The Greatest Comic-Book Supervillain Gets The Greatest Supervillain Origin Story

Rating: Null/10 (10 October 2019)

Put on a happy face and smile coz with Joker, the greatest comic-book supervillain at last gets his very own origin story, and it is exactly how it must be: Dark, bleak, deranged, manic, wretched & downright nihilistic. Also, with no good to counter the evil this time around, it is a full-on descent into madness & hysteria that viewers are either gonna detest or embrace wholeheartedly.
Co-written & directed by Todd Phillips, this standalone take on the origins of the iconic arch nemesis attempts to create his psychological profile by painting a grisly portrait of an unstable mind that's hanging by a thread on the edge of insanity until he finally snaps. Discarding the existing blueprint of its genre, this reincarnation of Joker offers a low-budget, grounded treatment but with hugely rewarding dividends.
Though Phillips' direction could dig into Joker's unhinged persona to only a certain extent, Joaquin Phoenix's chilling rendition of the eponymous psychopath bridges the gap and overcomes the few nitpicks with thrilling intensity, for he is gripping & breathtaking throughout. Other vital inputs come from the story's nihilistic tone & treatment, its grim atmosphere, sudden brutal violence, and Hildur Guðnadóttir's haunting score.
Scarier than most horror films of today, Joker bestows the notorious madman with an origin story that's as plausible as it is cold & callous, and makes for an insanely riveting character study that works even if one strips the premise off its comic book roots. Driven by Joaquin Phoenix's powerful, unsettling & memorable performance, this cautionary tale of a psychotic who in search for identity mistakenly becomes a symbol is arguably the best film of the year.