DC’s latest feature, Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), recently hit theaters, receiving love from critics and fans alike who praised its characters, action, and morbid humor. Its box office intake has unfortunately not reflected this, but there is still time to gross more of those sweet, sweet dead presidents.
For anyone looking for more films looking of a similar ilk, look down below for answers. The following films and television shows have at least one thing in common with Birds of Prey, whether that be a punk rock attitude, action, predominantly female cast, or dark comedic timing. Anyone who liked Harley Quinn’s new story is probably partial to those things.
Wayne
Wayne follows a Boston teenager traveling to Florida on a quest to steal a car his ailing father meant for him to have. The titular character is a brutally dark anti-hero from a rough part of town who often solves problems through violence. Despite its dark story, moments of levity are spread throughout, both on Wayne’s journey and moments focusing on the strong supporting cast who are also on the main character’s tail to either help the young man or beat him to within an inch of his life. The humor never feels out of place, though, often contributing to character development.
Punisher: Warzone
While Harley is far from a vigilante, she ends up doing some good in the film, and most of her uneasy allies are crime-fighting warriors. Frank Castle, on the other hand, is an unrelenting vigilante who never takes prisoners, often dispatching of goons in unimaginably brutal ways. Punisher: War Zone, directed by Lexi Alexander, showcases the tragic comic book character as an unstoppable force of nature methodically taking down all of New York’s most vile criminals. To give an example of his exploits, he at one point literally punches through a bad guy’s face.
Wonder Woman
Before Birds of Prey, Gal Gadot paved the way as the first female-led comic book movie adaptation in the DCEU with Wonder Woman. One won’t find the same visceral fight scenes in the historical epic, but it is equally awesome to see the legendary comic book hero come to life on screen. While its second act is admittedly on the weaker side, especially due to its final confrontation with the villain, the first half is a great introduction to the character, making us excited for the sequel.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Despite Max Rockatansky’s name in the title, this movie is more focused on Furiosa’s plight. Charlize Theron steals the film with her performance, though that’s not meant to put down Tom Hardy. In an era where big action often means so little, nearly all of Fury Road is one epic chase sequence with a small break in the middle to give the audience a little breathing room.
Its structure is reminiscent of the old Buster Keaton movie The General, which follows a soldier chasing kidnappers on a train for the first half of the movie, while the second half sees him running away from the captors after saving the girl.
Kill Bill
Kill Bill is less humorous than Birds of Prey and features a nearly unbelievable amount of bloodshed. Uma Thurman’s character reaps sweet vengeance upon those who killed her fiancé and left her for dead in the most violently fashionable way possible, with a sword. Some question why Quentin Tarantino’s films need extreme violence, but people enjoy it for a reason said better by no one else than the director himself - “Because it’s so much, Jan.”
Deadpool
The foul-mouthed assassin was a revelation for movie studios. Turns out, an R-rated action movie could make bank at the box office with the right marketing and, most importantly, a quality product. Ryan Reynolds was born to play the character with his impressive improvisational skills. It is almost unfair how equal parts funny and attractive the actor is. Like many films on this list, it contains a great balance of gritty violence and well-placed jokes. One Deadpool hitting theaters felt like a gift from heaven, and the sequel was more gravy on the dinner table.
Kick-Ass
While marketing would have had one believe Kick-Ass to be a slapstick comedy, the finished product was more dramatic than its advertisements led on. Gags are certainly present and strong, but its story carries a surprising amount of heart. Don’t be surprised if tears start flowing during its emotional peaks. It also has one of the best uses of Elvis Presley’s music in a movie to date. A sequel came out in 2013, and a third film has been in talks for a while without any concrete shoot date or green light.
Lethal Weapon
The first entry in the Lethal Weapon franchise is more dramatic than its sequels. Lethal Weapon 2 established its formula and is one of the best buddy cop films ever made, thanks to its potent mixture of character-driven black comedy, intense action, and dark storyline following Riggs and Murtaugh taking down criminal masterminds. The pair were more than enough to carry the series, and Joe Pesci’s role as Leo Getz put it over the top. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of the television series that followed.
Nikita
Luc Besson’s Nikita is a more straightforward psychological action-thriller lacking comedy, but it makes it onto the list for how great it is. Similar to Birds of Prey, the main character goes through a redemption arch.
Notably dissimilar, however, is Nikita’s main character regretting her choices and wishing to escape the assassin’s life, while Harley Quinn seems content causing destruction and mayhem everywhere she goes. But with the history that Harley’s character has both as a partner to one of Gotham’s most notable villains and a one-woman wrecking crew of her own, it’s hard to blame her.
Atomic Blonde
After Mad Max: Fury Road’s success, Charlize Theron jumped right into another physically demanding action movie. This time, it was the Cold War spy film Atomic Blonde. The actress’s training regiment was tough beyond belief, though the effort paid off with rave reviews and a decent box office intake. Critics generally agreed the story was serviceable, but paid due respect to the violent fights and Charlize Theron’s charismatic performance. Fans can get excited knowing a sequel is on its way.
