JOKER REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Because of his twisted personality and unpredictable actions, the Joker is probably one of the most well-known villains. The character has been portrayed by Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton's 1989 film, Batman, Heath Ledger in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and Jared Leto in Suicide Squad. Of the three, Ledger's portrayal is the most memorable because of his dedication to the role. Sadly, the actor died prior to the film's release, however, he was received a posthumous Oscar. Each actor delivered their own unique portrayal of the Joker, however, the film themselves never explored his background or how he became the iconic villain we all know him as.

Todd Phillips' Joker is a suitably dark and disturbing thriller that shows the man behind the clown-like make-up. That man is Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a mentally ill, impoverished stand-up comedian disregarded by society. The story focuses on Fleck and shows audiences how he became the Joker.

While I still think that Ledger delivered the best portrayal of the Joker, Phoenix's performance is, undoubtedly, the strongest aspect of Joker. He is considered one of the most versatile actors working today and has played a wide range of characters, however, I think that his portrayal of the Joker might be his most impressive. By losing 52lbs and covering his face with vibrant clown-like make-up, Phoenix's appearance changes drastically and becomes the iconic villain. I respect actors who dedicate themselves to a role and take drastic measures such as losing weight as it can't be easy. Because of Phoenix's weight loss, filming could only be done once, with no opportunity for reshoots. The Joker's laughter is a known trait and Phoenix has said that perfecting that iconic laughter was the toughest part. However, by watching videos of those suffering from pathological laughter, Phoenix has succeeded in recreating the Joker's laugh. Despite being nominated for three Oscars for his performances in films such as Gladiator, Walk The Line and The Master, Phoenix is yet to win. However, I can definitely see him receiving another nomination at next year's Academy Awards where hopefully he'll be recognised. The supporting cast includes Robert DeNiro as talk show host, Murray Franklin, and Zazie Beets as Fleck's neighbour, Sophie. Unfortunately, neither has enough screen time to leave much of a lasting impression.
Unsurprisingly, Joker has caused controversy since its premiere at the Venice Film Festival at the end of August, mainly for its heavy use of violence and take on mental illness. I understand why people will want to avoid Joker as it is very dark and disturbing and there is a lot of violence towards the end. I'm not the biggest fan of violence, which is why I've always avoided Quentin Tarantino's films until recently as his films are known for being extremely violent, however, I mainly wanted to watch Joker to see Phoenix's portrayal of the villain. I had also read a lot of positive reviews. While I didn't love it and wouldn't watch it again because of the violence, I do think that it's a well-made film. However, without the violence, I don't think that Joker would have left as much of an impression. This is why Suicide Squad and Venom were disappointments as, to reach a wider audience by having a certification rating of PG-13, the violence was toned down. This was a bad decision as the comic books, that the films were based on, are known for being violent. The character of the Joker is known being dark, twisted and disturbing so it's only right that the film should be, too. As for its take on mental illness, I think it was portrayed in a realistic way and shows how differently society treats those struggling. We see Fleck frequently visiting a social worker and opening up about his feelings, however, the funding for the mental health facility is cut off, which means he can't get access to his medication. Joker shows how much harder life is for those with a debilitating mental illness and how badly they get treated by society. In other films that featured the Joker, I always perceived him as nothing more than a comic book villain, however, in Joker, I saw him more as a human being.
Joker succeeds at being thought-provoking. I can't imagine anyone watching this and then not talking about it. It's probably one of the most divisive films this year. However, while not everyone will like it, it's definitely got people interested which is why it's currently making a lot of money at the box office. I also find it amusing that people are arguing over someone who is a fictional character from a comic book. The world that Joker is set in feels so real that you forget that. With films like The Dark Knight, you know you're watching a superhero film as it feels unrealistic, however, that wasn't the case for Joker.
What I also liked about Joker was that it's a stand-alone film with no intention of a sequel being released. I think that there are too many unnecessary sequels that lack the quality of its predecessor. While Joker has an ambigious ending that will most likely have audiences talking, Phillips has confirmed that there will be no sequel and that Phoenix's portrayal of the Joker won't be appearing the DC Extended Universe. It's refreshing to see a mainstream Hollywood film, based on a popular character from a comic book, that isn't part of a larger story or cinematic universe. Joker functions as a masterful stand-alone story and conveying everything we need to know about Fleck in just over two hours. Joker can also be watched by those who are unfamiliar with Batman and the titular villain as it's set in 1981, when Bruce Wayne was a child. From their viewing perspective, Joker can be seen as a film about a failed stand-up comedian who is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure. There are brief glimpses of Wayne and the scene where his parents are murdered in front of him is shown.
The story focuses on Fleck's downward spiral as he and the city around him descend into chaos. It's full of twists that I didn't see coming and succeeds at being unpredictable for the majority of its 122 minute runtime. I think that Phillips has created the perfect origin story as it's suits the Joker's personality, who is known for being unpredictable.
Although I didn't love Joker and wouldn't watch it again, mainly because of its violence and dark and disturbing tone, I'm glad I watched it as I understand why it's being talked about. It's not the easiest film to watch, however, I think that it's worth watching for Phoenix's unforgettable portrayal of the titular villain.
8/10