Now before I go into my review I should let it be known that I went into this film with very low expectations! The trailers made it seem like another DC trainwreck and early on it was reported that while Bruce Wayne would be in the film there would be no Batman. So I was like "Really?! A Joker movie without Batman?! What kind of stupid shit is that?!" Not to mention that Joaquin Phoenix is the 2nd actor to play the iconic villain in less than 5 years (a few years prior we had Jared Leto play him in the film Suicide Squad).
Joker is a origin movie centered on the iconic Batman villain of the same name. It was partially influenced by the Graphic Novel The Killing Joke written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland. Similar to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy Joker is ground very much in reality so no "vats of chemicals". Instead we get mentally ill Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) who is prone to fits of uncontrollable manic laughter. Arthur is a clown for hire who aspires to be a stand up comedian like his idol late night talk show host Murray Franklin. Unfortunately Arthur isn't very charismatic and is very awkward which leads him to be bullied by his co-workers, jumped in the streets, and belittled by his boss. When we first meet Arthur he is a dancing clown and sign spinner for a company that is going out of business. He gets his sign stolen and jumped by some kids in the street. Unfortunately things only go down hill for him as he eventually loses his job and on his way home he gets jumped on the subway. Which starts his path down to becoming the villain that all Comic Book fans love to hate.
Joaquin Phoenix's natural awkward charisma is on full display here and it plays to his advantage as we get to see him go from awkward loner to charismatic Clown Prince of Crime. His performance ranks up there with the late great Heath Ledger's!
Todd Phillips' script and direction is brilliant! Taking the most evil and sadistic character in all of Comic Book history and succeeds at making him a purely sympathetic character which I didn't think was possible. Combined with his unusual camera angles which capture every bit of Phoenix's unique take and somehow makes his awkwardness even more unsettling and awkward then it already is.
Hildur Guőnadóttir(?)'s score is magnificent! It is dark, menacing, and haunting.
**SPOILER ALERT**
If I had to gripe about this film it would be that we are forced to watch Thomas and Martha Wayne's death yet AGAIN for the 3rd time in 10 years and the 4th time since the Joker made his big screen debut in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman.
TRIVIA:
This is so far the only Batman related film in his 30 years of big screen adaptations and more than 50 years in popular media to have actually been shot and filmed in New York City. The others were California (Batman the series 1966), London (Batman 1989), Los Angeles (Batman Returns and it's sequels), Chicago (The Dark Knight trilogy), and Detroit (Batman v. Superman)
