Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Flocking together to have fantabulous fun
Birds of Prey
Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn was the best thing about 2016’s Suicide Squad and the crazed ex psychologist is rewarded with her own band of antiheroines to lead.
The word that best sums up Birds of Prey is fun; from the animated opening filling us in on Harley’s back story it’s clear this is no dark and brooding drama.
In only her second full-feature outing director Cathy Yan has a ball bringing comic book flair to the screen, whether through colourful graphics, an inspired glitter gun attack on a police station or gorgeous set design that peaks with an abandoned funhouse.
Unfortunately, Yan and her cast are hampered by Christina Hodson’s script – slightly surprising given how good a job the Londoner did with Bumblebee.
The film drags badly in an over- stretched middle third and the nonlinear narrative is unnecessary.
Its female empowerment message is a bit heavy-handed as there are literally no redeemable male characters on show.
As hugely watchable as the movie is – and I’m sure it will have a lot of rewatchability value – it’s tonally all over the place.
Broken limbs, a cocaine-fuelled set piece and skin-slicing mix with a pet hyena, lament over the fate of a sandwich and roller-blading hijinks in jarring fashion.
Thankfully, the cast is, for the most part, a compelling crew.
Robbie IS Harley Quinn and shows impressive physicality to match her charisma and comic timing; I loved Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s verbally awkward Huntress, although we could’ve done with more of her; and Rosie Perez gives feisty soul to frustrated cop Montoya.
But I couldn’t decide whether I liked Ewan McGregor’s turn as Roman Sionis or not – his vain, frequently cursing, flamboyant suit- wearing villain certainly leaves a mark – and Jurnee Smollett-Bell’s Black Canary is a little one-note.
Birds of Prey may have more ups and downs than a rollercoaster but it’s entertaining and exciting, particularly during a fantabulous finale.