Andrew
Tinashe Kusema
Film Review
COMPARTMENTALISATION makes a film critic’s job easy.
The strategy has worked well for me over the past five or so years that I have been running this column.
For instance, I categorise every film I have either watched or reviewed as classics, enjoyable-but-flat, disaster, right up to the specials.
The specials folder is reserved for all Marvel productions.
And yes, I am a huge fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
However, I have a wavering opinion when their perennial rivals, DC Comics, are in the mix.
Take their latest offering, “Birds of Prey”, as an example.
It boggles the mind how they take a classic yet under appreciated character like Harley Quinn, nail the casting by bringing Margot Robbie but still fail to churn out a hit.
The idea of making a superhero movie and play down the super elements was a stroke of genius. Warner Brothers set the bar high with their take of the Joker character last year.
They went a step further by delving into the mental health aspects of the character, and were duly rewarded by Oscar nods and wins.
The film proved decisive among critics and audiences. But, above all, it benefited the comic book genre by adding a layer that otherwise did not exist.
Anyway, let me come back to this week’s focus, which is the “Birds of Prey”.
This one definitely belongs to my enjoyable-but-flat category.
The casting was once again on point.
Robbie (Harley Quinn) yet again demonstrates his total grasp of the character, and unlike in her previous offering “Suicide Squad”, gets assistance from her supporting cast.
Ewan McGregor is entertaining as the film protagonist Roman Sionis/ Black Mask.
Special mentions go to the likes of Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Helena Bertinelli/ The Huntress), Rosie Perez as Victor Zsasz, Jurnee Smollet-Bell as Dinah Lance/Black Canary.
The actors and actresses are let down by the lack of flesh and development in their characters.
Nonetheless, they make a good lemonade out of the lemons given to them by writer, Christina Hodson.
The Englishwoman struggles as she tries to juggle way too many backstories in linking these diverse women and characters together.
For a little context, “Birds of Prey” picks up some time after the events of the colossal flop that is 2016s “Suicide Squad”; with Quinn reeling after her break-up with the Joker.
Despite trying to find her feet and identity with her main squeeze Mr J, the break-up means that she no longer has the protection she had by being the main crime boss’s girlfriend.
Old enemies start coming out of the woodwork, and top on the list is Roman Sionis, himself eager to stake his claim in the crime game.
Fresh off being disowned by his father, Sionis seeks to find a diamond that has the account numbers of the Bertinelli crime family, which was slaughtered mafia-style some years back.
The diamond is stolen by a petty thief Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco).
A series of events leads this young girl into the protection of Quinn, a lounge singer with a secret gift.
This powers Dinah Lance (Bell), the orphaned daughter of the Bertinelli family out for revenge (Winstead) and an under-appreciated cop to build a case on Sionis Renee Montoya (Perez).
These women soon find out that the best way to stay alive and stop Sionis is to work together. The action is really top-notch with toned-down computer-generated images (CGI) really giving director Cathy Yan the freedom to experiment with camerawork and slow motion.
There is also a little Quentin Tarantino influence with use of blood, which I found quite enjoyable.
Robbie once again steals the show in her depiction of Harley Quinn and has chemistry with every character she comes into contact with.
Now, that is real talent!
The tone is a balance between action, a little gore and humour.
Surprisingly, it works.
The only blemish falls on the lap of writer Cathy Yan, who in her efforts to give every character some form of backstory ends up trying to do much on the characters.
Like in every other instance, this has happened; the end result is that none of the stories get the treatment they deserve, the end result is usually a flat and shallow conclusion to the overall product.
I would definitely recommend that you watch it.
But lower your expectations and do not expect to give it another chance of viewing now or in years to come.
To date, I am still waiting for DC to give us a memorable film, one that will get us rushing to the cinema and video stores.
Online Reporter