I'll start off by saying I enjoyed Suicide Squad, but I didn't love it. The movie had so many flaws, but it was still entertaining. The villain in that movie to me, was the weakest link. However, with Birds of Prey, not only did I enjoy the villain, I also enjoyed all of the characters.
At first, I feared this movie would be too heavily focused on Harley and not give the other characters any real chance to shine or developed, but I didn't get that feeling while watching it. I felt like I understood every character's motivation, who they were and what they were adding to the story. If anything, maybe Black Canary could have had a little more backstory, but I still understood her character.
The action was badass and I loved seeing these women kick ass without it having to be broadcasted that they are women. They were just on top of their game and worked well together. The music, like in SS, played a part in setting the tone of the film as well. It's also a very colorful movie and takes its R rating seriously.
And can I just say, THANK YOU for the R-rated comic book movies. Let me see some blood and guts, damn it. I'm a grown ass person who needs and appreciates all that good shit. Tired of all these damn PG- 13 movies.
The villain played marvelously by Ewan McGregor was one of DC's best. Black Mask was unpredictable, like one minute, he was charming and the next, a complete psycho. I know that there was a lot of buzz about him being gay, but I won't go that far. Being flamboyant doesn't mean you're gay. It would have been cool if they had sealed it with a kiss with another man, but that doesn't happen. So, you are free to draw your own conclusions on that. For me, I need to see it. subtle hints or maybe teases don't convince me.
The plot is told, kind of like Deadpool in the sense that you do some back and forth, but it's still easy to follow and very entertaining. The humor is also well placed and you do get Harley being over the top, which is what her character is all about.
I'd love to see it again.
FINAL VERDICT: INNOCENT LIKE A CANARY IN A COALMINE. Movie, you are free to do your crazy shit all over the streets of Gotham and everywhere else.