However, not everything that the Australian artist is a part of turns gold. David Ayer's Suicide Squad was critically panned for its mundane plot and underdeveloped characters. Despite that, Ayer blessed us with a real-life Harley Quinn in Margot Robbie. Her performance was praised by critics and viewers, ultimately greenlighting her all-girls team film, Birds of Prey.
Birds of Prey (and the Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is Detective Comics Extended Universe's (DCEU) 8th film and arguably its best yet. Boasting an impressive casts consisting of Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, and Ewan McGregor, the film did not just deliver the spectacle expected for a superhero film but did it in style complete with enthralling action sequence and vibrant visuals.
Birds of Prey follows the aftermath of Harley Quinn's ugly break-up to her abusive boyfriend, the Joker. Her separation from the Clown Prince of Crime has its repercussions though as it also abolishes all her connections to him, making her vincible and an easy target of the people she wronged and injured. Like a good Gotham story, Birds of Prey revolves around a broken city that pushes the people who wants to instigate change to the limit.
Director Cathy Yan perfectly captured the Cupid of Crime's flamboyant persona through its candy-colored aesthetic. With that, Birds of Prey can potentially launch DCEU's hope to major success, a success similar to their rival cinematic universe. Introducing DC's utility characters such as Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya, provide freshness to an already packed and well-known universe. The film was, surprisingly, generous to give each one adequate screentime, with each having an opportunity to impart their stories of empowerment. Its a relief to see that DCEU finally starts to hit a few notes right in making a great superhero film.
Anyhow, as the film basks in style, message and talent, it tried and failed to innovate its overall narrative to separate itself from other superhero or gangster film. Sure, its a departure from the usual DCEU formula but it still lacks originality and stakes to be a really compelling story. Everything seems so easy for Harley here.
Compare to other DCEU features, Birds of Prey is wittier and apter, that despite its meager plot it manages to hold itself perfectly fine. What it still needs is better writing though, as this film seems like its a one hour and forty five minutes adventure of Harley Quinn unconvincingly resolving plots through luck and serendipity with no effort whatsoever.
3/5
