It always sucks when something thats pretty good and was clearly well made just doesnt hit the way it seems like it shouldve. This is particularly true when it comes to movies; think of a film you saw that was surprisingly enjoyable and how it didnt really get a fair shake for whatever reason. Plenty of examples come to mind for me, but one of the first is Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey. Originally released on February 7, 2020 under its initial (and funnier) title, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn),the films a bit of a tangled knot. You may remember it first seemed like a solo vehicle for Margot Robbies Harley post-Suicide Squad 2016,then somewhere along the line, it also may have become something for the popular, usually women-starringB-list superhero team, and then ended up beingkind of both? Maybe an odd hybrid is always what it was fated to be, since the DCEU had a weird air about it post-Joss Whedons Justice League, and it seemed Warner Bros. decided to just let these movies do their own thing. Aquamanand the originalShazamare clear examples of that freedom, but they came with less substantial baggage than Harley,whose main title character was mid-transformation into a big name solo brand during the 2010s. After spending most of her lifetime as Jokers girlfriend (and sometimes Poison Ivys ahem, roommate), DC decided Harley could start being her own person outside of her paramours sometimes exhausting orbit. And what makes you find yourself again like a breakup? Whatever else you can say about Birds of Prey, its clearly having a ball letting Harley grieve, then get over her pretty explosive split with Joker. Thereve been plenty of franchise movies thatve functioned as soft reboots, but not quite in this way where Robbies giving 110% into being Harley as she comes into her own while fending off a laundry list of people she pissed off under her exs protection and are now looking to settle some scores. For as much as WB has tried to distance itself from some of the earlier DCEU films, the first Suicide Squadmovie has left a long shadow casting-wise, with Robbie and fellow co-stars Viola Davis and Joel Kinnaman getting to stick around longer than most stars under James Gunns new creative regime. Even Will Smiths Deadshot has left a mark on Squad-adjacent media, despite not having shown up in the movies in nearly a full decade.When alls said and done, Robbies Harley is the most everlasting character of the DCEU, and her casting is arguably up there alongside the late Arleen Sorkin in terms of her importance to the harlequins history. Lets face it, Harley probably wouldnt have her own ongoing show or feature prominently in several major video games if not for her live-action outings. But good onscreen presence and chemistry with an equally good cast can only take you so far, and inBirds of Preyscase, it didnt go far. The film was released shortly after the covid-19 pandemic was declared an international public emergency, which left movie theaters and studios scrambling to figure out what to do. WB opted to put the film on VOD a month after release, but the film was damaged even before that: along with general ol misogyny at a woman-fronted superhero flick, folks had been burned by DC movies too many times, and the first title mightve been a bit much. Worse, it landed just ahead of Sonic the Hedgehog,which won audiences over once its online fanbase bullied the filmmakers into a more faithful redesign. Things werent exactly in its favor, which is something of a trend with every handful of superhero movies this decadefor everyThe BatmanorDeadpool & Wolverine,theres two or threeBlue Beetles or The Marvelsthat got burned by universe (or its own genres) troubles.The initial days of the pandemic broke the movie system, and that pain is still felt, even now. AfterBirds,WB opted to split the difference by giving its movies simultaneous releases in theaters and its then-new streaming service HBO Max. While understandable at the time, and gave movies like Wonder Woman 1984and the 2021Mortal Kombatsome streaming bragging rights, it also pissed off several filmmakers. Christopher Nolan, dissatisfied with the lack of filmmaker input in this decision, famously ended his longtime partnership with the company and jumped over to Universal, where Oppenheimerbecame a box office success and anticipation builds for his take onThe Odysseyin 2026. Audiences have returned to theaters in recent years, but studios still play some underhanded tricks, like insultingly short (and underpromoted) theatrical windows or canceling already finished movies. Warner Bros./DC In some ways,Birds of Preywas lucky to hit in 2020 and avoid a potentially worse fate as WB seemed on the verge of active collapse. Even so, its hard to not want better for itits gleefully violent energy remains as fun now as it did then, and its characters all bounce off each other so well, you cant help but want more of their misadventures. As is, its an interesting cultural artifact because of how it came about and lived and also a great ad for bodegas and breakfast egg sandwiches. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.