A Fresh Reinterpretation

Rating: 8/10 (3 October 2019)

In an uncharacteristic masterstroke, Todd Philips (director of Road Trip, The Hangover Trilogy and War Dogs) presents a unique take on the Joker by infusing the real-world tragedies of familial breakdown, abuse, neglect and mental illness into his story arc with sociopolitical unrest and social incivility as a backdrop. In doing so, Joaquin Phoenix's immersive performance gives heart and horror to the underlying nihilistic impulse to "watch the world burn" that was missing in the more intellectual "concept personified" interpretation by Christopher Nolan and Heath Ledger.
While its a sad, violent plunge into psychotic madness may hit home too hard for some viewers, Todd Philips' Joker is a refreshing for its fresh approach that abandons its franchise trappings or Hollywood studio conventions to do something bold and socially relevant despite the gross misinterpretation of critics who think their socially-aware politicos.