Almost 4 years after it was announced prior to 2016’s Suicide Squad release, we finally have upon us Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Birds of Prey serves as an origin story for a newly Joker-less Harley Quinn evades the many underworld elements who have been waiting for Joker’s protection to disappear so they can kill her while protecting a young girl those same men are chasing. The DCEU appears to be picking up steam with Aquaman and Shazam! both registering well with critics and the box office. Birds of Prey could easily continue the trend but finds a way to keep itself from doing so.
Margot Robbie once again proves she was born to play Harley Quinn. Harley Quinn is a multifaceted character and only an actress with Robbie’s varied filmography and versatility could nail it. When Harley takes us through the immediate aftermath of her break up with the Joker, Robbie gives us a small piece the heartbreak she exhibited in I, Tonya as her Tonya Harding learned she was banned from skating. Time for Harley to use her charm and beauty to intoxicate various henchmen? Cue Robbie’s role as Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Harley’s newfound independence? Robbie’s Kayla Pospisil from Bombshell is written all over it. Watching her seamlessly move through those marks reminds you of why she’s one of the best in Hollywood.
Most of the supporting cast works well. Rosie Perez and Jurnee Smollett-Bell deliver solid turns as Detective Renee Montoya and Black Canary, respectively. Ella Jay Basco holds her own as Cassandra Cain and impressed for someone who’s acting in their 2nd feature film at only 13 years old. Mary Elizabeth Winstead also impresses as Huntress with a Deadpool-lite flare.
However, there is one huge flaw within the supporting cast - the miscasting of Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis. McGregor isn’t bad as a villain, but he definitely lacked the kind of flamboyance needed to make Sionis a more effective and memorable character. The scenes where Sionis is supposed to show swagger feel like watching a middle age NARC act cool so he can find out where the kids buy their weed. It left me thinking “there’s definitely someone who could have done this better” – like when Jason DeRulo does anything and you know Chris Brown would have made it worthwhile.
Off camera, Birds of Prey does a solid job of giving us a story with social relevance that doesn’t feel forced or contrived at all. Writer Christina Hodson placed a number of elements in her script that address women’s empowerment and LGBTQ relationships and gave them the normalcy they deserve instead of patting itself on the back for token mentions of those themes. Structurally, the film’s mostly non-linear storytelling works because it ties in well with giving us a more in-depth introduction Harley Quinn’s chaotic mind than previously seen in Suicide Squad.
However, that’s where the positives stop. For a film focused on Harley Quinn, Birds of Prey feels shockingly thin on fun and substance. With the exception of the moments mentioned in the discussion of Robbie’s performance, the script doesn’t go far enough to show what people love about the character - maniacal fun with hints of vulnerability and a conscience. After the first act, the story underutilized Robbie’s talents because its aversion to risks holds back the Harley character.
Birds of Prey is a flawed but solid entry into the DCEU library. Margot Robbie continues to make you love Harley Quinn and the film deserves kudos for its diversity and ability to include very timely themes without fumbling through it. However, the film never fully realizes its potential due to picking the wrong guy to play the villain and playing it entirely too safe with the Harley character. It’s worth a watch if there’s nothing else for you to see and feel free to skip the premium formats for this.
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