Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)

[The Joker]

I take it as a lack of faith on Warners/DC's part, in a BoP film being a successful movie IP, and/or once again, Warners/DC taking a page out of the MCU playbook and mashing together characters/ story lines that really don't necessitate one another for the sakes of a movie.

I would imagine there was similar criticisms by Hulk fans towards one of the more noteworthy Hulk story lines, Planet Hulk, being cinematically "adapted" into the MCU comedy that was Thor Ragnarok back in 2016/2017. The use of quotations with the word adapted is very much deliberate as it was about as much of a adaptation of the Death of Superman story line as that Superman/Doomsday animated movie from 2007 was, which is to say not much of one at all. And also,  just about as satisfying.

Though if there was, I don't recall such Planet Hulk criticisms being extremely prevalent on the internet like "Martha!" and/or any other DCEU criticisms. Interesting. I'm sure some will care about Harley headlining a BoP movie, while a whole lot of others could care less. I would have personally preferred a Gotham City Sirens movie, as that was a book I read and liked. BoP comics? Not so much. I feel sorry for the thousands of dedicated BoP readers, but if the MCU has taught audiences anything, it's to expect liberties to be taken with characters and lore. Evidently, it's not much a problem with the general.

[The Laughing Fish]

Despite glowing critical reception (which let's face it, doesn't really amount to much), BOP is reportedly flopping at the box office with the worst opening debut for a DC Comics-based film in a decade. Yes, Green Lantern apparently had a better debut.

https://www.thewrap.com/birds-of-prey-has-dcs-opening-weekend-in-a-decade-with-33-7-million/

Now Warner Butchers are renaming the movie "Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey". How is it going to make any difference is anyone's guess, but there you go.

https://www.criticalhit.net/entertainment/birds-of-prey-being-renamed-after-box-office-woes/

Meanwhile, I saw this tweet from this hack blogger:

Birds of Prey did OK opening weekend, and I sill think it'll have legs.

That said, it definitely should have done better and I don't want to hear anyone who didn't see it and was able to complain about a lack of creative freedom in cbms, or ask for the Snyder Cut ever again.

https://twitter.com/RICHARDLNEWBY/status/1226553595824345088

Get f***ed. The reason why Snyder cut supporters use "creative freedom" as a rallying cry is because they're angry at Warner Butchers for sabotaging and withholding Snyder's vision for JL during a time of terrible grief that was going on in his life. To use that phrase against them for not supporting BOP is not only disingenuous, it's quite disgusting.

Besides, not only do people have the freedom to go see whatever they want, but since when did Snyder cut supporters became so influential in moviegoing attitudes? I thought they were only a fringe, loud minority. Right? 

Of course, I've seen these SJW jackasses taking the opportunity to express their contempt at all the men in the world for "nOt WaNtInG tO sEe StRoNg fEMaLe HeRoEs"...which is quite an odd thing to say given Wonder Woman's success a couple of years ago, or dare I say, Captain Marvel, box office controversy aside. I despite this identity politics bullsh*t, I swear.

As for BOP, again, I have zero interest in seeing it. But if the word of mouth is consistently good, then I can see its box office improve. Whether it can recover from this opening or not is another matter. Either way, it's none of my concern.

[The Joker]

Checked this out, and thought the movie was merely OK. Didn't think the film was outstanding, nor did I think it was absolutely atrocious. Personally, I would place it along side a good portion of MCU movies, and DCEU movies like Shazam and Justice League. Some I enjoyed more than Birds of Prey (or Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, whatever it's called now), some less so, but all being films I couldn't really get fully immersed in, and thus probably won't be thinking about much from here on out.

