'Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)' Review

Synopsis: It's open season on Harley Quinn when her explosive breakup with the Joker puts a big target on her back. Unprotected and on the run, Quinn faces the wrath of a narcissistic crime boss, his right-hand man, and every other thug in the city. But things soon even out for Harley when she becomes unexpected allies with three deadly women.

Runtime: 109 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for strong violence and language throughout, and some sexual and drug material)

Who should see it? Adults fans of Harley Quinn, the Birds of Prey, and DC Comics.

Directed by Cathy Yan and featuring a screenplay from Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is the first of four female-driven comic-book movies to be released this year. Misogynistic incels are surely raging in their basements. Still, hopefully, their cries will fall on deaf ears because Birds of Prey is beaming with personality and zany, creative energy. The regime change at Warner Bros. has helped DC course-correct from a spotty track record to a streak of surefire critical and commercial hits. The secret being that Warners and DC became less concerned with building a universe and focused on telling quality, standalone stories. Margot Robbie leveraged her star power to be more involved behind-the-scenes as a producer after initially pitching the idea on the set of Suicide Squad. Robbie championed Yan and Hodson's vision every step of the way, so Birds of Prey manifested into a unique addition for the DC Extended Universe that took note of past failings.

Whereas Suicide Squad felt restrained by its PG-13 rating and studio interference, Birds of Prey is liberated by an R-rating and the vitality of artistic freedom. The filmmakers really let loose and leaned into the crazed mental state of its protagonist with fourth wall breaks and non-sequential storytelling, among other things. Though the title is Birds of Prey, it's very much Harley Quinn's movie, and that's reflected in spades with Yan's approach to the material. Rather than ignore Suicide Squad, Yan builds on the foundation laid by David Ayer in a way that serves Harley's story. While Birds of Prey is its own creative beast, there are similarities to the style and presentation. Flashy title graphics, a series of high-energy action set pieces, and a soundtrack of pop bops can still be found surrounding the unhinged harlequin.

However, it was obvious that Yan and Hodson wanted to distance Harley from Jared Leto's Joker as much as possible. Harley and Joker's breakup actually works as a wonderful catalyst for setting the plot in motion, though. I especially liked the idea that it would result in Harley's lost immunity within Gotham since nobody wants to mess with Joker aside from Batman. It also offers a compelling character arc for Harley as she's forced to fend for herself. Containing the story within Gotham and positioning the city's criminal underworld against Harley and the Birds of Prey was a wise choice. Suicide Squad ridiculously pit ordinary characters against a supernatural threat, so it was nice to see Birds of Prey stay on the street-level with suitable antagonists. Yan also effectively grounds whacky, cartoonish antics with the menace of Black Mask and Victor Zsasz. Otherwise, I was impressed by the colorful costuming, production design, Matthew Libatique's cinematography, and the phenomenal stunt work. More roller skates in action films, please.

Concerning the cast, Margot Robbie's really honed in on her portrayal of Harley Quinn. Robbie's clearly having a blast acting like an absolute maniac, and I have a difficult time imagining anyone else in the role. One nice flourish was incorporating her past life as psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel when she'd periodically psychoanalyze everyone around her before snapping back to the ditsy Harley. Her separation from the Joker really beefed up the character. It made her more sympathetic to see her struggle in striking out on her own. I'm curious whether she'll remain independent or not.

As for the Birds of Prey, Jurnee Smollett, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, and Ella Jay Basco were well-cast and great additions to the universe. Notable stand-outs being Smollett's Black Canary and Winstead's Huntress while Basco's Cassandra Cain was especially endearing. That said, they're all secondary to Harley. I wish more emphasis had been placed on each member, as it would have been nice to flesh them out in the film titled Birds of Prey.

In the role of Black Mask, Ewan McGregor gleefully gnaws on the scenery. Switching on a dime, McGregor fluctuates from an eccentric crime boss to a fearsome foe and makes the mood swings believable. The design of his mask was also very cool, and I'm glad they didn't stuff McGregor under it for the entire runtime because that'd waste an actor of his caliber. I also can't go without mentioning Chris Messina's Victor Zsasz, who was an intimidating henchman.

It's said "birds of a feather flock together," so I'm happy to report Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)'s earned a place alongside the top tier of DC's film catalog. In simpler terms, BoP is a bop!

Film Assessment: B+

Alternate Cut Review: 'Suicide Squad- Extended Cut'

Nominated For: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Won: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Suicide Squad was just as controversial as, if not more divisive than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Many fans were stoked because of the killer marketing material and incredibly-cut trailers but let down that a lot of the coolest moments from the trailers didn't show up in the finished film. Then it was reported that supposedly Warner Bros. hijacked the production in post-production giving creative control to the trailer company that cut the Suicide Squad trailers rather than David Ayer in response to the split reaction to BvS. 

