Next month will see the release of the latest comic book movie from DC and Warner Bros., with Birds of Prey looking to follow in Joker’s R-rated footsteps and hit it big at the box office. While we don’t expect Cathy Yan’s female-driven blockbuster to come anywhere close to replicating the billion-dollar haul and subsequent awards push that the Joaquin Phoenix-starring film has seen, the critical and commercial renaissance of the DCEU certainly bodes well for it.
That being said, Birds of Prey hasn’t been without issues, given that we know John Wick’s Chad Stahelski had to be drafted in to oversee some extensive reshoots and punch up the action a bit. But word on the street is that the additional shooting has only improved things. And if the first wave of reactions is to be believed, then WB has another big hit on their hands. Again, maybe not as big as Joker, but judging by what’s being said below, it seems as if people are really going to dig the pic.
#BirdsOfPrey is a lot of fun and violent as hell. The Birds are so entertaining and distinctly different from each other. Ewan McGregor is so sinister and often hilarious. pic.twitter.com/4scxbS6GwT
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) January 29, 2020
If #BirdsOfPrey told me anything, it’s that we need a whole lot more Canary and Huntress! They are great but there’s a lot left on the bone! pic.twitter.com/kSCB59c3Mm
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) January 29, 2020
#BirdsofPrey is so up my street it’s RIDICULOUS – fashionable, weirdo ladies breaking men’s shins & aggressively complimenting each other!! Yes please and thank you!!!
— Clarisse Loughrey (@clarisselou) January 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/MillicentOnFilm/status/1222631860683132933
https://twitter.com/RogueCheddar/status/1222633033368424448
#BirdsofPrey is a riot – oozing with attitude and some of the most inventive, bone-crunching fight sequences in the superhero genre to date. I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but has style to spare.
— Laura Prudom (@lauraprudom) January 29, 2020
Just saw @birdsofpreywb courtesy of WB. I haven’t had this much fun at the movies in a while. Don’t let anyone tell you not to see this movie because they just don’t want you to live YOUR BEST LIFE and who needs that negativity in 2020? Non-spoiler review tomorrow.💋#BirdsofPrey pic.twitter.com/23x2AlizJK
— Darknight Archivist ✌🏽💙🦇 (@HistoftheBatman) January 29, 2020
#BirdsOfPrey has terrific action, humor & some of the more memorable characters we’ve seen in a DC movie, but the biggest highlight is Margot Robbie. She is fantabulous as Harley, while also proving that sometimes our most valued relationships are the ones we have w/ good food pic.twitter.com/EDQ3sr5JtL
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) January 29, 2020
#BirdsofPrey is like if John Wick were run through a crazy funhouse filter and stuffed full of glitter and f-bombs. It's everything you could ever want from #HarleyQuinn and her badass girl gang. Into this movie completely. 🤘🏻 pic.twitter.com/Y2DZgPYN2Y
— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) January 29, 2020
the “birds of prey” embargo has lifted so now i can scream about how absurdly fun it is & the way it completely washed the taste of “suicide squad” out of my mouth
girls and gays, this one’s for us pic.twitter.com/KPAVcIjmnP
— keaton bell (@keatonkildebell) January 29, 2020
#BirdsofPrey is delightfully unassuming and unconcerned with its place in a larger context. It's a bonkers bananas crime comedy and a genuine party movie. Everyone is having a blast but Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Huntress like a supporting character from THE TICK. It rocks. pic.twitter.com/7MRMKkZ0oi
— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) January 29, 2020
#BirdsOfPrey: winning characters, above-average action, and a killer soundtrack hampered by uneven tone and pacing. The girls at their best together, and they're not together enough. Mary Elizabeth Winstead's Huntress is the not-so-secret MVP. 💕
— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) January 29, 2020
While these reactions are certainly encouraging to see, it’s important to note that they should be taken with a grain of salt. Not only are some of these people the same ones who also praised Justice League and Suicide Squad back in the day after they saw those films early, but it’s also hard to publicly badmouth a movie after a studio has invited you to its premiere or included you in the first wave of critic screenings. So just keep that in mind when reading these.
All that being said, Birds of Prey does indeed look like a pretty good time and with the DC brand in very good health at the moment, at least as far as big screen efforts go, we have no reason to think that this next movie from the company won’t be a hit when it opens in theaters next month.
