Derivative mediocrity

Rating: 4/10 (15 January 2020)

You know how people get mad at disney films for taking classic beloved films and selling them as new movies? Well I'd argue that that's exactly what Joker is doing. The film is basically a remake of "The King of Comedy" that brings nothing new to the table. I'd actually that Joker is almost worse than these Disney remakes because at least people Disney remakes don't try to trick their audiences into believing they're doing anything new. This film, on the other hand, does nothing new but still tries to dupe its audience into thinking its a groundbreaking work of art. Sure, this style of filmmaking is new for the genre, but this doesn't mean it's not a completely unoriginal film with nothing to say. It's the plot of King of Comedy and the themes of Taxi Driver. That's it. It thinks it's a lot smarter than it is. It takes so much from other films without recognizing what made these films great.
Phoenix gives a great performance though