MovieChat Forums > Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020) Discussion > List of things wrong with this film

List of things wrong with this film

posted 5 years ago by alienzen (1931)
49 replies | jump to latest

1. Why was Harley Quinn so good at fighting?
Does she have supersoldier serum? Did she spend years training in a ninja monastery?? Can someone help me with this please? It was driving me crazy throughout the whole film.
2. lack of character arc
So she was reliant on the Joker's protection and now had to make it on her own. But she never seemed to have any problems dealing with anything. She never struggled. Never lost a fight. Never seemed to be in any kind of difficulty. She just seemed to know how to do everything immediately. Also, she begins the film as a despicable spoilt psychopath. But what earth shattering realization does she have to make her change her outlook on life?
There was some attempt character with her relationship with the kid who swallowed the diamond. But it was poorly executed and we weren't given any insight into why she would have any feelings towards the girl. There was no arc. Just "I like watching TV with this kid...awww".
3. Not one single solitary sympathetic male character. Not ONE. Do we have to go over this AGAIN?
4. She was never in any danger at any point in the film, never failed at anything. Did I mention that she won every single fight? I don't think she even got hit once.

[–] username2k13 (65) 5 years ago

the goon that saved huntress as a little girl may be "sympathetic"

[–] alienzen (1931) 5 years ago

Don't remember that character. But then I did start to zone out midway through the film.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (17745) 5 years ago

It was in a flashback. So strike one off the list.

[–] alienzen (1931) 5 years ago

What was his ethnicity?

[–] HarlemEagle42 (17745) 5 years ago

Seemed like a bald Italian/Spanish guy. What's it matter, anyway?

[–] JoWilli (19977) 5 years ago

The Box Office reflects everything you said.

Honestly I thought it would have made more money by now.

[–] bozo_500 (13119) 5 years ago

1. Seems to be a thing in most superhero movies that even the non superpowered women (and men) can still kick WWE size goons ass to death with their fists .. which is just funny

[–] alienzen (1931) 5 years ago

I'm not asking for realism. That is not the point. But you wouldn't expect Pepper Potts to single-handedly take out 20 armed cops would you?(I mean without an Iron Man suit). That wouldn't make sense within the internal logic of the Marvel universe. Black Widow is a highly trained assassin. But Harley Quinn? She is the Joker's girlfriend. She has never had any training in anything. She was used to getting away with anything and no-one could do anything to her because she was Joker's girlfriend. This was even stated in the film. It made no sense even in a comic book film according to the internal logic of the universe that the film was taking place in.

[–] Goliard (1421) 5 years ago

It doesn't make sense in the comics, either. It's why I never got into them.

So, to be fair: this is a failing of the Character, not the film.

[–] prayformojo (101) 5 years ago

Answers to 1, 2, and 4:

Because a modern woman 'don't need a man for nothing,' never shows weakness, can never be defeated. Don't you know that?? It's the "Mary Sue" principle that was applied to great effect on the Daisy Ridley character in Star Wars.

>Not one single solitary sympathetic male character.

Because masculinity is toxic. Don't you know that??

I would love to hear from an actual woman on this (because obviously I am not), but do they actually like this shit? Pretending to be a woman for a second, I would find it to be pandering, treating me like an idiot, and actually a bit dehumanizing as opposed to doing what movies used to do by treating women like real people (remember Ripley from Alien or Sarah Conner from Terminator?" - they were not set up as flawless Mary Sues that's why they are some of the most iconic film characters of all time).

[–] Chloe (127) 5 years ago

Well I'm actually a woman and can't stand any of this forced 'wokeness' in movies but whenever I speak up on the subject I'm accused of having 'internalized misogyny' or of trying to impress the boys by being a 'contrarian'. That's the biggest insult from the type that applaud this pandering, if I as a millennial girl don't buy this patronising rubbish I must be being influenced by a man. I've had to argue for my views for years now but am I getting tired of it? No way. Not until my message is heard loud & clear- pandering PC woke trash will never appeal to me. I don't want 'representation' on-screen. I want fleshed-put, relatable and intriguing characters regardless of sex, race, age or whatever box these PC weirdos want to pigeonhole people in. And I am definitely not in the minority here. I'm sick of being insulted and talked-down to by Hollywood because of my sex.

[–] prayformojo (101) 5 years ago

That was very encouraging to read. There's hope for the future yet. Don't give up.

[–] Chloe (127) 5 years ago

Thank you!