A disturbing and dreamlike character study to rival the classics

Rating: 9/10 (7 October 2019)

This film is an interesting one. It's almost too much to take in the first time you watch it. The film is very much in the same vain as Taxi Driver and King of Comedy as to be expected, these inspirations were never a secret to begin with but it also somewhat reminds me of the more recent Nightcrawler, another incredible crime noir about a psychopath. That being said I think Joker takes on a much more dreamlike tone, every scene feels grounded and realistic at the same time as being avant-garde. It's quite impressive honestly. Let's get into some spoilers shall we? First let's discuss my least favourite thing about the film which isn't even much of a complaint and that's the plot twist surrounding Zazie Beetz' character Sophie... I personally found the twist very predictable but at the same time the people I went to see it with didn't see it coming at all so I can't say definitively it was a predictable twist, on the other hand I actually still think it works, predictable or not. Arthur is an incredibly lonely man and the idea that he would meet this beautiful woman he wanted to be with and delude himself into thinking she wanted the same is a believable one. Next I'd like to talk about the violence. This film has less than most films of the comic genre but when it happens it makes up for that with its brutality. The violence here is truly disturbing and more graphic than I was expecting, one scene in particular involving a pair of scissors had me practically shielding my eyes, it's gnarly stuff. If you know the joker as a character and have read The Killing Joke and The Dark Knight Returns this film wont have too many surprises as it takes quite a lot of inspiration from those two stories in particular, but it does put its own spin on them and adds enough of its own intriguing questions to keep you interested even as a die hard fan. Now, let's talk about the clown himself, Joaquin Phoenix. This man is a force of nature. His performance here is truly unforgettable and as many have been saying Oscar worthy. It's hard to explain what makes his performance so good but watch it and you'll know what I mean. Another thing I adore about this film it's ambiguity to a lot of the events in it. Although somewhat explained, Arthur's true parentage is still left somewhat in the air, allowing you to make your own mind up on who and what to believe. The same goes for the ending of the film which is executed in such a way that you don't know wether the previous events of the film were all some sick fantasy or wether they really happened and this was the outcome, this idea that anyone can believe what they want and anyone can be right (or wrong) is a refreshing one that we don't get too often in cinema. Lastly I want to talk about the cinematography and soundtrack. The cinematography is fantastic. From the bright, colour faded streets of Gotham in the day to the dark, dank subways they've really made Gotham feel like a real place and captured its essence from the comics at the same time. Shots are usually uncomfortably close or filled with negative space and this really helps pull you in to Arthur's world. The soundtrack is one of my favourite things about this whole film. Its Subtle, grinding basses and violins are beautifully haunting and help make this film what it is in my opinion. The bathroom and final scene are standouts. Overall I believe this film is a masterpiece. It's not for everyone but if you are like me and love, gritty, noir crime thrillers this should be on your watchlist. I'm gonna give Joker a 9.5/10. Max... Out.