The Taxi Driver of Comicbook Movies

Rating: 10/10 (7 October 2019)

Joker is a Taxi Driver type moment for the Comicbook movie genre its just as nuanced just as controversial and just as dark, violent and dirty as Martin Scorsese's 1976 masterpiece, it also has deep deep threads linking it to a whole host of other mid to late 70's and early 80's classics like Friedkins The French Connection or another Scorsese classic The King Of Comedy its abit on the nose with some of its influences but it never takes away from the overall originality of Phoenix's performance or the movie in general it feels more like Todd Phillips paying respects to a wonderfully provocative and risky era in filmmaking, Todd Phillips is really masterful and mature with the camera here his direction is steady when needed and slightly more chaotic in chase sequences like William Friedkin with his chase scenes in The French Connection, Phillip's use of the close up here is much appreciated to so you can see and feel every facset of what is an absolutely riveting performance from Joaquin Phoenix he channels so much energy into Arthur so much so Phoenix vanishes for 2 hours and it's only when the credits role you realise he was acting its astonishing work well worthy of an Oscar nomination if not a win although knowing the hacks over at the Academy they will no doubt buckle under the pressure of media outrage and deny him. From the powerful score by Hildur GuÃ°nadÃ³ttir to the wonderfully framed and gorgeous Cinematography by Lawrence Sher Joker is a rare treat not often seen in cinema today yet alone in the Comicbook movie genre it's a fantastic movie and it should be seen by as many people as possible so we can get more challenging and nuanced films in what is such a rich and deep universe. Joker is The Taxi Driver of the Comicbook Movie its bold, dark and controversial and we need more movies like it. 10/10 A Masterpiece.