Birds Of Prey: Why This Weird-Ass Movie Can Be A Hit

Earlier this morning Warner Bros. dropped the official trailer for Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), pretty much solidifying Margot Robbie’s take on the character as one of the leading faces of the DC Extended Universe — or at least what remains of it.

Of course, this is only the first trailer for the movie, and in the world of the DCEU, fans have been burned before (Suicide Squad, anyone?), so we’re always reticent to get excited when a new trailer drops from them. And yet, in spite of this uncertainty, I couldn’t help but get excited about what this movie had to offer.

Sure, there’s a lot to be concerned about in terms of quality — rumored extensive reshoots and dropped plot elements — but based on what’s been officially put out there, I not only think this could be a great entry in the DCEU, but it could be exactly what it needs to help expand into completely new territory.

Now, that’s not to say DC hasn’t had their successes. Between Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam!, it’s clear they’ve found their footing. But with this one, more than all that’s come before, Birds of Prey really looks like it can be going off in a wholly unique direction — and I think that’s a great thing for DC and for fans.

It’s F**king Weird — And That’s Good

For starters, it’s definitely the most unique-looking DC film to hit so far. Sure, I’m confident plenty of you would point to this looking a lot like Suicide Squad, but this movie has a rougher edge to it and has a decided extra mix of colors, to boot — colors that make up the costumes and production design, not ones that were just added in post.

The film is also not afraid to go big and weird. I may not have been the biggest fan of that end-of-trailer punchline with the stick of dynamite on the freeway, but between that and several other shots, it’s clear they’re committing to this zany tone.

And even better…it doesn’t look like a $150 million movie. Usually, with big movies, there’s so much invested in them that the flaws and edges need to be filed down to be marketable. It looks like there were few attempts at this with Harley Quinn — uh, I mean Birds of Prey. It reminds me of a simpler time when a mid-budget movie can just be weird and still make an okay helping at the box office. It didn’t need to please everyone, and that’s okay. Between this and Joker, it seems like there’s a realization at DC that these films don’t need to please everyone.

These movies can have styles and voices and can be bold.

It Humanizes Harley Quinn

We all know that person who’s in that really bad relationship, right? Guy, girl, it doesn’t matter. We all know someone who’s been sucked into an unhealthy relationship. Not only are they unhappy, but they’ve lost all sense of identity outside of their significant other, and that’s exactly what happened with Harley Quinn. I know there are some people out there who are all about #RelationshipGoals with Joker and Harley, but no, that’s not a good relationship, yo.

And Birds of Prey really highlights just how bad it was. This film looks to be a literal “emancipation” of the character. In the trailer, Harley starts off as a self-destructive wreck, and by the end, when she declares she’s “Harley freakin’ Quinn!” it’s clear that she’s finally embraced her solo identity.

Harley Quinn may be a bit odd in the head, but the film looks to be focusing on her core humanity, and her attempts to reclaim who she is, and I think that’s something that’s infinitely relatable. Plus, it helps that Margot Robbie has a great handle on this iteration of the character and is bringing a whole lot to her in terms of relatability.

No longer is she just this caricature. She has the ability to be fully humanized.

Why Its All-Female Cast Is Great

Yeah, I know it’s not cool to be feminist these days, but I’m sorry to break it to you…I am one. Things have gotten better over the years for female representation, and I think this movie could be another great stepping stone for one reason: the variety of character archetypes.

Too often, in ensemble films, there’s usually a bunch of guys, and maybe one or two females. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that inherently. Obviously, storytelling doesn’t dictate that all things be equal, but as a result, it’s painted writers in a corner to where these females have a lot riding on their shoulders. They not only have to be eye candy for men, but they have to be relatable to women. Not just some women. All women. Because that’s all the film or show has.

With this movie, we have a whole host of lead and supporting female characters, and as a result, there isn’t the inherent need to make them perfect in any way. They can actually be human, with all the flaws that come with it, allowing for more nuanced storytelling, and an easier ability for more women to actually connect with them.

At the end of the day, the representation of different types of women in film is a good thing for storytelling and a good thing for fans, so it’s something we should welcome with open arms.

Of course, all of this is just based on the trailer. For all I know, all the stuff I’m inferring could be incredibly wrong, and I’ll be eating my words.

Obviously, you’re completely free to agree or disagree, but fill me in on why down below! Are you as hopeful or optimistic as I am?

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SOURCE: Deadline

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