Joker (2019) review

In the world of comics, Batman has always been one of the most prolific superheroes to come from the DC Comics Universe. Likewise, many would agree that he also boasts one of the greatest collection of supervillains AKA his ‘rogues gallery’, which is easy to see why when you have classic figures like Mr. Freeze, Two-Face, and Poison Ivy as part of this illustrious group… and yes, that’s just to name a few. However, when it comes to the Dark Knight’s definitive archnemesis, that honor goes to the one and only Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker. The Joker made his debut in the first issue of Batman’s original comic book series (which, for the record, does not count the Dark Knight’s official debut in Detective Comics #27) in 1940. And while it was initially planned to have the character killed off in that same issue, Whitney Ellsworth, DC’s editor at the time, overruled the decision, effectively allowing the Joker to become one of the most recognizable characters in all of comics. Since then, there have been numerous takes on the character though they all maintain the same general concept of a man who dresses like a clown and is a full-on murderous psychopath. On the big screen, actors like Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger have all brought their own unique takes on the role to great success, with Ledger even winning a posthumous Oscar for his work on 2008’s The Dark Knight. In the world of animation, Mark Hamill’s critically acclaimed turn as the character in the iconic Batman: The Animated Series (plus later appearances in other forms of media, including the series’ 1993 feature-length spin-off Mask of the Phantasm and the Batman: Arkham video games) is often cited by fans as quite arguably the best on-screen interpretation of the character.

But now a new Joker is looking to make a name for himself in the pantheon of legendary Joker performances via the character’s first-ever solo film, simply and appropriately titled Joker. However, as cliché as it may sound, it should be made clear that this is not your typical comic book film. To the uninitiated, this may just seem like the newest installment of DC’s current film franchise, the DC Extended Universe. However, the fact that this one doesn’t star Jared Leto (who, of course, played the character in 2016’s Suicide Squad) in the title role proves that this isn’t the case. Instead, it’s Joaquin Phoenix who headlines this new project under the direction of Todd Phillips, who’s best known for his work on comedies (even though he’s recently gone on record stating that he doesn’t do those anymore for reasons that I won’t be getting into here) like the 2003 cult classic Old School and the 2009 smash hit The Hangover. It’s been said that this film is meant to be the first installment of a new line of films from DC that revolve around their characters and yet are not connected to the DC Extended Universe. Running under the label of ‘DC Black’, these new films would give filmmakers a chance to do more experimental takes on what is easily the biggest film genre there is without having to connect them to other films or set the groundwork for sequels. In other words, there’s been a lot said about Joker and how it could potentially impact the superhero genre going forward, and yet, despite a genuinely dedicated performance from Joaquin Phoenix, Joker isn’t exactly the game-changer that it aspires to be.

On the seedy streets of Gotham City in 1981, a man named Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) can never seem to catch a break. Stuck in a dead-end job as a party clown and afflicted with a condition that causes him to laugh at inopportune moments, Arthur spends most of his time looking after his mentally and physically ill mother Penny (Frances Conroy). At the same time, Arthur also aspires to become a stand-up comedian like his idol, talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro). However, his first stand-up appearance doesn’t go very well and, to make matters worse, it ultimately becomes the butt of all jokes when Murray plays clips of it on his show. This, in turn, paves the way for even more bad things happening to Arthur. He is informed that he won’t be getting any more of his medication due to citywide budget cuts and ends up getting fired from his job when he accidentally drops a gun that was given to him by a co-worker during one of his gigs. And when he ends up reading one of the letters that his mother has been writing to her former boss Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) to ask for his help in getting the two of them out of their current life predicament, Arthur discovers the potential connection that he has to the billionaire. Thus, as his life continues to get more chaotic with each passing day, Arthur starts to embrace his dark side as he prepares to get revenge against all those who’ve wronged him. In the process, he even ends up inspiring a citywide revolt via his clown persona as the disgruntled citizens of Gotham start to fight back against the corruption in their city.   

