Birds of Prey Is Just as Fantabulous as Promised

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) couldn’t be more different from Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn debut in 2016’s Suicide Squad. Though her charming characterization and delivery were almost good enough to save some of the dreadful dialogue, that movie’s incoherent plot and unimaginative style are a far cry from the spectacular visuals and robust plotting we get in Birds of Prey.

Harley Quinn waits for her egg sandwich. Warner Bros.

“Mr. J and I broke up,” Harley declares near the beginning, after a quick recap of her life. Relieved of the burden of Joker’s presence, she’s committed to living her best life, complete with pet hyena, roller derby, and the pursuit of the perfect egg sandwich. Unfortunately, she’s also being pursued by some of the nastiest characters Gotham has to offer—most significantly Roman Sionis, otherwise known as Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). Sionis is a club owner and gangster who hates getting his hands dirty, which he can avoid thanks to his loyal assassin, valet, and best mate Victor Zsasz (played unsettlingly by Chris Messina).

While Robbie leads this movie as the center of its many spinning plates (or, more accurately, knives), the cast is stacked, including Rosie Perez as detective Renee Montoya, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance/Black Canary, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli/Huntress, and Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain, a preteen pickpocket who accidentally finds herself in possession of the diamond upon which Roman has set his sights. All of the actors look and sound like they’re having the absolute time of their lives, which makes it easy for you to have the time of their life right along with them. Robbie prances and pouts across the screen without ever being cloying, and her mastery of the physical comedy her character requires is impressive. McGregor visibly relishes every line of his dialogue, and the intensity of his villainous petulance sells an admittedly shallow central conflict.

Harley is threatened by Roman Sionis and Victor Zsasz. Claudette Barius/Warner Bros.

Visually, the movie is stunning, with kaleidoscopic lighting and extravagantly fun costuming. Eschewing the shadowy dimness that often plagues movie combat, Birds of Prey’s fight scenes are as much flashy dance sequences as they are battle. Director Cathy Yan and screenwriter Christina Hodson structure the plot inventively; though it’s told slightly out of order, Harley’s narration anchors the storytelling and allows the film to keep a steady momentum that helps the audience stay engaged and curious rather than getting bogged down in endless exposition.

A warning to viewers who are sensitive to violence or considering bringing children to the movie: it is exceedingly violent. That R rating is not misplaced—Birds of Prey goes beyond your standard comic-book movie punching and bullets that somehow never find their mark. There are some visceral bone-cracking sounds, and at times the silliness of the violence is incredibly chilling. It’s appropriate to the protagonist and subject matter but may be off-putting to someone with milder expectations.

Huntress and Renee Montoya. Warner Bros.

Honestly, there’s not much going on thematically beneath the surface, but when every aspect of that surface is so perfectly executed, it’s difficult to care. There are no explorations of the nature of justice or sacrifice, or much in the way of plumbing the depths of any character’s psyche, but by now a DC movie that’s so deliberately entertaining is a concept that’s fresh all on its own. Factoring in the splashy visuals, vivid characterization, and snappy dialogue, when Ewan McGregor spins around in his blue velvet suit and calls out, “Who’s having a good time?” you’ll find yourself hard-pressed not to respond with an enthusiastic raise of your hand.

Preparing for battle. Claudette Barius/Warner Bros.