Despite good reviews and twitter buzz, looks like BIRDS OF PREY bombed at the box office this weekend.
I liked it! I thought it was very loud and kinetic and colorful... but also busy and kinda empty, and lacking focus. In other words, it's a DCEU film.
Spoilers below.
HARLEY QUINN
I feel like we still don't get a clear sense of who Harley Quinn is, besides "wacky" and Joker's ex-girlfriend who's totally fine with it and totally over it, she repeats. It was crazy how many times the film mentions The Joker without showing him. I guess I understand the IP reasons why, but it was like that Simpsons joke "And any time Poochie isn't on screen, all of the characters should be talking about Poochie."
In the comics, Sam Humphries current run, on the other hand, is one of the most well-developed and clear versions of the character I've seen. Even in the DCU animated show, she's still basically just "wacky Joker's ex who's totally over it" plus her deep friendship with Poison Ivy.
In the film, her closest bond is with Cassandra Cain who becomes the Holly Robinson to her Selina Kyle, and that's where we see some new dimensions to DCEU-verse Harley Quinn.
It's weird to me that Harley Quinn's second group film in the Harley + Assorted IP pals series — and this movie, though it's better than Suicide Squad, is very much a sequel to that film— maybe a third movie will give us Poison Ivy and Catwoman as Harley's friends, and maybe Batgirl too.
CASSANDRA CAIN
Super fun character, but bears no resemblance to any other version and should've just used a new original name. But they wanted the name on the posters for IP reasons I guess? The DCEAU seems to do this and I hate it, like in the opening of "Man of Steel" it's an "easter egg" that the one-line guy with Lois was in fact Jimmy Olsen. So pointless.
Name aside, she's a fun character though, she reminded me a little of the Tim Drake/Jason Todd hybrid in The New Batman Adventures — spunky pickpocket sidekick who holds in a deep rage. Among all the characters, she's the heart of the film and by the end she becomes, surprisingly, Harley's "Robin."
HUNTRESS
I liked this take on her, I liked the awkward and stilted personality. I liked the costume and the second costume... I wanted more. I don't think another film is going to happen but maybe there's a TV show for HBO Max with Huntress and the Birds.
I appreciated how her origin was woven into the story, and I liked her flashback montage... loved the jokes of her saying her name. She's got a similar origin to Bruce Wayne but she's denied the opportunity for an "I'm Batman" moment... she's always getting her line stepped on and everyone calls her the Crossbow Killer.
The chase scene with her on the bike was amazing. I loved the way she fought. I loved everything.
Unfortunately, she barely gets any time together with Renee Montoya and Black Canary until the last scene... I wish they'd just already been together at the start of this movie tbh. I wonder what their conversations would be like or how they'd work together. We can only guess.
Of the three "Birds", Huntress is the one I felt like was the most developed, although Montoya and Black Canary seemed to have more screen time.
RENEE MONTOYA
Again, quite different from source material but I dug the grizzled, hardened career detective who's always getting overlooked. She sort of takes over Oracle's role in the group by the end, I guess, but she is kind of a mystery as to who she is, as well, besides the repeated "80s cop movie" stereotype.
The "I shaved my balls for this?" t-shirt seemed like that should've been funnier. I think it wasn't set up as clearly as it needed to be. I assume she's wearing it because when she walked into the office, everyone was saying that she smelled bad, so she changed into a spare t-shirt?
BLACK CANARY
She's a singer in Roman Sionis's mob nightclub and then his driver after Harley breaks his legs. She too is being overlooked. She spies on Roman but he has no idea until the end. Her power saves the day which is cool, and she looks and sounds cool in general, but I was really put off when she didn't step in to save the girl that Roman was humiliating in that scene having her strip on the table.
ROMAN SIONIS & VICTOR ZSASZ
Ewan McGregor kinda steals the show. They never refer to him as Black Mask, even when he puts on the black mask with dramatic music, and he has a False Face Society.... it looks cool, though, and he's a compelling villain.
I liked him and Zsasz as a couple — in business and it seems coded that they're personal partners too. They make a lot of sense together! They're both sadistic sociopaths who get off on torturing and maiming other people.
GOTHAM CITY
Apparently, Gotham's East End looks exactly like Downtown Los Angeles. Who knew?
THE JOKER
How many times is his name mentioned? I think it's... at least a dozen times or more. Interestingly I don't think "Batman" is ever said.
DCEU
I hope we see the Birds Of Prey again. We're sure to continue seeing Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn...she's perfect in the role and she's the highlight of both of films. I like the comics and animated versions of Harley's parents and siblings too, and maybe a third film could explore this side of Harley more, as well.
If there's another film in the Harley + Assorted IP trilogy, I hope it's one that connects Harley to more of her established friends. — Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Leslie Thompkins, maybe Batgirl or Zatanna.