Movie Review: Birds of Prey

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome to the very first movie review of 2020.

We're in the new decade that after we had a rollercoaster of 2010 with some fun things and BS moments out there. So lets hope that the 2020 will be more positive than what we had in last decade, or perhaps in January 2020. So for my first movie review of 2020, its time to going back in DCEU where we reuniting a female former member of Suicide Squad.

"Birds of Prey" (also known as "Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn". Over titled much, guys??) is a 2020 DC superhero/Anti-Hero film that was directed by Cathy Yan, produced by Margot Robbie (Yup, not only she acts in the movie, but also producing the movie), Bryan Unkeless and Sue Kroll, then written by Christina Hodson.

Like i always said, DCEU feels like a desperation to competing against MCU for their universe and their characters with so much under-developed, some stupidity moments and focus on action than telling us. But as time went on, it seems that DCEU is about to be recovered with a good film like Shazam. Even though Suicide Squad is a bad film for several reasons, but the one that we like is Margot Robbie's performance of Harley Quinn, which is no wonder that she's gonna be a main role in this movie and got us so much attention when we saw the trailers.

So, with all that said, will this movie is gonna better than Suicide Squad, or is this film that Harley is driven mad in not the good kind?

Well lets find out.

The Story

With this movie starring Harley Quinn and some members of Birds of prey, you think that the story is gonna be an insane rollercoaster ride? Well, i'd say yes, most of.

The plot begins where did Harley Quinn started, where she started as a daughter who got abused by her father, later being adopted by the nun, graduate from the school working on Arkham Asylum that she fell in love with the Joker, not before he broke up on her, leaving her not only being taken by good elder Doc, but she's also driven psychotic that not only the break up from the Joker is still haunts her, but also turning into an anti-hero. So after that, Harley meets a girl named Cassandra Cain, who's been targeted by the club owner Roman Sionis (aka Black Mask) when she secretly pick-pocketing anyone in the public, including a serial killed Victor Zsasz's pocket, thus resulting everyone are scrambling for either get Cassandra or killing Harley Quinn with extras like Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya.

Its a pretty fascinating story, even if its a little bit of a mess. Its just a typical escort mission for Harley to keeping Cassandra safe in order to asking her for the diamond from Black Mask without death threat. But of course, one thing that very surprised and kinda interested, is that film is sorta like a DC version of Deadpool, since Harley always to explain and even steals the show, which il get to her in characters subject later on, the writing is despite it has some fun humor moments, though sometimes it feels like it jumps back and forth what ever it does in case if we forgot to know or not. Which i know it tries to be like movie for being aware, but its rather messy to go. Though the movie may have a subplot with some members of Birds of prey, like the struggling business for Renee Montoya, a relationship between Dinah Lance (aka Black Canary) and Victor Zsasz for working with Roman and mysterious about Helena Bertinelli (aka Huntress), though its nice to having some of their original, but then again, its kinda all over the place.

The story might be good and fun, but its kinda messy for its execution.

The Presentation

Since this is DCEU's first R-Rated film, you think its gonna have a same thing as Suicide Squad, but more colorful and more violent? Well, its yes and no.

For starter, the location is pretty nice Gotham City, with small village, a party club and a marketplace, an abandoned theme park and a road. Though it may not as dark and Gothic what we like, but il admit, it looks pretty nice.

The costumes in the movies are a mixed bag in my opinion, some of the suits look pretty cool such as Huntress and Black Mask, while others are not as good that i expected, such as Harley Quinn, which for occasional times, she's doing a costume changes, sounds like she's a mix between Deadpool and Lady Gaga, eh? Though i think i agree that some characters deserve to wear the outfits that we all know from the comic like Black Canary, which she wears waay to casual.

But of course, since this is a superhero/anti-hero movie, what can i say for the action scenes, they're pretty cool to watch, but man it is a brutal fights with so many broken limbs, bloods and Dick shots. Though im impressed for the actions, but im kinda disappointed that they could've adding ultra violent with more blood and gore like Deadpool had, i know that im a sick person and nitpicking the tone when it comes to the violence, but i like action scenes with more blood.

Lastly, i like the point out that i love the effects with some hand drawn animation for a semi comic style and even an animation sequence of Harley's origin, but at least her origin's animation looks nice, cute and a lot better look than the cancerous TTG. (Come after and fight me for a controversial statement, guys!)