If anything, Joker does deserve a lot of credit for how it genuinely delivers on its promise of not being a typical comic book film. Unlike most films from this genre, Joker doesn’t feature large-scale action sequences or flashy visuals. Instead, it’s a more traditional drama inspired by the likes of Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, which makes a lot of sense when you consider that it was nearly produced by Martin Scorsese before he had to back out due to other commitments. This is also one of those films that rely on a slow burn narrative that, in this instance, is based entirely around Arthur’s descent into madness, and overall, it’s one of the better-handled aspects of the film since it’s properly maintained throughout without having to come at the cost of decent pacing. It also helps that the film sports some excellent cinematography from Todd Phillips’ frequent cinematographer Lawrence Sher and an appropriately sinister score by Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir. However, the film’s promising start ultimately paves the way for an extremely underwhelming finale that doesn’t even come close to being the intensely disturbing conclusion that it was seemingly building towards. In fact, without directly spoiling anything, one key action that Arthur does before the finale is the pinnacle of this film’s disturbing content. Plus, despite all the claims that this wasn’t going to abide by the superhero genre’s usual tropes, the film’s conclusion ends up shoehorning in what is quite arguably the most recognizable plot thread from the Batman mythos. Seriously, I don’t even need to mention what it is here because let’s face it, you already know exactly what I’m talking about.

At the very least, the film does manage to serve as a solid showcase for the genuinely superb performance by Joaquin Phoenix in the title role. While there is a lot to be discussed when it comes to how effective the film truly is at portraying people with a mental illness, Phoenix commands the screen and succeeds in crafting a character who effectively evolves from a sympathetic punching bag to a terrifying monster. However, because this is one of those cases where he’s always the primary focus of the film, everyone else in the cast gets far less to work with by comparison. Robert De Niro’s Murray Franklin is a prime example of this because no matter how much the film pays homage to The King of Comedy (in which De Niro played Rupert Pupkin, an obvious precursor to Arthur), De Niro isn’t in the film as much as you may think for a character that plays a pivotal role in Arthur’s downfall. The same goes for Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne, whose role in the film is even smaller than De Niro’s and ends up going exactly as you’d expect for the father of Bruce Wayne (played here by Dante Pereira-Olsen in a small handful of scenes). But the one who gets it the worst is Zazie Beetz as Arthur’s neighbor Sophie, who ends up being his love interest… and that’s literally her entire role in a nutshell. And once the film gets to a major twist surrounding her relationship with Arthur, she’s out of the film completely. As such, Frances Conroy is technically the real female lead of the film as Arthur’s mother Penny, and she’s great in the role thanks to the solid mother-son relationship that she forms with Phoenix that undoubtedly gets tested when some of her dark secrets are revealed.

It goes without saying that Joker has been one of the most talked-about films of 2019. Many are predicting that this film could be a major game-changer for the superhero genre and even a potential frontrunner at this year’s Oscars. At the same time, though, it’s also amassed quite a lot of controversy due to the fear that it will inspire acts of violence in the real world. However, I ultimately find myself comparing it to another controversial film, 2014’s The Interview. Both films attracted some considerable controversy before their release to the point where things nearly got violent… and yet are so underwhelming that it makes you wonder why these were the films that nearly got folks riled up in the first place. Case in point, as much as Joker claims to be a fresh, new take on the superhero genre, it’s more like a hodgepodge of elements that were lifted from other, more successful films. Its dark and gritty take on Batman’s iconic nemesis doesn’t feel that far off from what Christopher Nolan and Heath Ledger did more than a decade prior with The Dark Knight. And as much as the film acts like it isn’t going to follow the usual narrative structure of other superhero films, it still feels the need to crowbar in the one Batman trope that anyone familiar with the character’s comic backstory will see coming more than a mile away. Sure, it does have the benefit of a terrific performance from Joaquin Phoenix in the title role, but all in all, Joker is a film that talks a big game but ultimately doesn’t have one.

Rating: 2/5