BOP, I found, is very much a zany extention of Suicide Squad for all intents and purposes (the events of that film is even referenced), but with a Deadpool approach to the storytelling. Lots of narrating from Harley (like Deadpool), not taking itself seriously much of the time (like Deadpool), and incorporating the adult banter/snark that one would associate with, you guessed it, Deadpool. Unfortunately, I never felt like the dark comedy was dialed up to Deadpool type of level that would really justify the R rating. Margot gives a good performance as Harley Quinn, and McGregor was, atleast, entertaining as Black Mask. Though this may depend on how much you're willing to roll with this interpretation (kinda like Luthor from BvS, but that was a much better movie). Didn't really care for this interpretation of Mr. Zszaz, but that's a running pattern for me. Wasn't really big on him in GOTHAM, and Zszaz in Batman Begins was practically a joke itself. I guess I kinda liked how this version of Zszaz continually wound up Black Mask to escalate situations in terms of violence and brutality. Also McGregor did a good job playing a different kind of psychotic from the Joker. More preening instead of chaotic. Essentially, it's pretty much Harley's film with BoP added just because. Exactly how it was advertised. Many people weren't keen on the liberties taken with BoP, while most people literally don't even know who they even are. Seeing how many people seem to roll with whatever liberties the MCU take with long established characters and motivations, I'm pretty skeptical if the liberties taken with the supporting characters was indeed a big factor with the box office results.

There is indeed something to be said about the opening weekend box office numbers for the DCEU were getting lower and lower anyway, but if this film fails to recoup it's budget, I lean more towards the fail being that the marketing was not being well done (unlike say Ryan Reynolds promoting Deadpool), with several articles promoting the film using the tired schtick of attacking men. Along with, of course, Ewan McGregor, who didn't seem as enthusiastic to talk about the film other than his overwhelming desire to repeat talking points in literally every interview like a robot. That was just pure stupidity on Ewan's behalf. I honestly didn't find the film to be overly woke as he was claiming it was ... it's definitely not as heavy handed as CW's Supergirl for instance.  The overreaction to this film is interesting to watch, but BOP wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, an innocent victim here.

[thecolorsblend]

You play with matches and you get burned. I wouldn't be sorry if everybody prominently involved with BOP never worked in Hollywood again.

Meanwhile, word 'round the water cooler is that an entire universe of Sega properties are on tap now. And a Sonic sequel, obviously.

The fans voted with their wallets and BOP is tanking it right now. It's no more than they deserve. Maybe next time they should think twice about finger-wagging the core audience.

[The Laughing Fish]

Personally, I would place it along side a good portion of MCU movies, and DCEU movies like Shazam and Justice League.

You mean Josstice League.

As Zack Snyder said, Justice League, sadly, never came out.

There is indeed something to be said about the opening weekend box office numbers for the DCEU were getting lower and lower anyway,

The fans voted with their wallets and BOP is tanking it right now. It's no more than they deserve. Maybe next time they should think twice about finger-wagging the core audience.

The aggressive feminist agenda definitely appears to be a deterrent, but another possible reason could be the support from the core DCEU fanbase may be dwindling. After the whole ordeal surrounding JL and their calls for the true film to be released is getting ignored, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of disenfranchised fans don't have any desire to continue supporting any films under the "DCEU" label. Aquaman was the exception, but we got to remember that opened during the Christmas holidays and Jason Momoa has been one of the Snyder cut's most vocal advocates while promoting his own solo film.

But who knows, maybe I'm wrong and WW84 will have much better at the box office?

[The Joker]

You mean Josstice League.

As Zack Snyder said, Justice League, sadly, never came out.

You're absolutely correct. My mistake. After all the info that has come out in the past 2-3 years, we definitely got Josstice League, and not the Justice League that we were all looking forward to. There's no arguing that.