Even though the presentation may look impressive for the locations, effects and actions, but would've been better what we like to see for more violent or even the characters's costumes from the comic.

The Characters

After the Suicide Squad, you think that the characters will be likable what we like to care for? Well, it was rather above average at the times.

First is the return of Harley Quinn (once again, played by Margot Robbie), she has an interesting change from before, she's ranging from a beautiful member to downright insane in order to recover from Mister J's break up. Like she's basically goes into Deadpool mode for not just a brutal action or what she likes to do whatever she wants, but also a big deal as anti-hero protagonist for her actions and narrative. Aside of her wardrobe change that im not a fan, but man she has an interesting change, but i've nothing problem with, its no secret that we love Margot Robbie's role of Harley Quinn, she's done a great job of her role. Though i wonder what if Death Battle make a match/analyzing between Harley Quinn and Deadpool for their similarities.

Next we have Cassandra Cain (played by Ella Jay Basco), she's basically a character who has to be protected from the evil gang of Black Mask. I find her to be pretty average, she's sorta like Rey from Star Wars, she's a lonely girl who always like to pick-pocketing someone on her own way with a diamond. Though i know that she's the girl who's gonna be the future Batgirl, but with her in the movie, i find her pretty average.

Then we have the Birds of Prey themselves, but since Harley Quinn is the main focus, they're pretty much used as Harley's sidekick for working together,  Renee Montoya (played by Rosie Perez), who's detective in Gotham City Police Department in order to going after Harley and her struggle to stay in GCPD for being a good cop, Dinah Lance, aka Black Canary (played by Jurnee Smollett-Bell), who's pretty different than we all know from the comic, this time, she's a vigilante with supersonic scream ability from her mother and a singer of Roman's club with being divided feeling for either working and hanging out with Victor or befriend with Harley, and there's Helena Bertinelli, aka Huntress and not "Killer Crossbow" (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who's an assassin for seeking revenge over the death of her parents from the gangsters.

If you ask me which one that i like, it will be Huntress and Renee for the time, cause i find them to be pretty cool and well-written, while Black Canary herself is not that good.

Next is the main antagonist of the film, Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask (played by Ewan McGregor, aka Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars). I find him to be a likable villain in this movie and i think i gotta say is, he's better than Jared Leto's Joker role. He's eccentric, sometimes flamboyant and narcissist. He's a one helluva villain for being an evil party club owner to somewhat murderous if it doesn't have conformation for his valuable diamond. I mean, what else to say since he's played by a Jedi with a high ground, eh?

And lastly there's Victor Zsasz (played by Chris Messina), who's Black Mask's henchman and a serial killer that whenever he killed people, he puts a scar for his body counts. He's also a very fascinated villain in the movie, though we can all agree that the focus of bad guy is Black Mask, so i think il consider Zsasz as an underrated bad guy thanks to his disturbing presentation.

The rest are not much else to say, Doc (played by Dana Lee) who's Harley Quinn's friend from his Chinese restaurant, Captain Patrick Erickson (played by Steven Williams) who's a superior officer of GCPD and Ellen Yee (played by Ali Wong) who's Montoya's ex-lover.

Even if some characters aren't have an interesting development, but rest like Harley and Black Mask are more fascinating for their action, acting and their written.

And now for my final opinion of this film.

Overall, "Birds of Prey" is a good start for my movie review, the story is nice, the presentation is pretty good with violence and some characters and acting are enjoyable. However, it has some problems with some writing, some characters wasn't as likable for small development and some presentation would've gone better.

Im not considered as perfect like Shazam, but at least its better than Suicide Squad since we enjoyed Harley Quinn in DCEU. It feels like they're having fun in a superhero/anti-hero film with dark comedy and violence. So if you're a fan of Harley Quinn or a DC, i'd say check this out if you want. Even though its not a perfect sequel, but at least they tried better than before.

For my rating, im gonna give this one a 7/10.

So this ends of my very first movie review of 2020, if you have your opinion or even a random suggestions like Formula 1 or others, let me know in the comments bellow, and make sure you support on my ko-fi.com/blackevil

Thanks for reading and im Anthony, signing out.