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DC's latest comic book movie Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) received a lot of acclaim online after early screenings. The film is expected to make over $100 million between February 7-9--its opening weekend. Now, the reviews are out, days before the theatrical release. Birds of Prey sees Margot Robbie return to the role of Harley Quinn, which she played in Suicide Squad. Additionally, she's joined by her squad Renee Montoya, Huntress, Cassandra Cain, and Black Canary. This unlikely group of heroes will take on the criminal underworld run by Black Mask alongside the vicious Victor Zsasz and Ewan McGregor. As to what the critics thought about the movie, here are a few samplings from GameSpot's sister site Metacritic for Birds of Prey. Currently, the movie sits at a score of 63 from 20 reviews. Additionally, you'll find links to full reviews as well if you want to read more. Birds of Prey- Directed By: Cathy Yan
- Written By: Christina Hodson
- Starring: Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ella Jay Basco, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Chris Messina, and Ewan McGregor
- Release Date: February 7 (United States)
GameSpot - 9/10"It's the sort of kinetic, high energy romp that comes with built-in replay value, and proves exactly why Harley Quinn has become such an endearing, beloved character in the pop-culture pantheon. If this is the direction the DCEU is headed, the future's looking bright." -Meg Downey [Full review] Entertainment Weekly - B+"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." -Leah Greenblatt [Full review] IGN - 80"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." -Laura Prudom [Full review] CNET - No score"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." -Sean Keane [Full review] ComicBook - 3/5"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." -Brandon Davis [Full review] USA Today - 3/4"Looney Tunes-style violence pervades 'Birds,' which is DC’s R-rated answer to “Deadpool” in terms of rampant cursing, in-universe commentary (i.e., the occasional “Squad” nod) and clever pop-culture riffs. (Everyone knocks Montoya because she sounds like a 1980s cop show, and in a casting deep cut, '21 Jump Street' TV alum Steven Williams plays her boss.) Robbie's facial expressions, sheer unpredictability and "Noo Yawk" accent let Harley's persona pop, though she never outshines her co-stars. Smollett-Bell and Winstead in particular benefit from playing off Robbie's wackiness." -Brian Truitt [Full review] The Wrap - No score"When it comes to the film’s titular wonder women, however, we are firmly drawn in as they fight for their lives and for their own agency. And if we don’t get quite enough insight into Renee or Dinah or Cassandra, hey, that’s what sequels are for, and “Birds of Prey” left me wanting one, which is about the most anyone can hope for in a big-screen comics adaptation." -Alonso Duralde [Full review] Variety - No score"If there's a subversive element to 'Birds of Prey,' it's that Harley is a social deviant who was once a respectable professional woman. That she went over the edge, and lived to tell the tale, indicates how much more there is to the current moment of empowerment than the mere dream of triumphantly fitting in." -Owen Gleiberman [Full review] Disclosure: ViacomCBS is GameSpot's parent company.
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