Fans then hoped to hear about a director's cut similar to the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice- Ultimate Edition or at least a version with more footage and fans had their prayers answered in October when the Suicide Squad- Extended Cut was announced for a release in November on Digital and on Blu-Ray in December. I think I was a little too forgiving of Suicide Squad's shortcomings when I first saw and reviewed it so I've gone back and changed my initial score a little and I've just recently made time to watch the Extended Cut that sticks an additional fourteen minutes on the runtime so here are my thoughts on the Extended Cut and if the extra footage makes any difference whatsoever.

Theatrical Cut Review- Suicide Squad Review

"Extended Edition" Review- If you're looking for Suicide Squad's Extended Cut to fill in plot-holes and repair some of the theatrical cut's flaws ala the BvS-Ultimate Edition, then you will likely be very disappointed with it. This alternative version of the film plays out almost exactly like the theatrical version, just with the deleted scenes stitched back in. That's not to say it didn't slightly improve the film because I did find some refinements in terms of the characters. Most of the footage added back into the film is interactions amongst the squad and some more character drama. Both go a long way to further fleshing the characters out beyond what we saw in theaters last August and make the squad feel like a more tightly knit group as you see more of their bonding over the course of their journey. I also think I saw some additional footage for the film's main action set pieces and the additional footage definitely makes these scenes feel more substantial but they're no more memorable. 

If you're interested in the Extended Edition for more footage of Jared Leto's Joker, you'll find probably about a minute or two more but not much and it will do little to change your mind on his performance. I still feel he nails the insanity of the character but also think Jared Leto was just a little too weird with certain mannerisms as he would occasionally snort like some kind of hog and that's just not very Joker-like in my mind. 

The enchantress still looks stupid dancing around and none of the effects look all that different. I personally didn't really like the CGI in this, and I say that because I'm not sure if I included that in my theatrical cut review or not. 

The other performances and cast still shine as a beacon of hope nailing their respective characters (If you really want more detail on that just head over to my theatrical review linked above). One noticeable difference I really liked about Harley Quinn in particular was that there's some dialogue of her inner psychiatrist diagnosing some of her squad members as I felt that was very true to the character and something that almost flew out the window in the initial cut, a minor addition but a welcome one. 

Any character you felt was underserved in the theatrical cut gets some additional footage with the exception of Slipknot and Batman & Flash's cameos but don't expect any significant alterations. 

Overall, the extra footage goes a little ways towards improving the film for me personally. I can say that I liked the additional character-driven scenes and seeing more interactions amongst the squad that make their chemistry feel more authentic later on down the line but didn't find it to significantly change my opinion on anything. If you liked the theatrical cut you'll find more to love here, if you disliked it this won't be enough to change your mind.

Film Assessment: C+

'Suicide Squad' Review

Suicide Squad seemed like the dream DC film from the day it was announced. With David Ayer behind the camera and an all star cast in front what could possibly go wrong? Suicide Squad's marketing campaign has been nothing short of stellar, I can't believe that the same studio marketed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. On Tuesday when the embargo for 'Suicide Squad' dropped and I saw a majority of reviews were negative I became concerned. This has become a trend with DC releases since Man Of Steel and generally I've come to agree that those films had problems. I found Man of Steel to be ok, while Batman v Superman was enjoyable but severely disappointing as a result of poor technical execution and odd creative decisions. Both of those previous entries into the DCEU were helmed by Zack Snyder so I had hoped he was what was holding the DCEU from reaching it's full potential, that is till I saw the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice- Ultimate Edition, the director's cut, that made remarkable improvements to the lacking theatrical cut. 

That along with several reports of studio interference on Suicide Squad made me increasingly more anxious that the reason the DCEU hasn't burst the bubble is that Warner Bros. is holding it back. Well, I'm glad to report that I no longer have those worries after viewing Suicide Squad at an early screening last evening as this is the one time I don't feel the negativity is justified. Also, there will be spoilers for Batman v Superman and on that note the film itself spoils a major plot point from Batman v Superman since it takes place afterwards in the DCEU timeline. With that out of the way, it's probably time I started actually reviewing Suicide Squad. 

'Suicide Squad' Review

Nominated For: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Won: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Suicide Squad picks up with a shady intelligence organization head Amanda Waller assembling a team of criminals that she believes are capable of defending humanity from the next big meta-human threat now that Superman's in the grave. The catch, these bad guys are the worst of the worst and Waller has some contingencies in place in case they don't want to play nice (Those familiar with the squad will know exactly what I'm referring to). After a mysterious threat arises, Waller brings together Task Force X (the covert name for the squad) and send them to handle the situation. That's the basic premise of Suicide Squad and it's unique in the sense that there are no heroes around, our protagonists are bad guys and the antagonists are even worse. 

While Marvel has a scarce library of compelling villains to pull from, DC has the motherland with plenty of great options and so it seems only right that they would bring them all together for a team movie like this to showcase them off and if Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice brought us our first glimpses of the Justice League it's only right that Suicide Squad shows off some of their baddies. 