Yeah, there's evidently a dwindling interest in the DCEU's "shared universe" that's difficult to overlook. As polarizing as Zack Snyder is, it's readily perceptible that interest in the DCEU was at it's apex under his tenure. Each movie was hitting well above $100 million on opening weekends (Wonder Woman struggled in 2017, but still made it), and it was thought that WB had Zack (who obviously cared about the characters) and crew there to execute the plan for the continuous storyline that started in MOS. Unfortunately, once WB found out that BvS was going to end up not being universally praised, along with Suicide Squad (another that outgrossed MOS) not meeting MCU standards (cause we all know that MCU movies are the only REAL movies these days, and if you critisize them you're just simply 'out of touch' and need to sit down and shut the hell up, or so the internet says to Marty and Francis), WB does what history has shown us what they always do. Shenanigans being pulled behind the scenes, and hitting the panic button like always.

Josstice League was, what I consider, the start of the Post-Snyder era of the DCEU, and the opening weekend box office results speaks for themselves. I believe Snyder's departure was felt, in more ways than one, and has had an impact to some degree. If there is no ONE focused vision, no ONE focus to guide the boat, then why be invested? Why care? Why not take a cue from WB and repeatedly hit a button? Only this one reads "apathy"....

Excluding JOKER, which by no means was advertised as a DCEU-film, Aquaman (like Wonder Woman) had to EARN it's success on it's own merits. That movie had cross appeal, and was probably the biggest visual spectacle I've seen since probably Avatar back in 2009. Then you got Shazam that made decent money, but would be embarassing for a MCU film these days, and BOP that probably won't hit $200 million worldwide. I guess Ewan thought he could virtue signal and be just as insufferible as Brie Larson and the movie would still be a success? Not sure what his train of thought was there. DCEU isn't, by any means,  bulletproof, and his constant stream of virtue signaling wasn't going to win anyone over that didn't already agree with him either. Maybe he can take solice that atleast the RT audience score, that everyone likes to cite, is a lot higher for BOP than CapMarvel... Tough break, pal.

[The Laughing Fish]

Yeah, there's evidently a dwindling interest in the DCEU's "shared universe" that's difficult to overlook. As polarizing as Zack Snyder is, it's readily perceptible that interest in the DCEU was at it's apex under his tenure. Each movie was hitting well above $100 million on opening weekends (Wonder Woman struggled in 2017, but still made it), and it was thought that WB had Zack (who obviously cared about the characters) and crew there to execute the plan for the continuous storyline that started in MOS. Unfortunately, once WB found out that BvS was going to end up not being universally praised, along with Suicide Squad (another that outgrossed MOS) not meeting MCU standards (cause we all know that MCU movies are the only REAL movies these days, and if you critisize them you're just simply 'out of touch' and need to sit down and shut the hell up, or so the internet says to Marty and Francis), WB does what history has shown us what they always do. Shenanigans being pulled behind the scenes, and hitting the panic button like always.

Josstice League was, what I consider, the start of the Post-Snyder era of the DCEU, and the opening weekend box office results speaks for themselves. I believe Snyder's departure was felt, in more ways than one, and has had an impact to some degree. If there is no ONE focused vision, no ONE focus to guide the boat, then why be invested? Why care? Why not take a cue from WB and repeatedly hit a button? Only this one reads "apathy"....

Agreed with all of that, but the way Warner Butchers handled things surrounding the tragic circumstances over Snyder's departure has been despicable. It's one thing to have a change of plans over creative differences, it's another to sabotage one's work AND having the audacity to slap his name on it. Never mind that, as you say, there is no grand plan at all nowadays. The DCEU (which let's face it, exists in name only) is a disintegrated, disjointed mess with awkward holes with missing characters, broken continuity and a studio trying to pander to braindead naysayers that still won't support it. If they're still trying to pander those pricks at the expense of the core fanbase who are demanding the Snyder cut with their money, then what's the point? Why should people like me be encouraged to go see their next films? Why should I care?

This issue alone is quite possibly having a negative impact on the DCEU-labelled films, and as long as WB remains reactionary and keeps alienating their core support, they will keep failing. Time will tell.

