Birds of Prey is one of the most fun movies that DC has ever released. While it might not be perfect, it was overall a funny, over-the-top romp that was enjoyable to experience. Seeing Harley Quinn team up with a bunch of other hardcore women made for a lot of badass feminist moments and scenes.
The film contains a host of inspiring, hilarious, and iconic quotes that anyone can relate to but that especially inspire women. We’ve collected some of the best quotes about being a badass woman from Birds of Prey.
It’s A Crossbow. I’m Not Twelve.
One thing that Birds of Prey did well was to let all of the characters kick butt while also being vulnerable in other ways. The character of Huntress was a fun satire of the stereotype of a traumatized, brooding female assassin. Her awkwardness, as well as skills with a crossbow, made her both funny and relatable. While she could be awkward, seeing her get upset and annoyed when anyone misidentified her crossbow was pretty funny.
Aren’t You Glad You Wore That? Sexy And Bulletproof.
Many female and LGBTQ+ fans of the film loved how it allowed the women to be sexy without being sexualized. Some of the female characters wore more revealing clothes, but it was done in a way that didn’t make them seem like they were only there to be sexy.
They wore modern clothes that real women like to wear, and they weren’t defined by their looks. So when Renee wore Harley’s old corset and looked good doing it, it was a great moment.
I’m The One They Should Be Scared Of! Not You, Not Mr. J! Because I’m Harley Freaking Quinn!
Harley Quinn is a fascinating anti-hero and having a film that explored who she is outside of being the Joker’s love interest was something that many people enjoyed. This quote is obviously somewhat of a rallying cry of confidence for Harley herself, and it’s also a sentiment that many women can relate to. Just like Harley Quinn, many people need to be able to claim their own power.
What A Way To Start My New Life! The Perfect Egg Sandwich.
One of the most memorable things about Birds of Prey was Harley’s love of her egg sandwiches. This movie wasn’t afraid to let women love food and love to have fun, and this is refreshing to see from a big Hollywood movie. This quote might not seem the most empowering, but it is really relatable and speaks to how sometimes taking small steps to enjoy yourself is a huge thing when leaving a bad situation. And who doesn’t love a great egg sandwich?
Isn’t This Fun? It’s Just Like A Sleepover. We Should Order Pizza, Make Cosmos.
One of the other great things about this film was how it focused on the relationships between the women. While they didn’t start out as friends by any means, they become allies and do look out for each other. While Harley isn’t someone who really knows how to have friends, seeing her enjoy being around other women and not have to center her life around the Joker was inspiring. This is something that many people have to do once they’ve left a toxic situation with a partner.
If You Want Boys To Respect You, You Have To Show Them That You’re Serious. Blow Something Up…
Harley Quinn’s view of relationships isn’t the healthiest by any means, but she’s also a badass. When she tells Cassandra to use violence to show that you mean business and deserve respect, it’s a bit misguided. However, in the world of Gotham, this isn’t exactly bad advice. Harley isn’t someone who needs anyone else to take care of her as she can hold her own, and that fact is inspiring
They Call Themselves The Birds Of Prey. I Call Them Dorky Little Do-Gooders.
In true Harley Quinn fashion, she doesn’t stick around for long and isn’t ever going to always be on the good side. She’s a rather chaotic anti-hero, but she does have her moments of goodness.
While she might not stick around to help the Birds of Prey, it’s clear she still has some love for them, and she also cares enough about Cassandra to take her under her wing. Seeing these women get mostly happy endings was definitely empowering.
Unless We Want To Die Very Unpleasant Deaths, We’re Going To Have To Work Together.
The different members of the Birds of Prey spend much of the movie on opposing sides. However, they all end up having to band together to defeat Roman and save themselves and Cassandra. This is a great moment that shows the importance of women working together even if they have different backgrounds or experiences. It was a wonderful, badass moment to see them kicking butt and going against all of Roman’s men.
Psychologically Speaking, Vengeance Rarely Brings The Catharsis We Hope For.
Given that Birds of Prey is a rather stylized and over-the-top movie, there are a couple of moments of surprising depth. This quote that Harley says is one of them. While seeing people get their revenge can be satisfying, it’s true that vengeance isn’t always worth it and that it doesn’t usually help people heal from their issues.
While seeing the badass scenes of the women fighting is great, a scene where Harley is a little more introspective is also welcome.
I Wasn’t The Only Dame In Gotham Looking For Emancipation. This Is Our Story.
This quote is said early on in the film as the story gets set up. It’s a succinct overview of what this movie is all about, and it establishes the fact that this film is going to be all about women finding their freedom and coming into their own. These two sentences really encapsulate what this movie is all about and that it’s meant to be a story that can inspire women of all kinds to free themselves from whatever is holding them back and how through working together women can win battles.
