Top 10 Reasons Joker Will Blow Your Mind

From the moment its trailer dropped, cinephiles could tell that “Joker” was going to have some serious Scorsese vibes. This unique approach to the Clown Prince of Crime, or Arthur Fleck, immediately called “Taxi Driver” and “The King of Comedy” to mind. Scorsese was only briefly attached to produce the project, leaving early on because of other commitments. Nevertheless, numerous reviews highlight Scorsese’s evident influence. Critics have most notably drawn parallels between Joaquin Phoenix’s performances and Robert De Niro’s turn as Travis Bickle. While Arthur and Travis may be cut from the same cloth, Phil De Semlyen of Time Out says, “this character isn’t just a makeup-smeared facsimile of Robert De Niro’s traumatised Vietnam veteran. He’s the product of a society that feels painfully current.”

For the longest time, audiences firmly believed that nobody but Jack Nicholson could do the Joker justice in a live-action film. Flash-forward almost twenty years, the late Heath Ledger blew Nicholson’s portrayal out of the water with an Oscar-winning performance. Only time will tell if Phoenix’s depiction of the character will go down as the all-time greatest. Reviews generally indicate, though, that Phoenix definitely deserves to be in the conversation. What’s more, critics have lauded the film for its ambitious and original take on the Joker’s beginnings. David Sexton of Go London was enthralled with Phillips’ interpretation, writing, “Nobody who sees this new film will ever need any other version.”

It may be based on a DC Comics character, but that doesn’t mean you should go in expecting witty quips or CGI action sequences. With a modest budget of $55 million, a hard-R rating, and a wicked central character, “Joker” is a far cry from anything that’s come out of the MCU. The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney calls it “a film for audiences who don’t much care about the usual Hollywood comic-strip assembly line.” Brian Viner of The Daily Mail singled out Phoenix’s performance as a breath of fresh air, writing that the actor “does not offer the standard comic-book caricature of villainy.” For anyone who thinks that comic book movies are played out, “Joker” is sure to get the last laugh on them.

Be it through the lens of Tim Burton or Christopher Nolan, the Joker has always been a demented and chilling character. Even Mark Hamill’s animated version pushed the limits of what you can get away with in so-called “kids’ stuff.” This movie cranks the darkness up to 11, though, rivaling even the most twisted Joker storylines from the comics. How dark is “Joker?” Well, according to Eric Eisenberg of CinemaBlend, “You’ll definitely feel like you’ll need a shower after seeing it, but once you’ve dried off and changed clothes, you’ll want to do nothing else but parse and dissect it.” In other words, this is one comic book movie where parents may want to think twice about bringing the kiddies.

Although much of the awards buzz has been circling around Phoenix’s performance, Fandango’s Erik Davis also praised the “terrific cinematography” by Lawrence Sher. Sher might be best known for his work behind the camera in comedies like “Garden State” and Phillips’ “Hangover” trilogy, but Sher has been stepping out of his comfort zone as of late. In 2019, he lent his artistic eye to a bombastic blockbuster with “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and a psychological thriller with “Joker.” Discussing the latter film, CineVue’s John Bleasdale wrote, “The cinematography by Lawrence Sher has that rich color and grit typical of the urban cinema of the 1970s. Almost every shot seems to stink of the city, a mix of excrement, diesel fumes, street food and disinfectant.”

With “The Dark Knight,” Christopher Nolan set a gold standard not only for Batman movies, but comic book movies in general. The one downside is that nothing Batman-related since has quite reached the same heights. No matter where you stand on the divisive “The Dark Knight Rises,” few would rank the film above its predecessor. While Ben Affleck’s take on Bruce Wayne took many by surprise, his version of Batman still suffered on a writing level. Sure, “The Lego Batman Movie” was amazing, but that’s in a whole other league. “Joker” may not put much emphasis on the Caped Crusader, but the Hollywood Reporter calls it “arguably the best Batman-adjacent movie since The Dark Knight.” Here’s hoping the upcoming Robert Pattinson film inspires the same enthusiasm.

“The Dark Knight” was essentially a crime drama disguised as a superhero movie, seamlessly blending genres. Likewise, “Joker” uses its comic book mythology to mirror our troubled modern world. Watching the film, Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair couldn’t help but be reminded of the shootings and senseless violence we regularly see plaguing the news. “Joker” is largely about the roots of such evil, touching upon mental health, social isolation, and how the media can represent agents of chaos. CBR’s Sergio Pereira wrote, “From a psychological standpoint, ‘Joker’ will undoubtedly turn into a crucial debate about the effects of nature versus nurture.” No matter where you stand on that debate, this movie is going to leave everyone feeling paranoid walking out of the theater.

You know how “Taxi Driver” worked up to one of cinema’s most unsettling climaxes? We can expect something equally mind-blowing as “Joker” draws to a close. This is where Arthur comes into his own as the Joker, emerging as the merchant of anarchy he was born to be. In a mixed review, David Ehrlich of IndieWire found the film’s second act “turgid,” but described its grand finale as “operatic.” “There are moments of shocking violence, but mostly Philips is swept away by Arthur’s newfound power,” Ehrlich wrote. If you thought the ending of “Avengers: Infinity War” was grim, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Although “Joker” received perfect five-star ratings from The Guardian, Empire, and GamesRadar, a few reviews have taken issue with the film’s violence and dark subject matter. Stephanie Watts of SciFiNow, for example, described the film as “miserable” and “in bad taste.” “Joker” is in the same vein as “A Clockwork Orange,” “Natural Born Killers,” and “American History X.” Some will hail it as a bold tour de force while others will see it as unpleasant, pretentious exploitation. While Brandon Davis of ComicBook.com said that “Joker” “will make audiences uncomfortable in wild ways,” he also called the film “an insane masterpiece,” giving it an astounding 10 out of 10. Whatever your personal views, a film this controversial is sure to have people talking for ages.

Positive or negative, the one takeaway from virtually every review thus far is that Phoenix is a revelation. Many found it surprising that Phoenix would sign on for a comic book movie, but he’s not going for camp here, instead evoking his disturbing work in “You Were Never Really Here.” You’d be hard-pressed to find a critic who hasn’t tossed around the words, “Oscar worthy,” in regards to Phoenix’s performance. In an especially glowing endorsement, International Film Critique tweeted that Joker “is the type of film that defines an actor’s career, type of role & character that comes once in a lifetime. Heath Ledger’s Joker redefined the character, but Phoenix cements it as one of the greatest, darkest villains in cinematic history. All hail Joaquin Phoenix!”