BOP that probably won't hit $200 million worldwide. I guess Ewan thought he could virtue signal and be just as insufferible as Brie Larson and the movie would still be a success? Not sure what his train of thought was there. DCEU isn't, by any means,  bulletproof, and his constant stream of virtue signaling wasn't going to win anyone over that didn't already agree with him either. Maybe he can take solice that atleast the RT audience score, that everyone likes to cite, is a lot higher for BOP than CapMarvel... Tough break, pal.

Unsurprisingly, Ewan McGregor isn't the only one guilty of virtue signalling. Cathy Yan, the BOP director, had this to say in response to a blogger promoting some article attacking a supposed all-male campaign against the movie:

Thank you! I agree. Female rage is still something that is unacceptable and utterly terrifying to some, even if it's just a tiny part of a fun superhero film.

https://twitter.com/CathyYan/status/1233520287196614666

She said this despite apparently half the people in the audience who saw the movie, like yourself, were male. Way to go alienating half of your movie-going audience, Yan!

Even Margot Robbie jumped on the feminist bandwagon, by saying this in the lead-up to BOP's release:

That's what happens when you have a female producer, director, writer. Yeah, it's definitely less male gaze–y.

https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2474553/margot-robbie-says-harleys-costume-in-birds-of-prey-is-less-male-gaze-y-than-suicide-squad

She's not being truthful here, because when Suicide Squad came out three years ago, Robbie took credit for Harley Quinn's outfit based on a picture of Blondie aka Debbie Harry:

I tried on like 100 different variations of the costume but when I saw a picture of - we found this picture of Debbie Harry - and I was like, 'That's it, that is dope.'

https://www.cinemablend.com/news/1551820/the-rock-star-who-inspired-margot-robbies-harley-quinn-outfit



It appears those involved in Warner Butchers/DC are putting in efforts to moral grandstand with sociopolitical agendas nowadays. Even Jeffrey Wright and Zoe Kravitz from that desperate attempt to reboot Batman have expressed their political opinions in an obsessive obnoxious manner, and suffer an extreme case of TDS. Which I don't care, I don't have a dog in that fight either way. I only miss the days of DC film side were focused on plot and characters first and political opinions were secondary. Well, WB can continue to virtue signal all they want, but their words count for nothing as they continue to ignore the injustices surrounding JL. Until they have made amends, they can get f***ed.

[The Laughing Fish]

Meanwhile, I saw this tweet from this hack blogger:

Birds of Prey did OK opening weekend, and I sill think it'll have legs.

That said, it definitely should have done better and I don't want to hear anyone who didn't see it and was able to complain about a lack of creative freedom in cbms, or ask for the Snyder Cut ever again.

https://twitter.com/RICHARDLNEWBY/status/1226553595824345088

Get f***ed. The reason why Snyder cut supporters use "creative freedom" as a rallying cry is because they're angry at Warner Butchers for sabotaging and withholding Snyder's vision for JL during a time of terrible grief that was going on in his life. To use that phrase against them for not supporting BOP is not only disingenuous, it's quite disgusting.

Besides, not only do people have the freedom to go see whatever they want, but since when did Snyder cut supporters became so influential in moviegoing attitudes? I thought they were only a fringe, loud minority. Right? 

I was harsh on calling this guy "a hack", I found out he's a BvS fan and is looking forward to ZSJL. He's probably just a big DC fan writing for The Hollywood Reporter, and didn't mean to convey an agenda. I'll take back my earlier distaste.

But come on, one's choice to not see a movie doesn't negate the right to ask for the release of another.

[Dagenspear]

I was harsh on calling this guy "a hack", I found out he's a BvS fan and is looking forward to ZSJL. He's probably just a big DC fan writing for The Hollywood Reporter, and didn't mean to convey an agenda. I'll take back my earlier distaste.

But come on, one's choice to not see a movie doesn't negate the right to ask for the release of another.

Why does him being a BvS fan and looking forward ZSJL change anything?