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 4 years ago by alienzen (1929)
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) 4 years ago

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

[–] alienzen (1929) 4 years ago

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

[–] HarlemEagle42 (16165) 4 years ago

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

[–] alienzen (1929) 4 years ago

What was his ethnicity?

[–] HarlemEagle42 (16165) 4 years ago

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

[–] JoWilli (15143) 4 years ago

The Box Office reflects everything you said.

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

[–] bozo_500 (12214) 4 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 (1929) 4 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 (1413) 4 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) 4 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) 4 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) 4 years ago

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

[–] Chloe (127) 4 years ago

Thank you!

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT ALL FOUR OF YOUR POINTS ACTUALLY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FILM AND ITS QUALITY AND MORE TO DO WITH YOUR PRECONCEPTIONS.

[–] alienzen (1929) 4 years ago

It could? Go on then.

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

REPLACE MARGOT WITH JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME...ALL YOUR POINTS ARE MOOT NOW...MEANING THEY ONLY APPLY WHEN APPLIED TO A FEMALE IN THE LEAD..THATS THE DEFINITION OF PRECONCEPTION.

[–] asom (6509) 4 years ago

Beside the stupidity of writing in caps ... have you EVER seen a movie with Van Damme (Jean Claude btw, not Clause).

I guess you haven't. In all his movies he gets his ass kicked at least once, then he trains like crazy and comes back for the last finish.

But since you are moronic enough to write in all caps you are moronic enough to not know what you're talking about.

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

SUCH ANGER IN YOU WOMAN HATERS...

[–] asom (6509) 4 years ago

Says the one that shouts at everyone (by using CAPS).

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

THAT IS AN INVENTED CONVENTION.

[–] asom (6509) 4 years ago

All conventions are invented you idiot. And yes, by that convention YOU are rude and violent.

And btw, no one hates women, or strong women. We love Weaver in Aliens. We love Summer Glau in Firefly. We love all the real and strong women. Even Wonder Woman.

But we don't like fake characters.

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

THOSE ARE THE EXACT THREE WOMEN YOU "TYPES" ALL REFERENCE WHEN THE SUBJECT IS BROACHED...ITS LIKE A MANTRA...

WEAVER..SUMMER...WONDER WOMEN...WEAVER...SUMMER...WONDER WOMAN

[–] asom (6509) 4 years ago

I don't think too many people mention Summer, she is quite niche.

The reason we are using the same 3 names is because there is a higher chance that even ignorants like you have heard about ;)

Want more? I have tones.

Buffy, Cat Woman, Xena, Cynthia Rothrock, Elektra, Aeon Flux, Leia Organa, Milla Jojovich, Mulan, the Bride, Katniss Everdeen, Theron, Trinity etc.

So many of them.

PS: mixing a bit the names of characters with the names of actresses but you get the idea.

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

ALL YOU PROVED IS HOW HARD THE HATERS ARE COMING DOWN ON WOMEN AND THEIR ROLES IN THE INTERNET AGE...FREE PASS FOR XENA THOUGH,LMAO..

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

ALL YOU PROVED IS HOW HARD THE HATERS ARE COMING DOWN ON WOMEN AND THEIR ROLES IN THE INTERNET AGE...FREE PASS FOR XENA THOUGH,LMAO..

EVERYONE MENTIONS SUMMER,EVERYONE.FUNNY HOW EVERY ONEOF YOU CHOICES IS A SLIM SEXY FEMALE.

[–] asom (6509) 4 years ago

Of course. Fat, obese females cannot even run, Have you ever seen a hero loosing breath after few steps?

Take a look at the male heroes ... have you EVER seen a fat, obese male hero? Is Van Dame not fit, hot, sexy?

You are such an ignorant.

I have proven that strong women were present in the history of film since the beginning.

PS: HQ, Cpt Marvel, Daisy, the women "we hate" are not, in your opinion, slim, hot, sexy?

PS2: are you such an idiot to not realize that if we like and appreciate the women i listed we actually DON'T hate women? ;)

If we would "hate women" we would hate ALL women, including the listed ones.

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

UH HUH,YES...GOTCHA...WE BOTH STILL KNOW WHAT THIS THREAD AND MOST OF ITS COMMENTS BOIL DOWN TO...ANYONE WHO CANT ADMIT THAT,KNOWS WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE.

[–] actionkamen (23176) 4 years ago

Oh come on, you lost the argument.

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

WHAT ARGUEMENT...JUST POKING THE BASEMENT DWELLERS IN THE BUTTHOLE A BIT.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 4 years ago

No. He won. You objectively lost this argument.

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

AGAIN...WHAT ARGUMENT?...HE LISTED A BUNCH OF SEXY FILM CHARACTERS...WE NEVER LEFT THE AIRPORT.

[–] alienzen (1929) 4 years ago

Oh....you are still here?

[–] Kingswood (1228) 4 years ago

"YOU TYPES" ...lol, feminazi troll

[–] Kowalski (57914) 4 years ago

VERY HELPFUL RESPONSE.

[–] thenewnexus (1905) 4 years ago

1. In the comics shes an athlete and fighter but here she looks a hot mess so its kinda hard to sell

2. I feel no character got any development

3. I kinda on the fence. Zasaz and Sionis are villians i m ok without them not being sympathetic but they were garbage villians
4. I agree she joins the ranks of Capt Marvel and Rey

[–] alienzen (1929) 4 years ago

Yeah well in them movie she was a psychiatrist.

[–] thenewnexus (1905) 4 years ago

I know but in the books prior to being a psych she was gymnast

[–] TimMC (9143) 4 years ago

The ONLY reasonable answer to your riddle is this:

It Was All A Dream.

[–] alienzen (1929) 4 years ago

It could have been. Maybe I snoozed off 20 minutes into the movie and dreamed the rest. Seems like the most likely explanation. Occam's razor.

[–] ultravioletx (10216) 4 years ago

It was marketed as a comedy but wasn't all that funny.

It had the rating of an edgy movie but didn't have anything all that edgy in it.

It lacked in character development.

It lacked a good story.