Jacked In Reviews 'Joker' (2019)

Brutal homicides, cigarettes and a cool as f*ck slow-motion dance down the stairs sequence (just ignore the Gary Glitter part. . . He didn’t get any royalties so it’s all good), Todd Phillip’s Joker falls into the same category as Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight, in that it’s not just a brilliant comic book movie, but a brilliant movie in general.

However, what worked as a strength for Nolan’s Joker (Heath Ledger), was the mystery behind the character, not knowing anything about his past made him more sinister. Pre-Joker, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is the opposite. He provides a more in-depth look into how one of the most infamous characters in history came to be so twisted.

Making nods to the likes of Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke we see Arthur as a struggling comedian (of sorts). The difference being, the main mindset of the Joker in Moore’s graphic novel is “All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy”, whereas here the world has been beating down on Arthur for quite some time. Even the great Thomas Wayne is a bit of a d*ck to poor Arthur, but not to worry, he gets his!

With a lot of movies in this genre, if a villain is the lead, he then becomes an anti-hero. Todd Phillips went the other way. He gave viewers an insight into the abuse Arthur faced from a young age, well into his adult years. First and foremost, this movie is more of an insight into mental health and just happens to be about the Joker. The fact it is a comic book property, is secondary, separating it from a lot of hero/villain adaptations out there.

From start to finish you don’t see one kind hand extended to Arthur, causing you to empathise with the character, and perhaps more profoundly, understand why he is the way he is. This movie gives a straight approach to a very sensitive subject and totally nails it. It takes the character to depths darker than we’ve ever seen before on screen, whilst simultaneously being able to incorporate the zany side of, The Clown Prince of Crime, which we love so much. He’s also very thoughtful when it comes to opening doors for those who can’t reach the handle.

It succeeded in proving that you don’t need to copy the MCU’s formula and can instead concentrate on a solo movie with a solid plot and characters.

All in all, by saying you loved this interpretation, it doesn’t mean you’re swearing your alliance to it and dismissing the others, don’t worry. This is simply a different approach to the character with a new, gritty take on the world around him.