On Wednesday, Jan. 29 at Witherspoon Student Center, NC State students enjoyed a pre-screening of “Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).” The DC movie showing stirred up excitement among the students who were eager to see the new Harley Quinn in action.
Jen Baylan, a first-year studying criminology, said, “I’m mad hype. Very excited. I love Harley Quinn, and I love Margot Robbie.” Other viewers, like Josie Thompson, a third-year in elementary education and vice president of communications for University Activities Board, talked about their excitement in seeing the movie before it hit theaters.
“So excited. Really big movie, it’s exciting we get to see it before anyone else,” Thompson said. With lines stretching across the lawn of Witherspoon 30 minutes before doors even opened for the viewing, the student body seemed to match her excitement.
“Birds of Prey” is a spin-off of a previous DC film, “Suicide Squad.” Viewers need not watch “Suicide Squad” or have any familiarity with the comics to understand the plot of “Birds of Prey.”
Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, is the drunk girl at a bar who can still kill you. She has recently been dumped, and no, she doesn’t want to talk about it. But rest assured, by two in the morning, she will have publicly announced to everyone that she is over that guy.
Harley’s newly updated single status sends criminal masterminds around Gotham City scrambling to get revenge on Quinn without risking the Joker’s wrath. Most notably among Harley’s new enemies is Roman Sionis, played by Ewan McGregor, a man with gauche taste who grew up wealthy but has clearly not mastered the genteel art of pretending his wealth doesn’t matter. At one point, while stressed, he screams at his henchmen: “My things! My things!”
Sionis employs Dinah Lance, a club singer with a supernatural talent played by Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and Victor Zsasz, a sadist with a clear fondness for his boss played by Chris Messina. Zsasz and Sionis’ scenes together are particularly funny in how they convey an almost frat-bro dynamic. If DC decided to do a buddy comedy about them, I wouldn’t complain.
On the other side of the law, Renee Montoya, played by Rosie Perez, is looking to apprehend Quinn and investigate a sudden spree of mobster deaths around Gotham.
This movie shines as a great example of a comic book ensemble piece, with compelling character interactions and multiple plots tying into our antiheroine’s “emancipation.” The movie itself is just compelling to look at, with its bright neon colors and evocative set pieces throughout Gotham. The action scenes enjoy the pure physical strength of the actors and their characters’ innovation of weaponry. The cinematography of scenes shot from Harley’s perspective deserves applause for their kinetic energy and unsettling imagery.
In my opinion, this movie was wildly funny and incontestably DC’s best ensemble cast film to date. While DC and other superhero films often tend towards the serious and world-ending catastrophes, it was a relief to see a movie where the stakes are both personal and clear. The cheeky narration of Quinn paired with the unspoken girl power vibe makes the movie prime for repeated viewing.
