Movie Review: Birds of Prey

It may come as a surprise to filmgoers nowadays that there was a time when movies based on properties from DC Comics dominated the cineplexes. Fare like Superman: The Movie (1978) and Batman (1989) were the gold standards for comic-book adaptations and decent films based on Marvel properties were an unrealized dream for most fans. My how the times have changed, and DC finds itself lately with a plethora of offerings ranging from bad to worse to just awful—apart of course from Wonder Woman (2017). It is a pleasure then when something as unexpectedly entertaining and interesting as Birds of Prey is born from a collection of properties in the middle of what feel like such an endless creative drought.

The character of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) was first introduced to film goers in Suicide Squad (2016) as the sidekick of Jared Leto’s Joker. She handily stole the show in that film and it’s easy to see why focusing this sequel of sorts on her character seemed like the natural progression for the property. As the film opens, we learn that Harley and the Joker have gone their separate ways, forcing Harley to assert her independence early on and start to make sense of the film’s subtitle for the audience (i.e. “And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn”). To do so, Harley burns her past to the ground (literally) and then, over the course of the film, falls in league with a similarly independent and strong group of women, some of whom will ultimately make up the Birds of Prey. This includes Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), the Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Dinah Lance (Jumee Smollett-Bell), and Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). Together, these women face off against gang boss Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor) who does his best to outdo every other flamboyant comic book film villain that has come before him.

Shockingly, this hodge-podge all seems to coalesce and work, making Birds of Prey one of the few recent DC films that proves entertaining from beginning to end. While many recent DC movies have been overly violent and a tad grittier than they needed to be, Birds of Prey manages to keep things aloft with a lighter tone. Don’t get me wrong, the film has its dark moments, but there’s not nearly as much overt (and needless) violence (or gunplay) as was present in Suicide Squad or in any of the previous Superman films (including Justice League [2017]) for that matter. No, here bad guys are dispatched more with fisticuffs and hand-to-hand combat than with actual firepower and that ultimately proves refreshing. It also helps that the ass kicking is delivered by an assorted collection of female superheroes.

Margot Robbie in “Birds of Prey.”

As in Deadpool 2 (2018), the redemption of the anti-hero is brought about by the saving of a younger version of the hero and Harley (along with the other “Birds”) must save a younger version of herself (of sorts) from the aforementioned mobster Sionis. Director Cathy Yan does wonders with the property and displays a solidly kinetic flourish that brings to life the well-balanced script from Christina Hodson. While there may be a few too many clichés sprinkled here and there, the whole thing moves so entertainingly forward that there’s barely time to worry about such things.

While several characters are given individual moments in which to shine throughout the film (Winstead and Perez are given the best moments), the film is really Robbie’s vehicle and she shines throughout. Whether she’s passing on life advice to her young protégé or shopping for a new hyena at the local pet store, she’s impossible not to be enthralled by. For that, as well as for making DC films a little less irrelevant makes Birds of Prey a successful entry to the cannon of comic book cinema.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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