A Deep, Dark and Twisted Masterpiece - No Film in 2019 Comes Remotely Close

Rating: 10/10 (7 November 2019)

I will start off by saying this review will be spoiler free, as well as a minor disclaimer for those thinking about seeing Todd Phillip's Joker.
If you are expecting your typical, over-done, run of the mill comic book movie. You won't find that here. This is not a film filled with jokes that either work or don't work; this isn't a movie where the heroes always win. This is a movie centered around a troubled man and his descent into madness.
It is dark and, at times, horrifying. And it is an outstanding masterpiece because of that. Had this movie been toned down, it would not have been nearly as great as it is.
Joker is centered around a failed, mentally-troubled comedian called Arthur Fleck. He is constantly looked down upon by society, beaten and bullied. And, as you may have guessed, this causes him to slowly lose his mind and become the Joker. That's not a spoiler, by the way. If you think that's a spoiler, look at the name and synopsis of the movie.
It's filled with shocking, gruesome scenes. Tense encounters. A realistic depiction of how it is to lose sanity. And it is absolutely terrifying. A once innocent man trying to chase his dream like so many of us is beaten and bullied, or often ignored by society when it matters, becomes ones of the most notorious criminals in all of comic book history.
Joaquin Phoenix delivers an Oscar-Worthy performance that rivals that of Heath Ledger. And at times? It trumps Heath Ledger's Joker. It is crazy and sadistic and, at times, honestly haunting. Terrifying, even. The writing is absolutely incredible in this movie and complements Joaquin's acting abilities. I don't think there could have been anyone better to star in this movie than him.
Acting his fantastic across the board. But this review would be incredibly long if I wrote as much about them as I have Phoenix. But everyone, from top to bottom, contributed to this masterpiece extremely well.
If you've not seen it already, go see it! Just do not expect this to be like anything else you have seen. It's dark, twisted and haunting. It's not a happy-go-lucky, joke filled superhero flick.
10/10