Review of the film ‘Birds of Prey - And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn’

Comics / Reviews - 09 February 2020

Birds of Prey is the film with Margot Robbie

Birds of Prey, DC Comics' first post-Joker movie

After “Joker’s” acclaimed victory for best film at the last edition of the Venice Film Festival, “Birds of Prey” achieves the phantasmagorical rebirth of Harley Quinn and it must not have been easy for the writers. In fact, the character masterfully played by Joaquin Phoenix has created a real watershed in the universe of DC Comics, and the comparison with Harley Quinn cannot be circumvented if it is considered that both came from the same creative context. A watershed that appears without wanting to be blasphemous of biblical memory and which has proved DC's ability to know how to make, as with “Joker”, not only products but films of great artistic value. “Birds of Prey” stands on the opposite side, a product that tends to satisfy the needs of enthusiasts. This is at least what seems to emerge from the narration of this new DC film, where Margot Robbie is engaged in a series of sequences composed of spectacular fist fights.

Margot Robbie amuses and convinces

To feed the newly trodden plot of “Birds of Prey” there is the spirited interpretation of Margot Robbie that manages to give the character that dose of madness and explosiveness, a true trademark of Harley Quinn. During her love crisis, Harley joins Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to save the life of a petty thief (Ella Jay Basco). With the directing style that appears to be characterized by a trendy, youthful effect, its sequences take a today’s youtube-style editing approach while supported by a good dose of dynamism. A live-action marked by violence, not really suitable for children: at times it seems to be projected into one of those old western saloons where a small spark generated an infinite fist fight. While the voice-over offers a historical reading from a teenage diary, it’s aimed at weighing on the narrative without facilitating it.

Harley Quinn and his crazy colorful world

“Birds of Prey” seems to be a crazy film like the playful protagonist, with flashbacks that are reactivated in the course of the narration, and with a tasty soundtrack that accompanies the spectacular sequences of the fights as if they were a theatrical ballet. A choreographically excellent and well-organized feature film, where Harley Quinn draws her crazy world in cinnabar and sapphire shades while she is busy defining her anti-heroine character. However, this film, as per the introduction, is oriented towards the product and tends to satisfy comic book fans and tries to include far too many narrative lines without really deepening any of them.