Birds of Prey Review Roundup

Harley Quinn is finally getting her chance to be emancipated. After 2016's Suicide Squad, Margot [...]

By Charlie Ridgely

Harley Quinn is finally getting her chance to be emancipated. After 2016's Suicide Squad, Margot Robbie's take on Harley Quinn is getting to lead her own team-up movie in the form of Birds of Prey, which arrives in theaters this weekend. The wild and colorful tone in the trailers promising an action-packed and R-rated thrill ride, much different than every other movie from DC and Warner Bros. in recent years. But does it live up to the hype established by the ads?

The embargo for critics' reviews was lifted on Wednesday morning, giving fans the first chance to read what the critics really think about the new DC movie. Spoiler alert: They are loving Birds of Prey. There are a couple of negative reviews floating around online, but the majority of critics are giving the film positive marks.

Many are praising its over-the-top action and uniquely colorful style, as well as the fantastic performances from its stars. Robbie, Ewan McGregor, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are all being lifted as standout performers in the film. A lot of critics also seem to really appreciate the the in-your-face attitude Birds of Prey presents.

You can take a look at what the critics are saying with the roundup of Birds of Prey reviews below!

ComicBook.com - Brandon Davis

"The next step for DC films shows that the comic brand has an arsenal of characters that are tremendously interesting and should be explored further, but it does leave a lot of meat on the bone by focusing so heavily on the surefire box office draw that is Harley Quinn. The film starts off slowly and finds its stride in the second act, with McGregor's villain being the entertaining standout while underutilizing some of its other more interesting characters. Birds of Prey is a good movie bogged down by a sluggish start. It is entertaining and a great starting point for some new characters on the big screen."

You can read our full review here.

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GameSpot - Meg Downey

"Birds of Prey is a joyfully violent and clever romp through the streets of a Gotham City that is unlike anything we've seen in the DCEU, past or present--and what's more, it serves as an unexpected bridge between old and new, pulling bits and pieces from the ghosts of movies fans would rather forget and remixing them into something that feels fresh and brimming with a sense of forward momentum."

You can read GameSpot's full review here.

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CNET - Sean Keene

"Harley Quinn's first adventure as a headliner is among the DC Extended Universe's best movies so far, and didn't need to the shadow of the Bat looming over it any more than it needed Joker. By time Birds of Prey reaches its spectacular finale, Harley is well and truly emancipated."

You can read CNET's full review here.

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Insider - Kirsten Acuna

"It's about time we got a superhero film that focuses on several badass women and Birds of Prey more than delivers. This is not a perfect film, nor is it the DCEU's best. But it is immensely enjoyable because of its characters. Everyone won't gush over Birds of Prey, but if you've ever survived a bad breakup, been underestimated, or have felt like men are taking credit for your achievements, BoP is for you."

You can read Insider's full review here.

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Entertainment Weekly - Leah Greenblatt

"Does the movie's pop-feminist message need to be as consistently, cartoonishly violent as it is? Almost definitely not. But in a world gone mad, the catharsis of Prey's twisted sisterhood doesn't just read as pandemonium for its own sake; it's actually pretty damn sweet."

You can read EW's full review here.

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Variety - Owen Gleiberman

"Birds of Prey is the eighth film in the DC Extended Universe, as well as the first to be rated R, and coming after the stand-alone phenomenon of Joker, it's a comic-book movie that isn't pretending, in a single moment, to cast a spell of poetic awe. Yet it's still a compellingly novel popcorn jamboree. Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel were female-superhero movies that offered the empowerment of earnest fantasy. Birds of Prey offers the empowerment of utter irresponsibility. The women in this movie look badder than those previous heroines did because, for the most part, they just don't give a f—k. With any luck, that should all translate into a major hit."

You can read Variety's full review here.

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The Hollywood Reporter - John DeFore

"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."

You can read THR's full review here.

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Atom Tickets - Alisha Grauso

"Birds of Prey is a damned good time at the theater, with inventive fights and stunts, madcap action, and an excellent cast surrounding Robbie, who kills it as Harley. Parents be forewarned, however: It does have an R rating and, like Deadpool, it earns every bit of that R, mostly in the form of the number of f-bombs dropped, but also quite a bit of violence."

You can ready Atom's full review here.

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The Playlist - Rodrigo Perez

"A deliriously batshit mess of pop-art spectacle—spray paint, glitter, lipstick, neon, and blood, that's not without some value— including a funhouse mirror third act of cartoonish, murderous pandemonium that's quite entertaining if you surrender to the mayhem, Warner Bros.' cheeky, unapologetically brassy Birds Of Prey is super overwrought and sometimes exasperating. But at the very least, there's never a dull moment in the colorful chaos."

You can read The Playlist's full review here.

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