Mckenzie Sussman
Arts Editor
The infamous Harley Quinn tells her twisted life story in the enthralling, powerful film “Birds of Prey.” Although somewhat violent, “Birds of Prey” amuses viewers with its talented actresses, amazing set designs, and interesting storyline.“Birds of Prey” surpasses viewers’ expectations and empowers women through its outstanding cinematography and visuals.
Margot Robbie stars as Harley Quinn; Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays the Huntress; Rosie Perez plays Renee Montoya; and Jurnee Smollett-Bell plays the Black Canary. Cathy Yan directed the film and Robbie, Bryan Unkeless and Sue Knoll produced the film. Quinn narrates “Birds of Prey” by telling her backstory and informing the viewers what is happening on screen.
Although “Birds of Prey” shares Quinn’s story, there is another storyline that flows throughout the film. It follows Quinn as she fights to save her life from her enemies, and her goal is finding a special diamond. “Birds of Prey” is a spin off of “Suicide Squad,” a violent superhero film that came out in 2016. “Birds of Prey” introduces two powerful new superheroines, the Huntress and the Black Canary. In the film, Quinn, the Huntress and the Black Canary unite together to achieve a common goal.
In the beginning of the film, Quinn narrates her story, while a cartoon animation acts it out. The animations make the film engaging as it is a new, creative way to start a movie. Throughout the film, Quinn narrates and lets the viewer know the background of the people she meets. She also provides the premise of what is happening on screen, which is very helpful as the film would be confusing without her direction.
“Birds of Prey” empowers women by showing them that they can be both successful and independent .Quinn recently broke up with her boyfriend, the Joker, and she is trying to figure out who she is on her own. She illustrates the importance of a woman being strong and self-dependent, giving the film a stronger message about female identity. The other heroines show no fear when going up against their enemies, exemplifying female empowerment.
Robbie perfectly takes on her role as Harley Quinn. She truly transforms into her character, mesmerizing viewers with her witty comments, crazy actions and skilled fighting moves. Her extraordinary performance contributes greatly to the spectacular film.
Although Quinn always seems like she has her life together, “Birds of Prey” illustrates a more vulnerable side of Quinn and how she recovers from her breakup. She goes through emotional highs and lows and shows this to the audience honestly.
The set designs are phenomenal and make each scene vibrant and authentic. The last scene is filmed in a rundown amusement park, which was very unique. Each set is extremely well-detailed and matches the plot perfectly. The elaborate set designs make the film even more fascinating to watch.
The costume design is colorful and bright, keeping the audience engaged. Each outfit compliments the scenes, making it amusing to watch because the outfits are gaudy and vibrant against the vivid sets. Quinn’s outfits are cute and stylish but also allow her to be active and comfortable.
The film contains many gruesome and violent scenes, making it hard for viewers to keep their eyes on the screen. For example, one of Quinn’s enemies cuts off the faces of his victims. Most of the fight scenes are gruesome, but the characters make sarcastic comments in the middle of scenes to lighten the mood.
The sound effects and sound track are also superb. Every song is flawlessly chosen for each scene, and the sound effects that went along with the fight scenes make the film even more exhilarating. In the background of the fight scene, the songs are remixes of popular pop songs, which makes it fun to watch the scenes because of the familiarity of the songs.
Overall, “Birds of Prey” is a must-see, empowering film. Not only is it fascinating to watch, but the film portrays important messages about female empowerment and being able to stand on one’s own. Its remarkable actresses and high-energy, riveting scenes make an exceptional film.
Released on Feb. 7, “Birds of Prey” is rated R and can be seen in theaters Nationwide.
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