Joker
Rating
B (84/100)
Three words
Dark, Unsettling, Unique
Brief Review
An origin story for the infamous Batman villain, Arthur Fleck is a man that has been disregarded by society and spirals into insanity, ultimately becoming the Joker. The best word I can use to describe Joker is unique. This isn’t your typical movie with many emotions but in the end there is a happy ending. It also isn’t what the typical action movie that you might expect from a movie about a comic book villain. The entire movie is essentially a character study of a man struggling with mental health issues who is constantly beaten down (both figuratively and literally) by society and eventually spirals into insanity. You’re literally watching a person slip into insanity. The tone of the movie is overwhelmingly dark and tense, brushing up against the line of downright unsettling at times. But in its own weird way it totally works, and adds to the experience of the movie. It’s odd because looking back on it, there isn’t actually a ton that happens, yet at the same time it is gripping to watch. Joaquin Phoenix does a phenomenal job, basically single-handedly carrying the movie, portraying the constant struggle as he continuously slips further and further into insanity. Overall this is a good movie that I am definitely glad I saw, but at the same because of the dark nature I don’t think it’s a movie that I will watch multiple times.
