Birds of Prey (2020) Review

Birds of Prey Poster

I’ve seen Birds of Prey twice now and both times, it was an absolute joy to watch! Never have I enjoyed myself quite this much, I screamed, I shouted and laughed throughout the film. Birds of Prey was everything I hoped it would be and so much more.

Where do I even start with this film? I loved everything about it, the writing, the cast, direction, the action, all of it.

Now, lets get the negative out of the way, I’ve read some reviews that pointed out that the film has pacing issues and maybe it does but only if you’re looking for it. Birds of Prey is also operating from a place of disadvantage where other superhero films are concerned (predominantly Marvel) Barring Harley, whom we saw in Suicide Squad, the rest of the squad is not very well known. Birds of Prey had the tall task of introducing all of these other characters in a way that made sense and still have a reasonable run-time. Black Canary, Huntress, Renee Montoya did not have the advantage of having their own standalone films. Christina Hodson, Margot Robbie and Cathy Yan did a great job integrating all of these characters, their arcs and the intersection of said arcs.

The writing was so on point, it felt like the writers had a keen sense of the characters they were writing for and to an extent that is true. Robbie was part of the writing process and helped shape the film and it’s not surprising, I doubt anyone (barring those who write the actual comics) could have had a clearer picture of who Harley is. Cathy Yan does a great job of bringing the words to life and infusing them with an energy that was electrifying. It was a cohesive and coherent film, full credit to Hodson and Yan.

I loved that all of the women are badasses without exception but the film also gives them time and space to be vulnerable. These are not male characters in a female body. These characters are feminine and lean on their emotions instead of shutting them down. The ass-kicking aspect is amazing, the action set-pieces are fucking fantastic but it was equally gratifying to see the women be supportive and protective of each other. They quickly became a sisterhood once they came together and that was a pleasure to see on film.

Birds of Prey is feminist, explicitly queer, diverse, irreverent, brash, unapologetic and a no-holds-barred female power fantasy, it is wish fulfillment at its finest. It was so gratifying to see the female characters defy conventional, patriarchal expectations time and time again. They are allowed to be messy and flawed, they make mistakes and bad decisions and they are better for it.

Margot Robbie has made Harley hers in a way that I doubt another actor could match in any capacity. I loved her journey, I loved that she was a mess after her breakup and she needed time and space to truly heal, to discover her worth, independent of her partner. I loved that she is canonically bisexual in the film. Her action sequences are some of the best in the film and she is amazing in them but I loved that we also saw her pain and loneliness, her desire to be a part of something and be appreciated for who she is. Her act of blowing up Ace Chemicals, while not thought through completely, is symbolic of her beginning to break away from the shackles she placed on herself.

Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance / Black Canary was amazing. You can see her feel torn between her need to survive and the terror and disgust she feels for Roman Sionis. Plus the Canary Cry was fucking epic and I wish we’d gotten more of it.

Rozie Perez as Renee Montoya was perfect, she brought dimensions and layers to the role that a younger actor would not have, the film is richer for having her in it and I am glad that both Yan and Perez fought for it. She had the right amount of cynicism and weariness that her role needed, like she’d been doing this for a while and though she was great at her job, she rarely got the credit she deserved. I also loved that she was also explicitly gay in the film and we even meet her ex-girlfriend.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the Helena Bertinelli / Huntress was plain delightful! I wish she’d had more screen-time. She was the right amount of socially awkward paired with someone with deep-seated rage issues. But she never loses herself to that rage, case in point, when the women are fighting together in the amusement park, she takes a moment to speak to Cassandra, give her something to ground her, to distract her from the violence and brutality.

Ella Jay Basco was great as Cassandra Cain. I loved her spirit and her interactions with Harley and the gang.

Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis / Black Mask was equal parts spoilt brat and sinister and he played it so well. He was unpredictable and that’s what made him so menacing, you never knew what could set him off (snot bubble) And then there’s Chris Messina, brilliant as the unhinged Victor Zsazs, they were perfect for each other, 2 peas in a pod, each feeding the others’ sociopathy.

The action in the film is one of the best parts of the film, it is beautifully choreographed and you can feel the impact. All of the women get their time to shine, given that each has their own individual approach to how they fight. I also loved the costume design, I loved that NONE of the women were sexualised or objectified. They all looked amazing! But they were practically dressed, the way one dresses in real life but with more flair. Credit to Erin Benach.

