About that Harley Quinn Movie

When I was a kid, and liked to watch action and superhero cartoons, I noticed that there was always that episode that was designed to feature the show's female characters as the leads, often battling female villains. TVTropes calls this the "Girls' Night Out" episode, and in fact the animated '90s "Batman" series literally had one of these episodes titled "Girls' Night Out."

This is what "Birds of Prey" feels like to me, that one outing where the folks in charge of the DC Universe movies have decided to turn over the franchise to its female characters, to remind us all of how awesome they can be. And "Birds of Prey" occasionally has that same sort of feel of heavy pandering, self-conscious messaging, and deeply contrived circumstances that the old cartoons did. Note that despite the movie taking place in Gotham City, Batman and the Joker are nowhere in sight - though Joker is constantly namechecked, because he sets the events of "Birds of Prey" in motion by breaking up with our leading lady, Harley Quinn.

Harley (Margot Robbie) is in full anti-heroine mode, suddenly being pursued by a laundry list of enemies when the Joker's protection is withdrawn. She becomes involved in a messy situation where a young pickpocket, Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco) has stolen a diamond from the crime boss Black Mask (Ewan MacGregor), and now there's a price on her head. Also in the mix are a police detective, Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), Black Mask's reluctant nightclub chanteuse/driver Dinah Lance (Jurnee Smolett-Bell), and a mysterious assassin who keeps showing up to snipe people with a crossbow (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Harley's initially only interested in saving her own skin, but discovers playing nice with others has its advantages.

The best thing I can say about "Birds of Prey" is that it occasionally got me to forget about Batman entirely. Margot Robbie energetically throws herself into the role of Harley, who serves as our very unreliable narrator, happily telling the story all out of order, going off on wild tangents, and keeping the film at a level of hyperactive zaniness we haven't seen in the "Batman" film universe since Joel Schumancher was in the director's chair. And this time around, it mostly works, because the film really commits to its campy madness, but is also deft enough to keep everything coherent and entertaining. If you're not a fan of Harley Quinn, this probably isn't a movie for you, because she dominates the narrative and comes on very strong. However, I like that the movie lets her be an R-rated villain and pain in the ass on her own terms.

The film also boasts strong action scenes, an array of fun performances, and a noticeably different take on a lot of familiar characters. The Gotham of "Birds of Prey" is a grungier, more eclectic place, populated by a more diverse cast. It recognizably shares DNA with parts of present day New York City, as Harley fetishizes bodega breakfast sandwiches, and lives above a sketchy Chinese takeout place. However, this is still a comic book movie and the filmmakers happily indulge in all the wild set design, garish costuming, and impossible fight choreography they can. So, you've got Ewan MacGregor in full sleazebag mode, wearing a shirt with a print of his own face on it, Harley weaponizing canisters of colored powder and glitter, and a hyena named Bruce in the mix. The finale takes place in an abandoned amusement park, of course, with action set pieces designed around carnival and funhouse visuals.

The movie is too much - too raucous, too whimsical, too aggressive and too silly. However, it's also much more fun than I was expecting. I've heard some complaints that "Birds of Prey" shouldn't have been R-rated because its target audience of Harley Quinn fans is mostly comprised of teenage girls. However, I like that the movie is harder edged and more mean-spirited than the mainstream "Batman" media right now. It helps the film feel just a little more transgressive and rude and biting in all the right ways. At the same time, director Cathy Yan keeps all the violence and abuse from slipping into more troubling territory.

Harley pines after Mr. J, but only up to a point. When the time comes to kick ass, it's gratifying that she doesn't hold back. And yes, the movie is a "Girl's Night Out" episode at its core, but it's also one of the few high points of the modern DC film series so far.


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