Birds Of Prey is out on the big screen and the end result is definitely up there with all of the hype making it a definite hit for home entertainment, so here’s our review for the DVD, Blu-ray, digital and 4K release. If you saw it on the big screen then chances are you’re going to want to watch it again, but if you missed it you might be wondering whether you should watch it on the pudding box, so here’s everything you need to know.
The long and short of it is that it’s definitely worth picking up when it comes out on DVD, Blu-ray, digital and 4K whether you’ve seen it already or if you missed out. However, it will appeal most to people looking for either a dose of unadulterated hard-hitting action, comic book brilliance, leg break slapstick, brutal finishers, dumb luck humour and Harley Quinn perverts in general.
But that’s not all it’s got in its multicoloured, tassel and sequin bum bag, because there’s also a healthy slice of character analysis, pop psych and real life to go along with the DC comic brutality that we all know and love. It knows when to be daft, but more importantly, it knows when to be serious and because of this it’s the kind of film that you would never get on the Marvel side of the superhero divide, so thank f’crimony for DC Films, Margot Robbie and director Cathy Yan.
The screenplay is strong and the whole piece comes together well with some clever none chronological jumps around to keep you on your toes. The jokes are good, the action makes Atomic Blonde look like a card trick and the cast is perfectly selected to make Birds Of Prey the unrelenting fairground ride that it is.
Margot Robbie is flawless in the role of Harley Quinn with great comic delivery, impressive fight sequences and exceptional characterisation. She has great chemistry with the rest of the stars in the film, whether it’s the Birds or the various baddies she goes up against. There’s enough complexity to the role to make it feel like she’s got solidity while also giving her a reality suspension mechanic that’s just a lot of fun to see.
It’s a very similar story for Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Rosy Perez as Renee Montoya, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary and Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain. Combined, they make the film a genuine pleasure to watch and it’s going to be interesting to see where things go next for The Birds Of Prey.
Chris Messina and Ewan McGregor make a great main baddy team as psycho killer Victor Zsasz and his boss Ronin Sionis / Black Mask. They’re far from the most well known villains in the DC canon, but they both take on substance and malevolence that easily outstrips plenty of other villains we’ve seen in recent years on the big screen.
If that isn’t enough, there a genius hyena story arc, more broken legs than Sid Vicious would be comfortable to see on the big screen and some great foodie tips. Clever, funny, brutal and just a little touching, Birds Of Prey is going to be on a lot of DVD, Blu-ray, digital and 4K Ultra HD shopping lists when it lands, but which should you get.
You can find out more about the film release at www.tuppencemagazine.co.uk/birds-of-prey-dvd-blu-ray-digital-rental-4k-ultra-hd-release-date-uk/, or check out the Warner Bros. website at https://www.warnerbros.co.uk/movies.
DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Uktra HD or rental?
The simple answer is that the Blu-ray is probably the best choice with the added benefit of coming with all special features, high def visuals and the cheaper price tag than the 4K UHD. If you’re on a budget then the DVD really won’t be that much of a drop and high definition isn’t really a must to enjoy the film for what it is, but then it won’t come with any special features, so if you like that kind of thing, or you want the full Birds Of Prey experience, then you might want to throw in the few extra dabloons for the Blu-ray.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter to see more news and updates on upcoming films, and you can see the official Birds Of Prey Twitter page at https://twitter.com/birdsofpreywb.
Review scores:
DVD – 3.5/5
Blu-ray- 4.5/5
4K Ultra HD disk – 3/5
Digital (standard definition) – 3/5
Digital (HD) – 4/5
Digital (4K) – 3.5/5
