Hitler or the Joker

Rating: 2/10 (12 October 2019)

People are generally fascinated with what makes heroes and villains do what they do, whether it's real-life villains like Hitler or fictional characters like the Joker or Darth Vader. The first six episodes of Star Wars were all about the story of Darth Vader, how a little boy became the galaxy's ultimate villain, who terrorized and killed without mercy. So, thanks to "Joker," we now understand how he became the evil character that he is. A key question, though is, when you step back from a movie, book, or any artistic creation, has it made the world better or worse? Really, that's a good question for any human endeavor. I think the first six episodes of Star Wars left the world better. Yes, we understood Vader; we understood how his circumstances and choices made him evil. Yet, when he became evil, he stayed evil; his violent acts were reviled. And, of course, "SPOILER ALERT", we were gratified by his redemption. 'Joker' doesn't do the same with the Joker. That's a problem, a big problem.