In 2016, the comic book community learned that a Joker solo movie was in development by director Todd Phillips, the same director behind Road Trip, and the Hangover series. It would also have Bradley Cooper (yes, you read that right) as a co-producer alongside Phillips and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, who is known for her collaborations with legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
The biggest shock was that joining a stellar cast of Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, and Marc Maron was Joaquin Phoenix. It was met with backlash, worrying that DC was walking into another dud of a movie. It later went on to win the Golden Lion at the 76th Venice International Film Festival. But did Joker bomb or was it everything we thought it could be? Here is my review of the Joker.
Positives
This movie was absolutely perfect. I don’t know where to begin other than the cast. Phoenix is a tour de force as Arthur Fleck, and the flip into the Joker was absolutely perfect. His motives are questionable, you root for him because of his story, but halfway through the movie, you end up questioning yourself and rooting against him. Robert De Niro was amazing in this movie as Murray Franklin, which is an homage to his 1983 movie The King of Comedy. Zazie Beetz is great as Sophie, and Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne was awesome.
Story-wise, this movie has one of the best stories I’ve seen in a comic book movie. So much so, that it doesn’t feel like a comic book movie, but just a character piece that just so happens to be based on a super-villain. The story, without spoiling it, consists of Arthur Fleck, struggling to make ends meet, when he finally snaps and all hell in the city of Gotham breaks loose because of his actions. The story does a great job of subversion, and takes you on a ride of how mental illness can cause good men to become cruel. To me, it is a combination of three Joker stories, but ill get it to that in something later.
The camera work and cinematography of this movie is also something to behold. To a degree, the city doesnt feel like Gotham, and is a new look on how big the city is and can be. The use of light, music and sometimes even the lack of it raises the tension of each scene.
Negatives
One of the biggest issues I can say about this movie is that while I love this movie, it was met with so much controversy that apart of me thought of that while watching the movie. Am I saying that the controversy isnt worth merit? No. But it shouldn’t stop anyone from watching this movie and enjoying it.
Secondly, the movie is a tough watch. Not in the sense that it is boring or horrible, but that it is a pure Joker movie. It is dark, it is disturbing, and sometimes terrifying. This is not the movie you want to take your kids to the movies to see and to a degree that is a good thing.
Final Grade: A+
This movie is worth the price of admission. I am a fan of Batman, and I consider him the Sherlock Holmes of comics. It was interesting to see the origins of the Professor Moriarty of comics in the Joker. This movie knocked it out of the park for me, from the story, the cinematography, and the cast. If you get a chance, go see this movie in theaters and see it for yourself.
Now, to get into the nitty gritty of this movie, come back next time, where we will be talking about the ending of this movie, and what was real and what wasn’t.
JayTezla's Nerdvana 