![]() ![]() That’s certainly saying something in a genre that is largely been dominated by men, when you have a strong ensemble of diverse women along with a female director. With characters who feel alive and dimensional, a candy-coated hip-hop soundtrack, and more bloodlust than the Avengers ever had, Birds of Prey will leave you craving for more.īirds of Prey opens in theaters on Friday.‘ Birds of Prey‘ is quirky, unpredictable and chaotic with some of the greatest, most innovative fight sequences seen in the recent years. It sets a new high-water mark for DC movies, and shines in contrast to the clunky writing and forced "outrageousness" of Suicide Squad. Perhaps hewing closer to the Patrick Bateman-like comic version would have allowed him to be a bit more menacing, but overall it feels like a missed opportunity.īirds of Prey isn't perfect, but in moments it soars, bringing attitude and grace into a crowded superhero space. While his Drag Race inflected take on the character is mesmerizing, other than the bar scene, he's not really all that nefarious. Still, there's something out of sync with Black Mask, and it somehow feels like he's forcing himself into a movie where he doesn't totally belong. ![]() It's a world away from the sensitive fellows McGregor's best known for playing, from Obi-Wan to Beginners. In one scene, he berates a bar patron, forcing her to strip on a table amid deafening silence, save for her shallow sobs. More often than not, that punishment is meted out by Ewan McGregor as the violent, flamboyant crime boss Roman Sionis/Black Mask. Jurnee Smollett-Bell as "Dinah," also known as the Black Canary, in 'Birds of Prey.' Warner Bros. Birds of Prey brings gravity back to the comic-book universe. Too often, superhero movies refuse to let heroes look vulnerable. It is boldly unafraid to punish Harley Quinn, who takes the most brutal licks of the gang. Birds of Prey is a martial arts movie in disguise, with choreography reminiscent of The Raid, the liberal bloodletting of Logan, and camera direction straight from the Jackie Chan playbook. But at its heart, it's the most authentic representation of the comics since Superman and Deadpool.ĭon't let all this talk of heart and intimacy fool you, though. When all these women are together, the movie is dynamite.īirds of Prey may be the most visually disloyal comic book movie in DC history. Yet it's abundantly clear these actors intimately understand their characters to the core in their own way, each of them is flawed and eager for the belonging only close friendships can bring. But Smollet-Bell is black, and Basco, a Korean-Filipina, plays Cassandra as a pickpocket who can't fight. Dinah is one of the most famous blondes in the DC Universe, while Cassandra Cain is a mute Eurasian ninja. PicturesĪ certain segment of the fandom will grumble that Birds of Prey's stars don't look like they do in the comics (see this dunked-on viral tweet for one example). Margot Robbie returns as her world-famous "Harley Quinn," now Joker-free, in 'Birds of Prey.' Warner Bros. Together, they take on Black Mask (Ewan McGregor), a violent crime lord who needs the Bertinelli fortune to ensure his reign atop Gotham City's underworld. Harley teams up with disgruntled detective Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), misfit teenager Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), butt-kicking club singer Dinah (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and the vengeful Bertinelli heiress Helena (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). She soon finds herself tangled up in a hunt for a precious jewel that's the key to accessing the Bertinelli crime family fortune.Īfter a wobbly first act that feels like the product of reshoots, Birds of Prey takes a hard 180 when it shifts into a true "getting the gang together" heist romp. Margot Robbie returns as villainess Harley Quinn, on the rebound from splitting with Joker (Jared Leto never shows up, which is probably for the best). In theaters Friday, director Cathy Yan's Birds of Prey jumps off from David Ayer's Suicide Squad. The early moments of Birds of Prey feel like a throwback to the era of Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, which made it tempting to write it off. The first twenty minutes of Birds of Prey left me broken.įor a moment, I thought it was 2016 again, when DC Films batted below average. ![]()
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