‘Birds of Prey’ (2020) Non-Spoiler Review

Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is the eighth film in the current DC Cinematic Universe and is the fourth to be released under the highly successful new leadership of producer Walter Hamada. The film is directed by Cathy Yan from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and stars Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollet-Bell as Black Canary, Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya, Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain, and Ewan McGregor as the villainous Roman Sionis/Black Mask. It is a direct follow up to 2016’s Suicide Squad, and I can say with great confidence that this is the movie Suicide Squad wished it was.

While not perfect and certainly rough in spots, Birds of Prey wildly succeeds in a multitude of ways. Let’s start with the directing from Cathy Yan.

The direction of the film is competent to great, with the action choreography largely standing out as the strongest element. The action set pieces in Birds of Prey are manic, versatile, and just super badass. The many different weapons and moves Harley pulls are truly a sight to behold. All of her counterparts get their moment to shine in the action as well, especially Huntress and Black Canary who are fiercely intimidating in their scenes. In your standard comic book fare, the fighting style is largely based upon brute strength, but in Birds of Prey, there is a lovely incorporation of acrobatics and gymnastics into the combat. In many instances during the fights, I was speechless at the different forms of combat on display. Also, the locations they choose to fight at are extremely clever and just so much fun to watch, and they incorporate the different costume pieces of the characters in clever ways. All in all, the action scenes really match the frantic and unpredictable nature of Harley Quinn.

However, the story direction is lacking in a couple of places. The film starts out wonderfully with a breakneck pace and wild energy from Harley’s escapades. Once the basic plot is outlined at the beginning of the second act, the film slows to a halt and sort of drags its feet towards the third act (including the climax). At the end of the day, the film really has a very simple plot, so once this is outlined for the audience, it just meanders for about 20-25 minutes of character moments so that we feel invested in the climax. There’s nothing wrong with this story choice in theory, but when your film begins with wild action set pieces and frantic storytelling following a deranged psychopathic clown, it does fall kind of flat as a second act when really nothing happens. There are a couple of cute scenes and funny bits during that second act, but it really pales in comparison. Additionally, there’s a narrative choice to tell this story in a nonlinear fashion, and while it lines up with a certain character, it actively detracts from certain moments and can be a tad confusing at times. The confusion is cleared up once the timeline is eventually patched back together, but I would argue that the choice isn’t entirely necessary. It’s another clever idea in theory, but in actuality, it isn’t as clever as the filmmakers believe it to be. 

Additionally, Birds of Prey is a visual feast with colorful and oftentimes trippy scenery and outlandish and fantastical sets. The cinematography is great with many long takes during action bits and great pans to Harley’s comedic reactions. Additionally, the production designer of this film deserves the Oscar right now. The costumes and sets in this film are so incredibly over the top but in the best ways. They are perfectly in line with the tone and add the heaps of flair and style that make this movie unique. If Suicide Squad can win an Oscar, you best believe that Birds of Prey can and should. I cannot praise the production design enough.

Now let’s talk about acting and character. I thought the performances were excellent across the board, especially from Robbie, Winstead, and McGregor. Margot Robbie absolutely owns the role of Harley Quinn and truly embodies the crazy nature of the loveable clown princess. She is one of the few redeeming qualities of Suicide Squad, and, if anything, she is better in this film. Her wild antics and manic energies are the spirit and lifeblood of Birds of Prey, and none of that would have been possible without Robbie’s performance. The film largely rests on Harley Quinn’s shoulders, and she carries it to the finish line with ease. Also, I can’t believe that we actually got the pet Hyena in a live-action film. Naming him after Bruce Wayne was a fun little nod. Lastly, Winstead was wonderful as Huntress, even if her role isn’t too large. Her comedic timing really stood out in the final act and I found myself interested in a spin-off of her own. She could be DC’s Black Widow, except really self-serious and comedic. 

I really believe that Ewan McGregor nearly steals this movie from Robbie. He is WONDERFUL as Black Mask and delivers a performance that feels entirely original. He is fearsome, intimidating, and scary while also being hilarious and pathetic. It’s not what you’d expect from the first onscreen interpretation of the Black Mask character, but I commend him and the screenwriter for taking the character in such a bold direction. He’s basically a failed trust fund baby who thinks that brutally murdering people will get his family to respect him again. Did that sound ridiculous? That’s because it is, yet it’s a sight to behold and it perfectly fits in. This is a movie about a clown princess after all.

Lastly,  I loved when all the girls were finally teamed up and fighting together as the titular group. Suicide Squad didn’t get a lot right, but it nailed the chemistry and dynamic between all the members of the team and Birds of Prey also accomplishes this in spades. Specifically, Harley’s relationship with the young Cassandra Cain was delightful and really allowed the audience to peel back the layers of crazy with Harley. While she seems completely unhinged and dangerous, there’s still a bit of humanity in her and it was nice to see. The members aren’t all together for too long, but the moments that they are stand out as some of the strongest in the film. 

Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) certainly isn’t a perfect movie, but it’s a whole lot of fun. It’s loaded with action, wild visuals, great acting, gory violence, and clever humor. Sure it’s rough around the edges, but it’s absolutely the type of movie that Harley would want.

7/10

Have you had a chance to check out Birds of Prey? What did you think? Make sure to let us know in the comments! And follow us on Instagram @thecinemaspot_ and Twitter @thecinemaspot for all your DC cinematic coverage!