Rated R

Joker had to be one of the most anticipated movies of 2019. As an origin story film about DC’s most favorite and complex villain, it generated tons of buzz and a bit of controversy. But now that it’s been released, I can easily see the film getting nominated during the next award season because of how artistically cinematic this movie is compared with the others in the comic book film genre. The design of the film completely sets it apart from any DC or Marvel movie and … dare I say it … is the best comic book movie that has been released so far in this new era. It made me say, Endgame who?

If you, like me, didn’t know about the Joker’s character arc, you will definitely get some insight as to how he became Batman’s arch nemesis. Arthur Fleck’s journey as he transitions into a villain feels very genuine as he reaches several breaking points for him with his day job, his dream to become a comedian, and with his mother. Because his character arc is the main focus of the story, we get to know Arthur so personally during the span of the movie and empathize with him due to the trauma he’s endured. Some of the controversy surrounding this film was about how viewers might blur the lines between reality and fiction. Seeing a film like this can give others the avenue to behave similar to him, if we seem as if we’re dismissing Arthur’s behavior. But ultimately, in the final moments of the film, we see him totally break down into the Joker and know we can no longer empathize with someone who chooses to act as evilly and maliciously as he does. However charming the Joker might appear, the charm doesn’t extend past the screen, and I think the overall moral of this origin story is how to help those like Arthur before they reach the point of no return. 

I already knew Joker was going to be different because of minor factors such as the R rating and how it wasn’t exactly a part of the cinematic DC universe, like the movies Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad, for example. One of the major factors that got me excited to see this movie was the fact that Joaquin Phoenix was going to star as the legendary supervillain, rather than Jared Leto, who portrayed him in Suicide Squad. Seeing Phoenix in the trailers for Joker gave so much hope and belief that we could finally see a portrayal of the Joker character as good as Heath Ledger’s. After seeing the film, I can without a doubt say that Phoenix’s performance equaled Ledger’s and is now my personal favorite rendition of the Joker. From the way he laughed maniacally to the way he danced awkwardly to the facial expressions he made in and out of clown makeup, Phoenix embodied the disturbing essence of Arthur Fleck/the Joker incredibly well. Also have to give Phoenix kudos for morphing his body for the role by becoming so skinny and having Arthur look almost inhuman with such a contorted body. His physical appearance added that extra bit of creepiness to make for an effective performance.

Of course, I highly recommend watching this movie, and usually here, I’d say something along the lines of “especially to comic book fiends everywhere, watch this movie.” But I think for those who aren’t usually drawn to the big blockbuster superhero movies, this might finally be the movie that pulls you in. Smile and put on a happy face to go see Joker!