The Batman universe suddenly gained depth that will be hard to surpass

Rating: 9/10 (11 January 2020)

I would say nothing new by repeating the obvious clichÃ©s of what makes this a masterpiece, like the amazing acting, the cinematography, the storyline, so I'll just stick to what makes it a masterpiece for me.
Set in the Batman universe, all movies so far, well directed or rightout weak, had the central theme of Batman vs some rather flat characters that we identify as "villains". Even Heath Ledger's sublime Joker interpretation was written this way, though Ledger lifted the character of Joker to new heights and we are all grateful to him for that. However, Ledger's portray of the Joker surpassed the message he represents, making us remember the character, rather than the mission he was on.
This new movie however managed to bring across a message through the excellent portray of the Joker in Phoenix's best performance so far in my opinion, without putting the character in the spotlight, no matter how forceful he came across. This movie is not about the Joker anymore. It is about something much darker and deeper, an ironic view of our world itself, which created the Joker. It is this darkness, this absurd comedy of everyday reality that has opened its doors through this movie, to unleash the Madness on us that the Joker represents, who is a mere reflection of our world. And in this, the movie sets new standards in the Batman universe for all the dimensions that each villain represents, one that will be very difficult to ever surpass. I for one hope to see more movies like this in this parallel universe, mirroring the dark side of ours along the way. Let there be no mistake: this IS our world.
The only reason why I did not value this a perfect 10/10 movie is because the director did not take a leap of faith all the way and to a small extent the presentation is a bit too palatable, serving the general audience: I could predict 3 of the major shocking events in the movie before they happened (delusions of a working relationship, the pillow and the gun's real purpose) and I'm sure many viewers have. Had these worked out differently, I would have been baffled for a very long time. There was a brief moment in the movie, the scene where he rehearses the deed, when I was hoping that the twist would be that through some incredibly smart directing, Joker would become such a suggestive force that it would not be him pulling the trigger. That the madness he sends is a madness that spreads, not only in the weak and the meek in the streets that need a vent, but in all, even those devoid of any empathy and remorse towards society like the showmaster, a true mirror of all of this world. Had any director achieved that accomplishment in a credulous way, it would have gone down in history as one of the greatest movies of all times.
It is a masterpiece, nonetheless.