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Joker review
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Review of Joker

"Joker" is undeniably the first outright masterpiece in its particular subgenre. While there is not much in terms of competition for absolute greatness as far as other superhero comic based movies go, "Joker" manages to not only legitimize and justify the existence of its ilk but also raises the bar so impossibly high that meeting the standard it has set might be too much of a task to overcome for those in its wake. It is only fitting that the film that most closely achieved this previously also featured the clown prince of crime as its antagonist, that being Nolan's "The Dark Knight".

"The Dark Knight" stood out because not only was it a good comic book movie but it was a legitimately great crime film with Heath Ledger's inscrutable Joker keeping the story tightly wound and the audience enraptured. To say that Ledger's Joker has deservedly earned its stripes as one of the standout performances of the last few decades is an understatement. The film would of worked without him, for sure, but it is because of him that most people remember it fondly. So long was the shadow he cast that the subsequent entry in that series, though fantastic, felt underwhelming in comparison.

The cast and crew of "Joker" had an unenviable task at hand when tackling the character as the subject of his own film. Not only where they no longer under the relative safety of Nolan's timeline they were literally standing alone outside of any established comic universe continuity. In many ways, it was later revealed, the studio left them out to live or die on their merit.

Undertaken by a director most renown for puerile and irreverent comedies, on the surface it would seem that the deck was further stacked against the production. However, Todd Phillips had turned a page in his film career that showed much promise. Promise he first made good on by casting the exceptional Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role. Phoenix has one of the most consistently solid careers in Hollywood, never failing to deliver high quality work. So skilled is he at his craft that sometimes entire projects live and die on his performance should their quality as a narrative be found lacking. His immersive, method-style of acting guarantees, at the very least, an engaging performance in any film he's in.

Admittedly, the idea of an actor of Phoenix's stature taking on a role that many had considered the final chapter to already be written on was an exciting prospect. The question is, did he manage to walk out of Ledger's looming shadow? The answer is a resounding yes. Dare I say, he not only walked out of it with relative ease but left it in the dust. Phoenix gives us a Joker (here named Arthur Fleck) so multi-dimensionally complex that we are taken by surprise by his ever-developing character even when though he never leaves our sight. At times it is painful to watch him, at others hypnotic, and, yes, even downright shocking or invigorating. Even if "Joker" hadn't worked as a film, Phoenix's portrayal would have made an indelible impression. Thankfully, the material is up to par with his excellence.

It goes without saying that anyone familiar with 1970's cinema will be unable to deny that the film borrows heavily from two of Martin Scorsese's classic films, "Taxi Driver" and "King of Comedy". In fact, Scorsese at one point was attached to direct this film and it is VERY clear that his imprint remained. Some cinephiles might find the homage a bit heavy-handed but those familiar with comic books know that restructuring stories and narratives into new and old molds alike is a relatively common practice used, primarily, to emphasize characters or, yes, redefine them. This is exactly what this movie does and to great effect. Most importantly, "Joker" manages to transcend its inspirations while, like them, leaving a unnerving stain on the soul that opens the viewer's eyes to their surroundings.

It is only suitable that Robert DeNiro, the star of those aforementioned Scorsese flicks, plays an important supporting role in this film. Indeed, like "Taxi Driver" before it "Joker" is the story of a mentally troubled social outcast trying desperately to find his place, any place, in the midst of a deplorable city buckling under urban decay mostly fed by the class divide. Like, Robert De Niro's Travis Bickle he is rebuked at every turn. DeNiro's Robert Rupkin in "King of Comedy" is a highly delusional comedian who is likewise rebuffed for all his efforts to succeed in a business he is clearly ill-suited for and finally finds a way to make his way into the spotlight. Phoenix's Arthur Fleck is much the same and, like those legendary characters, he finds answers, purpose, and respite in sudden shocking violence.

Much hubbub was made of the effects "Joker" might have on an impressionable public, especially given the current zeitgeist. "Taxi Driver" notoriously inspired an assassination and "King of Comedy" was met with caution because it was thought it might inspire more of the same. Scorsese managed to make sympathetic characters of psychopaths. Coupled with the vague endings of those two films it lead to gross misinterpretations of his art by many. "Joker" will only be misunderstood by the most simple-minded - perhaps a danger in itself - because it holds a mirror up to the viewer and asks them to look at the world around them, at the monsters we inadvertently create. "Joker" also presents a world ready to tip over into madness at the merest nudge, a particularly prescient glimpse at our current society. In this way the Joker is not glorified but made into a disturbing portrait of the potential of the everyman.

"Joker" is a morose, glum affair. Tragic at times, nerve-rendingly chilling at others. The tone and atmosphere brings with it a unshakable griminess and inevitability. It is this inevitability where fans of the comics will be most rewarded. The Joker has always been a conundrum. Accounts of his origins are multitude and here we get one that touches on several hallmarks of the character in various incarnations, tying him into the Bat-Mythos in a stunningly satisfying way. We know where Arthur Fleck has to end up and that is perhaps the greatest tragedy. How we get there is one of the great gifts the movie gives to readers, young and old. When these moments come the comic book fan in me shook with excitement and trembled at the possibilities opened up by the expertly delivered nods to the source material and the setups laid out. It would be a shame not to expand upon the timeline that "Joker" sets up so masterfully.

Make no mistake, this is more of legitimate film than a comic book movie but it rests comfortably on both sides of the line. "Joker" is a descent into the world of a truly damaged man trying to find purpose in a world that has forgotten him. Likewise, it is a document of that man's terrifying self-realization. Comic fans will see the birth of chaos, casual fans will see how one man can, by no desire of his own, change the tides. In many ways, "Joker" feels like a real world horror movie unspooling before your eyes.

"Joker" is a masterpiece on many levels. Characters and narrative have been expounded upon above but we must also mention the pervasively ominous score and the brilliantly curated soundtrack selections. Gorgeously lit, "Joker" is riddled with iconic images that stick to your mind long after you've finished watching it. Hell, the entire thing makes you want to take a shower after your done and, you know what? That's testament to its effectiveness. If either DC or the MCU find a way to reach this standard I'll be shocked because "Joker" stands head and shoulders above any other offerings in the genre. More importantly, it stands on its own merits as a film unbound to any genre. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! 10/10





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Added by Movie Maniac
4 years ago on 15 November 2019 00:25