Amazing. Captivating. Immersive. Raw.

Rating: 10/10 (4 October 2019)

I am typically a fan of what Marvel has done, and initially saw no point to this movie when it was announced and couldn't see Phoenix doing the role justice, particularly after Heath Ledger's brilliant take on the Joker.
How wrong was I? This movie starts slowly, and draws you into Arthur's world without you realising it until you can't look away from the screen for fear of missing a single second of it. It is raw, it is personal, it is disturbing, it is sad, and it is deeply resonant of some of the troubles we are experiencing today in the world. This is the Joker, arch-nemesis of Batman, yet you feel empathy for him, and can't completely disagree with his actions. He only hurts those who he perceives hurt him, even if his justice is fatal and doesn't befit the crime. "Wrong me, and you are dead," is not justice, and each of his victims display their own weaknesses and frailties, and aren't inherently bad people.
This is a brilliant movie. One of the few I went back to the cinema to watch again. It deserves Oscar recognition for Phoenix, Todd Phillips, cinematography, and the score.
Congratulations all round!