Review Birds of Prey's colorful characters and spectacular action prove the DC Extended Universe doesn't need Batman. Sean knows far too much about Marvel, DC and Star Wars, and poured this knowledge into recaps and explainers on CNET. He also worked on breaking news, with a passion for tech, video game and culture. Expertise Culture, Video Games, Breaking News Going into a DC Extended Universe movie always feels like rolling the dice. You might be in for a grim punch-fest like Batman v Superman, or you might get a joyous adventure like Shazam. So it's hard to know what to expect from Birds of Prey And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, the first outing for DC Comics' all-female superhero team. Thankfully, director Cathy Yan's movie, the eighth in DC's cinematic universe, delivers a fantastic cast of characters and riotous action. Following its theatrical release, Birds of Prey is one of several recent blockbusters coming to streaming earlier than expected due to the coronavirus pandemic, so you can buy it online now. An excellent animated introductory sequence gives us the origin story of lovable supervillain Harley Quinn Margot Robbie, setting us up nicely for the wacky adventure to come. Following the events of 2016's Suicide Squad - in which Harley was one of the few positive elements - she's broken up with Joker and not in a great place emotionally. She deals with it in a pretty realistic way, by eating junk food in her dingy Gotham City apartment and drinking heavily in a nightclub run by wannabe crime lord Roman Sionis Ewan McGregor. Gotham City gangster Roman Sionis and his henchman Victor Zsasz are major threats throughout the movie. Warner to escape the Joker's shadow and strike out on her own, Harley is soon drawn into Sionis' plot to retrieve a diamond that'll help him seize control of the city. However, Birds of Prey is more about its characters and mood than its plot. Harley's narration jumps between various points in the few days over which the story takes place. That makes the first half of the movie a bit more chaotic than it needs to hunt for the diamond is complicated by teenage pickpocket Cassandra Cain Ella Jay Basco, who steals and swallows the precious stone. This kicks off a cat-and-mouse chase involving Harley; long-suffering cop Renee Montoya Rosie Perez; nightclub singer and secret badass Dinah Lance Jurnee Smollett-Bell; and crossbow-wielding vigilante Huntress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, before they team up to take on Sionis and his goon Victor Zsasz Chris Messina. Our heroes are ready for action. Warner though the movie jumps between all of these characters, Harley remains the star of the show. Robbie's portrayal turns the character into an R-rated live-action version of the character from the beloved '90s animated series that spawned her - a cartoon gloriously brought to life, with a moral core that sees her smoothly transforming from villain to unpredictable Christina Hodson also smoothly reminds us how smart Harley is behind her ditzy act - she was Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel before turning to a life of crime - as she uses her training as a psychologist to deconstruct other characters' skills turn out to be useful in her increasingly dangerous encounters with Sionis, a sadistic monster whose misogynistic streak makes him a wonderfully detestable villain. McGregor is clearly enjoying himself playing a guy whose mercurial nature sees him jumping from hilariously campy to chillingly terrifying in seconds. He's absolutely electrifying whenever he's on screen, and his dynamic with Messina's Zsasz is a joy to watch. Watch this New Birds of Prey trailer drops 0201Despite Robbie and McGregor's scenery-chewing charisma, the other actors get plenty of chances to shine. Smollett-Bell makes Dinah the most relatable member of the crew even though she's the only one with actual superpowers, Perez delivers a comically hard-boiled performance as Montoya, and Basco infuses Cassandra with a nice mix of roguishness and is a bit underserved in terms of character development - she feels like a character whose story is playing out in its own movie - but Winstead will make you forget that with her exceptional comic timing. Each member of the ensemble brings her own energy to the group, and the tension between them is fun, but it's overcome a little too easily before the the character moments, Yan's movie mixes things up with plenty of wonderfully choreographed action sequences. These prove to be wince-inducing ballads of violence that'll remind you of the John Wick series - with a little more of Harley's unique flair. It's all set to a fun soundtrack from mostly female artists and Daniel Pemberton's energetic score. Harley and Sionis share some of the movie's best scenes. Warner City itself is more colorful than we're used to, reminding us the world Harley and company inhabit is very different from the filthy dystopia seen in 2019's Joker or the more realistic take in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. It does feel a bit odd that this movie's explosive action fails to attract Batman's attention, and that the city's most famous superhero barely merits a probably for the best though. Harley Quinn's first adventure as a headliner is among the DC Extended Universe's finest movies so far, and didn't need the shadow of the Bat looming over it any more than it needed Joker. By the time Birds of Prey reaches its spectacular finale, Harley is well and truly you're looking for more Birds of Prey, check out our postcredits explainer and interview with Rosie Perez and Christina Hodson. For more reviews, see our Spanish version, as well those from CNET sister sites GameSpot and New Movies Coming in 2023 From Marvel, Netflix, DC and More See all photos Originally published Feb. 5.