Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Hang with me if you can? What I wanted to see, more than anything is a broader interpretation of Gotham City. This happened in Todd Philips' Joker to define old Gotham. This movie produces a more current Gotham City. This movie is again interpreted by the director, Cathy Yan's, perspective. In that way, it works as a kind of action film in the DC Universe. The script jumps around, but it is the interpretation of the presenter of Harley Quinn. Margot Robbie is solid. Rosie Perez as Montoya works. Jurnee Smollett-Bell, I remember from Eve's Bayou, is fun and does her work. Cassandra Cain, Victor Zsasz, and Roman Sionis played by Ella Jay Basco, Chris Messina, and Ewan McGregor are hits and misses for me. Black Mask is solid, but Zsasz is rushed. Cassandra Cain is a miss, but for good reason. If this movie introduces the Birds of Prey and adds Harley Quinn, Cain can be a background character if there is a payoff down the road. What's interesting is why does she have a cast on besides a storage place for stolen goods? The fact is, she may be the character everyone intends, is taking up being a pickpocket, but will get more expounding that has a payoff. Her introduction is just to have her in the universe. Mary-Elizabeth Winstead's Huntress is an interpretation. Huntress as a character has a certain makeup in the comics. This feels like it is that here but for this film. I like her character, but she feels she has to do more without just the crossbow. For example, if Oliver Queen, Green Arrow, were in this movie and had his bow, but all he did is shoot the arrows creatively for every scene he was in, this would be off. Even if maybe, he threw a dart or handled a gun, he would be underused. His character is a marksman, but man when he wants to he can also fight. Mary-Elizabeth Winstead's character is fierce-staring, but a not fierce-looking interpretation. She can bulk up, get some flexibility, and add some fighting techniques, she'd be solid. I think her interpretation stems from her growth from the little girl in her film interpretation exactly, like someone coming back from trauma. Her character feels way too much about interpretation. This is how I feel about Smollett-Bell's Canary as well. The fact she is the daughter of a previous Canary is... I dunno. How interpretation is handled can apply to any character in this movie. My reason for getting this, however, is to see another live-action perspective of Gotham. It works. The movie is decent. The interpretation of the character outside of Harley Quinn is what will bring, or push people away. The action scenes are fun, not as strong John Wick but meant to be as solid. The sound is on point. Visuals are vibrant. The perspective is necessary, but works. The fact is, ten years ago a movie like this might not be possible. This is the first real attempt, I think. My point is Gotham works well. What cannot happen is accepting this film as a final result versus a starting point. That's the one thing I took away. Characters can come back and more can move closer to their comic origins, but still be interpretations. Good movie though.