‘Joker’ is an R rated origin story about one of the most talked about villains in comic book history. However, don’t expect any epic chases, fight scenes, or heroes of any kind. This is a horror at its core because of its violence and dark character study. Joker feels less connected to the comic book genre and more to Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy or Taxi Driver. It takes you inside the mind of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix): a man who suffers from mental illness, uncontrollable laughter, and the scars of abuse throughout his life.

The film is very much a phycological and physical metamorphosis for Fleck, and it sends him down an irredeemable path. Unsurprisingly, Phoenix is exceptional in his role. At the beginning you empathize with his character and take pity on him, but the signs of where he is going become clearer and clearer. Phoenix makes you feel his laughter as you watch his character struggle and choke into an eerie calmness. All of it framed by an awkwardly painful grin on his face. The final act is mesmerizing, Joker dances around in complete bliss, oblivious to the havoc that he awakens in Gotham City. He is more thrilled that he has found his true self and it is apparent right down to his posture as he walks.

After already winning Best Picture at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, this iteration of Joker won’t easily be forgotten. The film deserves awards attention and it will be interesting to see the nominations it recieves. Following up Heath Ledger’s Posthumous Oscar winning performance is hardly a simple task. Yet Phoenix combats it head on, losing upwards of 50lbs for the role, and researching his chilling laugh to be able to better understand who his character is. Comic book fans and film enthusiasts alike are wondering if two people can win best actor for the same role. A feat that no other character in film history has achieved thus far.

Important mentions are the roles of Arthur’s mother played by Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under), the late night talk show host played by Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver/The King of Comedy), and Arthur’s neighbour Sophie played by Zazie Beetz (Deadpool 2). All the roles have important parts to play, however, expect them all to take a backseat. The city of Gotham is another element worth mentioning for its role in the film. It’s shown just as beat up and gritty as Fleck himself. Subway cars feel lived in and the walls appear old and covered in graffiti. Newsstands have images of clowns surrounding them while tv screens draw mention to ‘Super Rats’ roaming the streets. It all feels well thought out and builds the world perfectly. Topping it off is the score by Hildur Guðnadóttir (Sicario: Day of the Soldado). She haunts you throughout and completes the picture with droning strings that sweep at times or rumble to a slow fade and percussion that pounds and pulses around you, ticking away.

Director Todd Phillips (The Hangover), shows method to his madness throughout the two hour and two minute run time. He makes an unsettling film by design, that pushes you to question how we treat mental health, and how government funding, gun control, and social services have failed people who need serious help. Visually, Philips and his Cinematographer Lawrence Sher compresses the frame to make you feel trapped in a dark place inside Arthur’s head. From a claustrophobic apartment, to the buildings that tower over both sides of a staircase; the walls are literally caving in on Fleck. Alternatively, The Joker character is usually given more space to breathe and take centre stage in the frame, where he ends up engulfed in his deluded idea of light. Some things to look out for are the previously mentioned staircase scene, which is used to great effect multiple times and utilizes music in a fantastic way. Fans of the Nolan Batman films might even spot a shot that is direct homage to Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, and Heath Ledger.

In closing, there’s a lot here for a comic book or movie going fan to digest, but it’s important to remember the type of film this is. It will not be for everyone and that’s okay. I don’t usually watch modern horror films, but I don’t feel this is worse than them on a graphic level. The violence is very present; however, there are a couple moments where it is alluded to without showing you everything. Joker is a perfect film for this character, it’s the setup before the punchline, it adds to Joker’s backstory and leads you on a path toward The Caped Crusader. You will feel scared for what comes next and left in a hopeless state, but you can be thankful that Phoenix’s performance is carried out with similar highs and great attention to detail like the Jokers of the past.

- Joker -
Letter Grade: A
Rated R
Run Time: 2h 2min
Watched in 70mm Film and Digital IMAX screenings
Current Worldwide Box Office: 1 ,055,712,814 Billion Dec 9 from 258,000,000 Oct 9