sleeper hit of the film is Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress. Her minimal screen time is more than made up for by her charm and comedic timing.

The action of the film begs to be recognized. The fights in the film are stylish and elaborate. The best part is they are mostly practical stunts similar to the John Wick films. They are some of the best set pieces in a comic book film.

The film isn’t all fun chaos however, in the first half the story jumps back and forth just to explain backstories or set up the current situation. It is very jarring and hard to follow. But with all that, when the film reaches its climax, you see how all these different threads come together. It’s immensely rewarding if you can pay attention.

The Verdict

Adult fans of the character and violent action films like Deadpool or John Wick will love this film. But keep in mind, coarse language and violent imagery mean this film is not for kids.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn) is colourful, comedic, action packed, and wonderfully chaotic, despite its sloppy execution.

Birds of Prey

8 out of 10.

1 hr 49 mins. Comic, Crime, Action.

Directed by Cathy Yan.

Starring Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor, Rosie Perez, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Ella Jay Basco