Films like Birds of Prey that are written, produced and directed by women, for women are sometimes held to an unrealistic standard, almost as if they need to be perfect films (such a thing does not exist)They are held to standards that films made by men are not, which is why a man can make one mediocre film after another and no one blinks but if woman makes a film and it’s anything short of spectacular then it’s labeled a failure and used as an excuse to dismiss other proposals / pitches by female content creators, that is a deeply misogynistic approach and it needs to change. But we also need people to go out and watch films like Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman so that we can have more diverse voices and experiences reflected on screen. So please, if you haven’t already seen the film, make sure you do, go with your friends, mothers, sisters, whoever and watch it. It is a joy and a delight to watch.

Now, can we please have a Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy team up! Please, I desperately need it And while we’re at it, I need to them to get romantically involved. Pretty please

Sex Education – Seasons 1 & 2

When the first season came out, I watched one episode and decided it wasn’t for me, I thought that it was fickle and flaky, superficial stuff. Recently, I decided to give it another go, mostly because I wanted to watch something that wasn’t too intense and not an emo drama. Well, Sex Education is an amazing show and while it sucks that I didn’t watch it sooner, the timing could not have been more perfect, I binged both seasons back to back.

The show took me by surprise in the best way possible. I was struck by how relatable it is. The writing is impeccable, the gender balance where directors are concerned is fair and there aren’t more than 3 directors per season, which means that each directs more than one episode. This may not seem like a big thing but it is actually pretty significant. Every director brings their own sensibilities and treatment to what they’re going to direct. So if you have a different director for each episode, each episode will feel different. And on a show with just 8 episodes per season, that soon turns into a detriment. 3 directors means that the season has a consistent tone in terms of story-telling and pacing, those directors are also more familiar with the narrative arc and characters so plot and character development often feel organic and coherent.

Of the 2 shows from the recent past about teens navigating high school, Euphoria and Sex Education could not be more different- both are brilliant, though Euphoria feels a whole lot more bleak. Sex Education tackles a lot of the same problems but with a healthy dose of comedy, and it is way more inclusive. Another thing worth noting is that the characters in Sex Education look and behave like kids. That’s in stark contrast to Euphoria where everyone looks so much older (with the exception of Lexi) they are hypersexualised, a characteristic typical of American television shows.

What I loved was the character portrayal, it was the best aspect of the show. I loved the way every character was humanized. Through every episode we learn a little bit more about the characters and it gives us an insight into their lives. Everyone from Otis (the protagonist of the show) to Ruby (the resident mean girl) gets a background story. Mind you, at no point does the show normalise bad behaviour but it does serve as a reminder to the audience that these are all human beings with imperfect lives, they’re all struggling with their own demons.

While Otis serves as the main protagonist of the show and also a stand-in for the audience, the cast of characters is rich and diverse. The rest of the supporting cast are all important to the plot and have their own independent arcs that are not tied to him, they each have their own individual struggles and journeys.

I loved the show’s treatment of sexual assault, it was dealt with sensitivity and care often lacking in mainstream shows for adults. And it’s also an accurate depiction of trauma where initially Aimee seems to be fine and it’s only towards the end of the day that you see the toll it’s taken. I loved that at no point did any one tell her that it wasn’t a big deal or question her behaviour.

Season 2 avoided a lot of pitfalls that other shows fall for. It introduced a few new faces but it largely stuck to older, more established characters, those that the audience was already familiar with and focused on adding depth and backstory for them. The writers/directors made sure that every character had their time to shine.

I loved the gradual growth of Adam, one of the other highlights of the show. It took its time and made no excuses for his toxic attitude and the abuse he aimed at Eric. It made time for his growth, for him to accept himself and accept that he’s not a screw-up and unlovable.

I like all the characters, special mentions for Otis, Eric, Aimee (an absolute sweetheart), Ola, Jackson, Viv, Jean Milburn, Jacob. All of these guys are amazing but my favourite is Maeve WIley. I love her with all my heart and I really hope that she catches a break next season. I love her wit, I love how smart she is, her dry sense of humour, her love and loyalty for her friends. I even love her flaws because they make her human. Also, while I was starting to like Isaac, he turned into an ass at the end. Logically I know that whatever he hopes to start with Maeve won’t last because it’s based on deception but it was still frustrating.

Anyway, this show is a gem and more people need to watch it. I really hope that we get another season and soon…

Update! They got renewed for another season!!!