As I stated in the prologue, Suicide Squad has had some terrific marketing material that was very promising so once the negative reviews poured in I started to feel a little concerned but remained determined I would keep an open mind while watching it and not let the venomous critiques alter my opinion. With that being said, I loved Suicide Squad despite what I've read. While I understand the critics' complaints, I don't feel they are as bad as they're being made out to be. I had too much of a good time thanks to the electric chemistry from the remarkable cast and Ayer's pizazz. 

Coming straight off Fury, I was stoked to hear David Ayer would be in charge. Ayer wrote the screenplay in addition to directing the picture and, while I have a few gripes I'll discuss in a moment, he did incredibly well in both departments. Ayer pulls off an interesting mix of grounded and gritty while instilling a sense of levity making for a unique tone in the DCEU's bleak library. FINALLY, someone in the DCEU can tell a joke from time to time.  

I've seen many complaints about the editing but I didn't have a problem with it since it's much better than the atrocity that was Batman v Superman's cobbled together theatrical cut. In other technical areas, the visual effects were well done with a flashy mix of grit and bright aesthetics for roughed up look throughout. The costuming department also had a bit of fun giving each character their unique charm and flavor through their choice of attire, while the makeup and prosthetics used to make Killer Croc were just darn incredible. The action on display is fun to watch with terrific fight choreography but none of the sequences were particularly memorable in comparison to other comic book movies. 

My qualms with the film were essentially that some elements were typical generic plot devices and story points we see in almost every comic book movie these days. I kid you not, the antagonist feels so similar to X-Men: Apocalypse's titular big bad in that their motivations are murky, their plan seems contrived, and they're just weird. Since Suicide Squad's ad campaign didn't disclose the antagonist I will refrain from lifting the veil from your eyes and when discussing performances will try to be generic so that it's difficult to determine just who is opposing the squad. It wasn't the least bit surprising to me but I'd like to keep up the ambiance if possible. Also there's quite a few cliché moments that were predictable and not as emotionally impactful as they were probably intended to be. One other issue was that the soundtrack didn't always vibe with what was going on during the film and I actually would have preferred an actual score throughout with maybe some of the greatest pop songs interspersed less often more akin to Guardians of the Galaxy, a clear inspiration for the project. Steven Price's score is great when utilized but the classic pop hits are turned up too loud and too often that it was a slight annoyance. 

What really made the film click was it's illustrious ensemble and their tortured team dynamic. Margot Robbie's beautifully twisted Harley Quinn and Will Smith's expert marksman Deadshot take the spotlight as the characters with the most focus of the group and they steal plenty of scenes.  Robbie makes for a terrific Harley Quinn though as she borrows from the character's longstanding history to incorporate many of her infamous mannerisms while managing to make the role her own. Harley's arc is primarily tied in with Leto's Joker, don't worry I'll get to him soon enough, and the two work wonders together on screen thanks to some phenomenal chemistry. 

Smith gives the most likable performance he's provided in some time now with charisma aplenty and his Floyd Lawton has a nice emotional touchstone arc involving his daughter that brings out his heart of gold despite his willingness to kill basically anyone. Jay Hernandez has a breakout role as Diablo, a hothead meta-human with the most relatable backstory and one of the more emotional arcs out of the squad. Jai Courtney is finally given substantial role in Aussie Captain Boomerang that he excels in, serving as effective comedic relief throughout the film. 

Cara Delevingne plays June Moon who's possessed by a strange witch named Enchantress. Delevingne's movements and mannerisms are very strange as the character crawls about scantily clothed and made for the weirdest of the performances on display. As for other squad members, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's a creepy reptilian Killer Croc, Karen Fukuhara plays samurai Katana, and Adam Beach is the slick Slipknot. The three have the least material and screen time but each member of the squad gets at least a few standout moments to shine. 

Now I bet you want to know what I thought of Jared Leto's Joker. Well he doesn't have a lot of screen time but when onscreen he invokes what a modern psychotic Clown Prince of Crime would be like with swagger, mental instability, and a sense of purpose. With that being said, I didn't see enough of his Joker to warrant a proper comparison to previous incarnations, but while he's certainly no Heath Ledger he was fine as the character and I'd love to see more of his unique take and hopefully  opposite Ben Affleck's Batman someday. 

Viola Davis makes Amanda Waller a woman who means business and any sane individual would definitely want to mess with and she plays it with remarkable conviction. Sure some of her action's don't make sense but they make her all the more fearsome. Her stooge Rick Flagg is played by Joel Kinnaman who gives him enough southern militaristic twang to be somewhat relevant but was probably the character I cared the least about. He's the one leading the squad in their mission and responsible for dishing out punishment if they deviate from the mission's parameters. 

Overall, they made for an incredible well rounded cast that dish out one-liners with charisma, gusto, and heart. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for easter eggs, cameos, and there is in fact a mid-credits scene. While Suicide Squad has it's flaws, it's harmless fun and what joyous entertainment it is! I found it more difficult to dig out flaws than strengths as the pros are abundant thanks to the terrific performances and fun tone. I highly recommend Suicide Squad and can guarantee you'll have a great time, Suicide Squad is a blast and don't let Rotten Tomatoes tell you otherwise.

Film Assessment: B C+ (Revised)