We can all agree that Suicide Squad may have been one of the worst superhero movies in recent memory. The choppy editing, lazy script, ugly cinematography, and Jared Leto’s Joker made for two hours we’re still trying to get back. But out of this mess, the character Harley Quinn was born and her own spinoff film, Birds of Prey.
In the film, Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, is dumped by the Joker. Without his protection, all the people who were wronged by Quinn are out for her head (similar to John Wick Chapter 2). When deranged mobster Black Mask, played by Ewan McGregor, captures Quinn, he will let her go if she can get him a diamond. However, that diamond has been swallowed by pickpocket Cassandra and there are many others after it too.
Usually comic book movies are filled with fake CGI action and cheesy lines, but Prey turns the genre upside down. For the first time ever, I finally saw real stunts and hand-to-hand combat in a superhero movie. Throughout, Robbie puts her body on the line for crazy fist fights and she really gives it to the bad guys. Normally I sleep through typical Marvel action, but in this case I was saying, “Oh! Ah! Ouch! Yikes!” People might be annoyed around me, yet it means the action is doing its job.
On top of the action, it’s loud, obnoxious, and a lot of fun. Director Cathy Yan’s style is bold, as colors pop off the screen and captions fly in and out of shots. Just by looking at Quinn, it’s clear that all the characters wear funky clothing like their outfits were too obnoxious to get into a disco. There are also moments where Quinn blows up a chemical plant with gorgeous rainbow fireworks and when she uses a paintball canon that’s loaded with confetti bullets. It’s like a Picasso painting threw up on the screen, but it’s strangely beautiful to look at.
Although there are many instances where you could shake your head, the film is just too fun. Usually I rip on comic book movies, but Birds of Prey managed to swoop my heart (and brain) away.
IMAGE TAKEN from Devian Art
