Flicks, Katie Parker
Unlike the grimly desaturated, crushingly dour comic book aesthetic favoured by so many of its peers, Birds of Prey is fun, bright, and alive. Its aspects of social realism (abusive foster homes, abusive bosses, various other forms of abuse) are taken in purposeful stride rather than broodily stewed over. Even the final showdown is refreshingly short and snappy—punctuating the film perfectly rather than dragging it out endlessly as is so often the case. Birds of Prey may not be the most powerful or poignant movie you’ll see this year, but as a foray into female empowerment, it is a buoyant, bullshit-free blast.
Full review
