Birds of Prey
Starring: Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez
Directed By: Cathy Yan
Rated: R
I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t like Suicide Squad. It was a poorly written mess of a movie. Even after that, I still wanted to give Birds of Prey a chance. Margot Robbie never gives a bad performance, and with AMC A-List, I don't feel like I’m wasting a ticket. #Notanad. (AMC A-List, if you would like to sponsor me, I would be happy to start doing ads.)
Unfortunately, I left the theater feeling like I’ll never quite get into the Harley Quinn storyline the way DC wants me to. Birds of Prey follows Harley Quinn shortly after her breakup from the Joker. (A plotline that is talked about every 5 seconds) She’s trying to start a new independent life, but every bad guy in Gotham is out to kill her, including one of the worst of them all, crime boss Roman Sionis/Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). Harley finds out that Roman is on the hunt for a rare and expensive diamond, which is in the possession of a young pickpocket named Cassandra Cain. She leverages this info to save her life and sets out to get the diamond leading her on a wild adventure. Along the way, she’ll encounter Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Renèe Montoya (Rosie Perez), who have a common enemy in Black Mask.
If that plot sounds like a lot to follow, that’s because there’s way too much happening in this movie. Birds of Prey is just chaos. The writing isn’t what I’d call strong. There are so many timelines and story arcs happening. In many ways, it feels like two separate movies: one about Harley Quinn finding independence and one introducing the Birds of Prey. Certain characters get a lot more story background than others, so you end up not caring about critical members of the Birds of Prey. I genuinely think this should have just been a Harley Quinn movie; then, they could’ve introduced a Birds of Prey movie later on because the two themes don’t always blend cohesively. Some of that may be due to the jarring editing choices. Just when it seems like the plot is moving forward, it goes back in time three days to introduce a new character! Then when it looks like we’ve finally caught up, the timeline goes back a week to introduce someone again! I like it when a film can challenge the typical three-act structure, but Birds of Prey is frustratingly frenetic.
I appreciate that Birds of Prey has a female director. Cathy Yan has never directed a franchise film before and set out to make a female-led superhero film with style. Yan cites John Wick, Jackie Chan, and The Raid 2 as inspirations for the zany Birds of Prey. The entire movie feels like a carnival video game that keeps going. I felt dizzy from the wild ride. However, there are a few scenes that are quite impressive stylistically! The “Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend” sequence is excellent, especially considering Ewan McGregor is there (love a good Moulin Rouge callback.), and the carnival funhouse fight is expertly filmed and choreographed. It just doesn’t all come together as a whole when all is said and done.
For an ensemble film, the acting is a mixed bag. Margot Robbie leads the charge as Harley. She’s confident, kooky, and wildly chaotic. I’ve heard a lot of people compare Harley Quinn to Deadpool in this movie, and I can see the comparison with the hard-R rating, voice-over narration, and fourth-wall-breaking moments. It seems like Margot Robbie is having fun with this character wielding a mallet and doing whatever she wants. It’s a far cry from Bombshell and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but it does show off her acting versatility.
I may not have liked Birds of Prey, but I applaud Robbie for continuously producing so many female-led films with her production company.
Jurnee Smollet-Bell is one of the highlights of the film as Black Canary, a lounge singer, and driver for Black Mask. She knows all about the terrible things that he’s capable of and might be able to help stop him. She also has a really random superpower that shows up in one of the weirdest times of the movie. Despite the nonsensical superpower moment, Smollet’s performance is genuinely convincing.
Photo belongs to Warner Brothers
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Rosie Perez, who plays Renee Montoya, a cop who has an affinity for 80s cliches. Her line delivery is so flat and deadpan that her scenes are boring to watch.
A similar issue happens with Ella Jay Basco, who plays Cassandra Cain. I’m not going to critique her performance because she’s so young, but there is no chemistry between Cassandra and the rest of the Birds of Prey. The writers did a terrible job of making her a character you want to root for. She spends the whole movie making stupid decisions, then lands in more danger and rarely seems to care. It’s frustrating to watch.
Someone who does not have any issue with dull acting is Ewan McGregor! He is menacing as Roman Sionis/Black Mask. Every scene involving the character is wildly unpredictable, and I never knew what he’d do next. This is a far cry from Moulin Rouge! He had me scared a few times. Although I have to admit, the big final fight was a little bit humorous. It involves a ton of masks. I’m just not sure there are that many masks in one city. You’ll know it when you see it.
The saving grace of this film is cinematographer Matthew Libatique. The eye behind Black Swan, A Star is Born, and Mother gives the film a stylish candy-coated flair that elevates the visuals. The storyline may be rough, but at least Matthew did what he could for the movie-goers entertainment.
It’s true; she’s Harley Freakin’ Quinn. It’s also true that Birds of Prey is pretty freakin’ messy. I’m all for female action/superhero movies, but this wasn’t for me. This is a carnival of chaos, and I was ready to step off the ride.
My Rating: 5/10