Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey

Splendidly messy and whimsically chaotic, writer Christina Hodson and director Cathy Yan’s “Birds of Prey” is a breezy, punchy action romp that helps bolster DC’s uneven film banner

2016’s “Suicide Squad” squandered its potential. Even its loyalists should be able to recognize it was a missed opportunity. One of the saving graces was Margot Robbie’s gleefully demented turn as Harley Quinn, who was smartly selected to have another film constructed around her. Robbie has a mastery of the character, sliding between manic charm, ditziness and clever wisecracking at will. Armed with her charisma and razor-sharp wit, Harley finds herself Jokerless and essentially jobless after the tumultuous twosome call it quits for good. Left to fend against Gotham’s underworld on her own, she becomes caught in the crosshairs of just about every scumbag in the city, none more powerful than Roman Sionis aka Black Mask (an electric Ewan McGregor deliciously chewing scenery). In fact, all of the would-be Birds of Prey do, as their stories conveniently intersect before teaming up for the finale.

Would-be Birds of Prey is an apt descriptor because while the film bears the name, it’s clearly a Harley Quinn vehicle. Hardcore fans of the vigilante faction may be disappointed if they’re expecting a full-on origin story. There’s also the fact while there have been many permutations, this particular lineup featuring the sultry Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), pint-sized pickpocket Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), the awkwardly cool Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and the hard-broiled Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) is not one featured in the comics. The movie’s subtitle, “The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn”, may have been more fitting, but I digress.

The film’s positives are plentiful. It’s darkly funny, the cinematography is full of rich, vibrant colors and the fight scenes are well-choreographed. They’re mostly shot from wide angles, which is refreshing, especially when it’s clearly visible the actresses themselves are the ones throwing the kicks and punches. However, the story unfurls rather clumsily, which is slightly baffling considering how simplistic the plot is. None of the antiheroines are particularly fleshed out either, save for Ms. Quinn. The pacing stalls a few times, but it’s never a bore. The movie may not be a game-changer, but it’s undoubtedly fun. “Birds of Prey” has just enough slapstick humor, bone-crushing action and stylistic flourishes to make most audiences forget, or perhaps not even care, that the narrative is a bit of a dud. B-