It’s here. The embargo has finally lifted for Harley Quinn (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), and we’ll finally start to have an idea of whether or not DC’s wackiest looking title will actually be worth your time. This is a film that’s been plagued with plenty of rumors — and even one of our sources had said that there were some massive issues with the test audience cut of the film. Of course, that particular comment from that source was all based in opinion, so it was hard to tell whether or not it would translate to a good or bad reaction from audiences.

Based on its weirdness alone, I’ve been a huge cheerleader of this movie, so I’ve had my eyes close to what people have been saying as of late. Social media reactions have largely been positive, but we all know that there can sometimes be a huge disparity between what critics say on Twitter and what they say in their reviews. 

So…what’s being said in the actual reviews for this female-led action romp?

THR seems to be a bit mixed on it. It seems relatively entertained with what the movie has to offer, but not exactly enthralled or impressed.

“Billed on posters under the unwieldy title Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), it’s the second ensemble outing for a character (and, with Margot Robbie, a performance) screaming for the spotlight — or, at worst, second billing to the most charismatic villain in comics, the Joker,” the outlet wrote. “Leaning more heavily into action than laughs, the pic largely delivers on that front. But those hoping for a Deadpool-like fusion of mayhem and wit should lower their expectations: Harley may be known for her unpredictability, but Birds plays by action-movie rules.”

Variety gives the film a more positive review, but still seems to agree that the novelty the film offers is mostly at face value — though that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad thing.

RELATED – Birds Of Prey: The Moment Margot Robbie Knew She Had To Take Control Of Harley Quinn’s Future

“The script, by Christina Hodson (“Bumblebee”), has attitude to spare, but in a rather bare-bones way. It’s going for the sparky nihilist defiance of “Deadpool,” with a running fourth-wall-breaking commentary by Harley, and there are cheeky character IDs ripping across the screen, as when Harley discovers herself under attack by the driver behind her, identified as “Some Frida Kahlo-looking asshole” (which she indeed is). But if the film’s (black) heart is in the right acid place, “Birds of Prey” could have used more of the intricate cleverness of “Deadpool.” The actresses who come together to form Harley’s posse, like Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Roman’s nightclub chanteuse Black Canary or Ella Jay Basco as the wily Cassandra, have presence to spare, but you wish they’d been given more to do.”

EW was distinctly more positive, as the writer believes the screenplay does a solid job of injecting human emotion into the more ridiculous aspects of the story.

“The screenplay by Christina Hodson, thankfully, does what her script for 2018’s Bumblebee also did surprisingly well: inject the clanging mechanisms of a franchise with enough recognizable wit and human feeling to sustain all the wham-bam bits in between.

“It helps too that the rest of the largely female cast fill out their antihero archetypes as well as they do: Rosie Perez as the jaded cop with a borough-size chip on her shoulder; Jurnee Smollett-Bell as a nightclub songbird whose high notes are fatal; Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the masked avenger who happily brings her crossbow to a taco stand.”

IGN is similarly content with what the film offers, stating, “In terms of sheer fun, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) delivers in spades. Its zany energy, visceral fight sequences, and focus on one of DC’s most fascinating characters ensure that it continues Warner Bros.’ winning streak of big, bombastic comic book adaptations that are unafraid to embrace their inherent ridiculousness. While its emphasis on Harley Quinn doesn’t leave much room for the Birds of Prey (though each scores a standout moment), the movie is a stunning showcase for Margot Robbie, who commands the screen and gives her damaged protagonist all the dimension she deserves. And although we’d have preferred to see a true team-up with fewer narrative detours, Birds of Prey provides a perfect setup for a host of other intriguing spinoffs in the DC cinematic universe – can we request Poison Ivy next?”

So…what do you think? Does this seem like a DC project you’ll be checking out this coming weekend? On the whole, while the reviews may be skewing positive, based on its current 92% rating, it does seem like they’re more middling positive — but that’s still positive, right?

 Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: Various (Linked above)