#Screen rant victor zsasz birds of prey movie

The film introduces us (and Harley) to the other Gotham girls in this Gang of Five: First, there's Dinah Lance ( Jurnee Smollett-Bell), who likes to be called Black Canary (according to Harley, but Dinah herself never says so), and is a chanteuse/chauffeur working for Sionis. It's as if screenwriter Christina Hodson (who wrote the excellent Bumblebee) tried to crib Pulp Fiction while she was high on meth, but then she gave up and got hit by a bus, scattering the pages every which way.

#Screen rant victor zsasz birds of prey movie

sometimes), Birds of Prey is somehow both thinly-plotted and overplotted simultaneously and the movie unfolds in bewildering fits and starts. Why is he called Black Mask? Because, by the end of the movie, he wears a black mask (that's as deep as this thing gets).īecause Harley is narrating this little tale (and she's cuh-razy. Harley becomes a target of every (non-costume-wearing) thug wanting to collect a huge bounty in Gotham City's East End, a section of town Batman apparently never visits and is run by trust fund baby/crime boss Roman Sionis ( Ewan McGregor), aka Black Mask. Unfortunately, little Miss Quinn learns that her affiliation with the Joker was the only thing that was shielding her from Gotham's underworld wanting to string her up by her heels. The Joker actually throws Harley out unceremoniously (by literally just locking her out of his house) and Harley narrates her own emancipation as she tries to start anew without being the harlequin subservient to her male master (her words). J is unseen but constantly talked about, like Poochie). Centering entirely on Harley Quinn ( Margot Robbie), the breakout character of Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey is about her coming into her own as a strong, independent, clown princess of crime (kind of) after her breakup with the Joker (presumably Jared Leto, but Mr. It helps make this version of Gotham City all the more lived-in than almost any other version to ever hit the big screen.Birds of Prey is as colorful and messy as Harley Quinn herself and the film is, shall we say, not very good, but it tries very hard and earnestly. The original Black Canary could have even been part of the inspiration to a young Bruce Wayne. It also means that this version of Gotham City definitely had protectors long-before Batman ever started his war against crime. Along with the reveals of Wonder Woman being a secret hero across the 20th century, it puts the idea of generations of heroics back into the universe, which is something that’s only been reflected in a handful of other characters.This really fleshes out the history of this version of the DC Universe and pushes that concept somewhat to the forefront of the story. It’s interesting to see the concept reintroduced in the modern-day on the big screen. DRIVING THE LEGACY Keeping the tradition aliveīlack Canary was one of the heroes who was given the idea of legacy with the DC Universe, taking on the mantle of her mother. She is also an excellent leader and tactician, having served as the field commander of the Birds of Prey and the leader of the Justice League and League of Assassins for a time. Quite unexpected right!In addition to her martial arts skills, Black Canary has been depicted as an expert motorcyclist, gymnast, covert operative and investigator. Birds of Prey reveals Gotham City was actually protected by Black Canary - the original version, and mother of the character played by Jurnee Smollett-Bell.