Birds Of Prey and the fantabulous experimentation of DC films

Birds of Prey didn’t set the box office on fire, but its unique existence should be celebrated for offering variety in a saturated franchise landscape.

Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) may not have been the most successful comic book film of all time, but its fanbase, however small, is loud and passionate for a good reason. This seems to be indicative of the fanbase of DC’s films since Man of Steel’s release in 2013.

Due to current worldwide events, Birds of Prey is one of the only major 2020 releases that came out with no delays. The Harley Quinn vehicle wasn’t a financial disaster but its run was definitely a little underwhelming (which is understandably disappointing).

The film was a risky venture since it was rated R and it didn’t really star characters that could draw in mainstream audiences. But it’s absolutely one of the most unique comic book films out there, which can be said about most modern DC films.

The MCU films are polished, organized and follow a similar tone, while DC films are the complete opposite. To some, it’s kind of off-putting that are no rules, while it really should be seen as liberating.

There is some truth to the notion of DC films throwing a million ideas out there to see what sticks, but is that a such a bad thing?

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has done some incredible things in its decade-plus run, but those movies will always feel a certain way. Nowadays, the only thing that can really define a DC film is whether or not its characters are from that universe.

It’s not a bad thing if Marvel continues to do what they’re good at, but they have definitely set a certain standard all of their entries have to meet. Meanwhile, DC movies like Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, and Joker release within two years of each other, and there is no standard to set because they’re all so different.

While DC tried and initially failed with their cinematic universe with the disastrous Justice League, they still haven’t stopped experimenting since.

Going back to Birds of Prey, it’s a film that does a lot of interesting things in the comic book film landscape. It stars a diverse female-led ensemble in a movie that takes more cues from John Wick and Quentin Tarantino than something like The Avengers.

It’s full of harsh language, bloody violence, and impressive action scenes. The actresses did most of their own stunts making everything feel so raw and visceral compared to its counterparts.

Harley Quinn is the fourth-wall-breaking protagonist who isn’t afraid of what people think of her. Margot Robbie clearly enjoyed every moment she was in character, and that feeling is definitely reflected in the film’s overall energy. Despite how outlandish she is, the movie does a great job of making her character feel human – similar in a way to Deadpool, but in other ways, more honest, since Harley clearly isn’t a good person, but has to fight even worse people like Black Mask.

(L-r) CHRIS MESSINA as Victor Zsasz and EWAN McGREGOR as Roman Sionis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN),” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.. Claudette Barius/ & © DC Comics /

Black Mask is one of the most fun-yet-vile villains we’ve seen in a comic book movie in quite some time. Ewan McGregor chewed the scenery every moment he was onscreen and served as a great antagonistic counterpart to someone like Harley Quinn.

The film uses Harley as a gateway to introduce the Birds of Prey, with characters like Black Canary, Renee Montoya, Huntress, and Cassandra Cain showing up throughout. These are all the film debuts of these characters, and they were all played by likable actresses who committed to their roles. All of them have fun standout moments and their chemistry with each other is great. The final action sequence is a standout because the way the cast interacts and plays off each other in the midst of the craziness was excellent.

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Is Birds of Prey perfect? No, but it doesn’t aim to be. Its biggest achievement is how much the film stands out when compared to its competitors. Yes, the movie was a risk that didn’t exactly pay off financially for Warner Bros. but it showed that current DC films are full of creative, chaotic energy that’s rarely seen in other modern franchises. There’s so much variety being offered, whether they’re connected to a universe or not.

The future of DC movies is uncertain, but this chaotic variety right now is unlike anything out there. It’s insane that Birds of Prey exists before so many other films DC could have potentially done, but its existence is very welcome in a market that’s become saturated with comic book films.

Next. All 8 DCEU films ranked from worst to best. dark

Are you a fan of Warner Bros.’ experimental DC Comics films? Let us know in the comments below!

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