*Originally written October 5th, 2019*
This is a hard one to get into. The outrageous controversy surrounding this by fake woke Twitter who had made up their mind on this before even seeing it. It's kinda funny how an ironic and satirical movement of people online using Joker to mascot their joke about being radicalised incels become something the media deemed a genuine threat. In a way, it's the funniest thing about this all. What was interesting to me is the lack of awareness in people and how they couldn't see what these people were doing was satire. The whole Gang Weed thing is literally a joke, nothing more and the fools fell for it.
Getting to the actual film itself, it is a complete triumph. I had genuine concern that Todd Phillips had the maturity to make a film like this after the abysmal Hangover sequels and crappy comedies he usually does. Somehow he pulled it off. He's crafted an entry in the comic-book genre that is unlike anything that came before it. Joker is a character study first and foremost, as we see how Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck slowly starts to lose his mind and become the iconic Joker.
There was many risks involved in making this. The idea of demystifying on of cinemas greatest villains never seemed like a good idea, alienating fans of comic-book films who are so used to soulless CGI spectacle over anything close to substance that has more or less taken over the genre at this point and making such a dark, violent and adult film for a franchise that has mostly been aimed at teens and children. It was a risk for WB, one I'm glad they've taken, as I'm getting pretty sick of these interconnected universes and much prefer films that just tell their own story rather than trying so desperately to connect to other films and potential spin-offs.
Going in, everyone pretty much knew the Martin Scorsese influences, which are pretty rampant. While Phillips pays homage to Scorsese's early films, this still has an identity of its own. This version of Gotham is a dark, ugly and unstable, much like the portrayal of New York in Taxi Driver. Crime is out of control, politicians are doing nothing to change the city and everyone is at breaking point. There is also a strong King of Comedy vibe (Robert De Niro even more or less plays the exact same character decades later).
While the political overtones of Joker are very apparent, the main focus really is on mental health. While there is no attempt to justify or make Fleck's actions anything close to heroic, it walks a fine line of showing what can happen if mentally unstable people do not get the help they need. There's no condoning their actions, but it's sad to watch and it's feels very honest, despite being an extreme portrayal. If people don't get the help they need before it's too late, then they lash out.
That's the main thing Joker gets so right that could have gone painfully wrong. Fleck is not the hero of this story at all, you feel empathy for his descent into madness, but you never once see his actions as heroic or justifiable. It's very uncomfortable and horrible to watch as it just gets more extreme and out of control. This is far from the claims that the film is "Dangerous" and "Will encourage unstable loners to lash out" the media blew out of proportion for their ridiculous agenda. This film is a warning, not an encouragement.
I should get to Phoenix himself. He's an actor I've always quite liked and has recently popped up in some films I've loved recently, so I was very interested to see how he would handle this role. To no ones surprise, he's quite incredible and is magnetic to watch. His performance is filled with so many ticks, physical transformations as he goes from, sad, funny, pathetic and terrifying with extreme ease. I know it's early to say, but this might be the greatest performance of The Joker we've ever had. Time will tell. Even with Phoenix being in nearly every scene of film, I was utterly compelled the whole way through as to where this was going thanks to his performance. I'd be amazed if an Oscar doesn't come his way next year, or at the very least, a nomination. I think it might be my favourite performance of the year. He takes a character that's been done to death and creates something new, tragic, beautiful and sad with it.
While Joker does goes some places you would expect with the story, it does still go to some very surprising places, keeping me on edge pretty much the whole way. This is one of the most uncomfortable films I've seen in quite some time. The violence is messy, bloody and horrible to watch. The story also goes to some very interesting places as it builds up to its pretty shocking climax.
While I haven't always been the biggest fan of a lot of Todd Phillips films, I've always given him credit for his visuals. His work always looks incredibly cinematic with a lot of stylish visuals and memorable imagery. Joker is no different, it's as gorgeous as it is ugly, making use of a diverse colour palette that and some disturbing imagery that is sure to become iconic down the line. There's even a weirdly comic dance number that worked far better than it should have. Oh, and I must give credit to Hildur Guonadottir's foreboding and tense score that really elevated the tension on screen.
Todd Phillip's Joker is far more successful than anyone could have expecting, including me. It joins The Dark Knight and Logan as one of the few comic-book films I consider truly masterpieces. An unflinching, harrowing and deeply uncomfortable watch that features one of the best performances I've seen in recent years. I really hope Warner Bros continue to push the DC films in this direction because this really is something special and unlike anything in the genre. It might just be a game changer.
10/10 Dans
Joker is out now in cinemas in the UK with a 4K UHD Steelbook available to pre-order in the UK
Watch the trailer below:
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