T
oward the climax of Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, Harley tumbles to the ground, having been hit by a car. She had been so close to helping Cass, to saving her from Black Mask. The car carrying Cass and the one that hit her speed away and she tries to get up. As she looks up from the pavement, perhaps hoping for a miracle, the irresistible Huntress arrives on her motorcycle. Now, imagine time slowing. (Even though it doesn’t in the film, it does in my heart.) Harley looks up at Huntress with wide eyes filled with gratitude, surprise, joy, and a whole bucketload of attraction. Huntress flips up her visor and says, “Need
a ride?” She throws a rope to Harley, who is wearing roller skates, and Harley, surprised and delighted yet again, is happy to take advantage of the offer. Huntress peels out and the two carry on, resulting in not only saving Cass but blowing Black Mask to bits. Birds of Prey made a big (casually) queer splash when it premiered earlier this year. The film features three canonically queer characters and codes three more c h a ra c t e r s as queer. In the
12 12
Cinephilia Cinephilia
