Its not Great. Buts its surely different.

Rating: 7/10 (6 October 2019)

JOKER - For me i don't think there will any actor to top what 'Heath Ledger' did with the character of Joker (with a sufficient amount of credit to the Director Christopher Nolan) in THE DARK KNIGHT. That movie is not just my favorite Comic book movie , but my Favorite movie of all time PERIOD. And a major credit for that to happen goes to the portrayal of JOKER in it. Joaquin Phoenix was awesome in this movie. But for me, Joker is a fascinating character to be used in an intelligent way to elevate the material. When a whole movie is made based on him with him being in each and every scene of the film, somehow the character becomes less fascinating to me. But that's just me. It can be different for everyone.
Now i didn't loved this movie, as much as i wanted to. I liked it. but somehow it was not completely for me. the movie has been unanimously praised by the Audience (9.1/10 IMDb right now) and YouTube Reviewers. And has been declared below average by the 'Writing Critics' (58% on metacritics). I fall somewhere in between them. For me the movie creates a fascinating world which makes me more interested to what may come next than actually liking what this movie by itself was. Joaquin Phoenix famously turned down the role of Dr. Strange before it went to Benedict Cumberbatch just because Phoenix didn't wanted to be a part of FRANCHISE GAME. But this movie has been made in such a way (so many Batman References) that it screams for a sequel. Which brings me to the point that WARNER BROS has put themselves in a very difficult situation here. The fans are gonna want a sequel to this film , hell even i want a sequel and i didn't even loved it outright. Now this movie was set in 1981, when Bruce Wayne was just a child, which means for him being an inexperienced BATMAN the sequel will have to take place in late 90s , which of course can not be then connected to JUSTICE LEAGUE. We don't have any idea in which time the upcoming Batman Solo movie by Matt Reeves will be based on. But if you ask me, i would say if there will be only one BATMAN in DCEU then i would want him to be in JOKER UNIVERSE than JUSTICE LEAGUE UNIVERSE. Because BATMAN has always been a better hero when he works solo. I know its a long shot, but i sincerely want Matt Reeve's BATMAN to be set in 90s being a sequel to JOKER even if JOKER not being in that film and then we will get the showdown in the THIRD-INSTALLMENT. Yeah i know i am just daydreaming.
Now what good things i got from this movie ?
1. Some exceptional acting. Yes even if i think Joaquin Phoenix was not as great as Heath Ledger, he 100% deserves an Oscar Nomination. I wouldn't be sad if he wins either. Robert De Nero was actually great too in his very small but very effective extended cameo.
2.Beautiful Cinematography - Somehow my IMAX Screen filled totally which only happens when someone actually shot the movie with an IMAX camera. but apparently Lawrence Sher the cinematographer has shot the movie in a 1.85:1 ratio, which worked great. This movie didn't needed to look good, but i love when the filmmaker goes out of their way to make their movies gorgeous.
3. The background score (by Hildur Guðnadóttir) although very loud, works great with the unsettling feels of the film.
4. Every-time the movie stops being a character study and try to contribute more to the BATMAN MYTHOLOGY, it brought smile to my face.
This movie can be said as the most Distant Comic-Book movie ever made from being an actual Comic-Book movie. Except those contributions to the Batman Mythology there was nothing Comic-Bookish about this film. There was not a single action scene in the film. not a single scene which pumps your heart with taking you to the edge of the seat , getting excited about what is gonna happens next. Not enough comedy either, which is pretty shocking considering the fact that its being directed by the director of HANGOVER TRILOGY. And there is nothing wrong with making a good character study, where we only watch the things happening in one person's life. But it was not for me. At-least not 100%. I mean you can only watch so many times other people behaving badly with the lead character again and again and again until the temperature rises above the upper limit and the lead character fights back which by the way happened at the very last 25-30 mins of the movie, and even at that time the pace of the movie never rises. Then there were those artistic scenes where the character just dances with himself, talks to himself, laughs with himself siting alone in a room, without the story actually getting forward in those moments. Its too much artistic for its own good. Too much of a slow burn for me.
What i want is that now the ground work is done. And this movie is going to be a massive hit. And i want the same team of Director, Writer, Cinematographer and Composer to make a sequel based in this same universe but which will be more exciting, which doesn't feel like its not a Comic book movie. I mean Nolan did it best. His Dark Knight Trilogy was very serious, but never gave the feeling that you are not watching a Comic Book movie.
Also if you are determined to catch this film on big screen , then try to watch it in IMAX. Its Marvelous to look at.
7.3/10
by ANuP APu KuMaR