Follow the descent into madness in new film Joker as failed comedian Arthur Fleck becomes Gotham’s infamous villain.
The film premiered on Oct. 4 and stars Joaquin Phoenix in his eerie rendition of the Joker’s backstory. Todd Phillips directed the film and leads it in a raw, uncomfortable, shocking and artistic direction.
The cast features a well-known list of names, including Zazie Beetz, best known for her role as Domino in Deadpool 2, Robert De Niro and Frances Conroy, who have had multiple lead roles in American Horror Story.
The cast worked together to create the story of a man coming apart at the seams, being shoved down by the society crumbling around him and failing to maintain his mental health.
The movie is a stand-alone film without mention of Batman or any other characters. Although it does not tie directly to the other Batman films, the movie is the first of its kind to take a step back into the life of the Joker and reveal what led him to become the villain he is today.
Fleck is a good man, or so he thinks. He works at a children’s hospital as a clown, takes care of his sick mother, aspires to be the special guest on the Murray Franklin show and doesn’t forget his medication.
Rather quickly, everything in his life begins to fall apart as a cut in funding ends his prescriptions and he is fired from his job. After his mother is put in the hospital, a powerless Fleck falls down the rabbit hole of insanity and festers in it, slowly transforming into a stoic, comedic-driven psychopath.
His first true murders inspire political riots throughout the entire city, which leads to the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents. By the end of the movie, the once shy and awkward man is now a charismatic and driven force to be reckoned with, completely separated from his old self.
The newly risen clown paints his smile with blood and faces a crowd of supporters, ready to lead a new era of Gotham criminals.
Joker is a roller coaster of visuals and emotions. Sometimes hard to watch, the movie brings out a feeling of sympathy for Fleck. He is beaten, lied to, abandoned and humiliated. From start to finish the movie delivers an emotional story that connects the audience with the lead role.
While Fleck is the infamous Joker that goes on to kill, steal and destroy, he is still a human and was not always evil. Fleck’s mental health crumbles as the city of Gotham cuts funding to Social Services, resulting in the discontinuation of his medication, which is a very real problem people face today.
The societal problems in Gotham drove him to become the very criminal the Batman faces in the future. This insight of the emotional side of the Joker brings new light to his character and allows fans of the series to see him in a new light.
Is the Joker all that unique, or is he just like everyone else? The movie allows viewers to come to a conclusion about such questions while also leaving room to wonder if everyone is capable of becoming just like him.
Whether you are a fan of Batman or not, Joker will not disappoint. It delivers an emotionally driven story that is artistic and dark with a cast of great actors. It gives the backstory of the Joker for the first time in any live-action Batman movie, and shows the transformation of Arthur Fleck from shy, failing comedian to psychopathic crime leader.
The movie is a work of fiction but gathers inspiration from real world problems plaguing large cities, and exploits them to see how far a man can be pushed before he snaps. Without a doubt, Phoenix’s role of the Joker has brought something original to the character and stands out with his transformational role.
Take a step back in time and see what it takes to become the psycho killer clown Gotham loves to fear in Joker.
