(Anthony enters the portal to find out he's in different universe, except it looks the same as his home universe)
Anthony: what is this, am i in mirror world or something...?
*Anthony walks in on the town to looking around, not before he steps on the small book, that happens to be a comic book about "Joker" with "18 only due to violence"*
Anthony: Huh... A matured comic with The Joker? We've seen plenty of comic books where Joker has done very brutal, it can't be that bad than previous DCEU films, right??
(Review starts)
Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my movie review.
From a few months ago, we had a movie from DCEU that was surprisingly pretty good called "Shazam!", but then we have a new film of DC comic, but this time, we're going outside of DCEU to mainly focusing with one of the most famous villain in DC comic aside of Lex Luthor.
"Joker" is a 2019 psychological thriller and supervillain film that was directed, produced and written by Todd Phillips, co-produced by Bradley Cooper (yup, the same guy who voiced Rocket Raccoon in MCU) and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, then co-written by Scott Silver.
For many years, we've seen of lot portrayal of Joker from movies or even TV shows, like Cesar Romero played as a crackling prankster, Jack Nicholson as a darker and yet funny version in Tim Burton's Batman, the late Heath Ledger as a even darker and disturbing version in "The Dark Knight" or a darker and sinister animated version with a familiar voice of Mark Hamill in "Batman: the animated series". Joker is no secret how he became the most recognizable and the most insane and brutal villain in DC comic history when it comes to confronting against Batman.
So, with all that said, will this movie holds up with another version of the Joker, or is this film that droves me mad and wanted to destroy the movie?
Well, lets find out.
The Story
With this movie, its another character's origin, but this time, im very surprised that it was completely different.
It takes place in 1981 when a party clown man name Arthur Fleck who lives in Gotham City with his mother Penny. Arthur is living in hell with no job, ruined financial and a crime. Not to mention, Gotham City is also in hell with population of disenfranchised (aka no vote for obvious reason) and impoverished (aka turned into a poor city). Arthur is suffered with neurological disorder, which it made him to a uncontrolled laughter. After being attacked by the group of kids, he was given a gun by his pal Randall for his revenge. As a result, after got fired as party clown when he has a gun, being relinquished for medication and being bullied by the businessmen of Wayne Enterprises, Arthur killed them with his gun, resulting to a media attention with people in clown mask protesting against Wayne Enterprises based on Arthur's action. But despite Arthur wants to be a stand-up comedian and wants to know who he is, its to him for finding out about and possibly hide himself for his criminal activity.
Like i said, im very surprised that they don't do the same origin as we all know from the comic, this one, they wanted to making Joker's origin to be realistic based on his mentality of laughter, which i think it makes sense since having him falling into a pool of is rather deadly and rather overseen. the movie has a plot element for the target point over Wayne Enterprises for protest of clowns to kinda focus with Wayne family where they going after Arthur whether he's involving of murders or not, which i guess they wanted to give us a notice that they including a young Bruce Wayne (and i think we all know what's next...), which im not sure if its a big deal, or just using it as out of nowhere plot element. another thing they include is Arthur's stand up comedian plot, which is actually nice add since it was referenced from the comic "The Killing Joke", which like in the book, Arthur is trying to be a comedian, but badly due to his uncontrolled laughter that became a mockery. The downside is that even though its all about the new origin of the Joker, but it only focuses on Arthur only than any others, which il talking about the characters later on.
The story is a nice change for his origin and some good element, even though some could be rather predictable.
The Presentation
Unlike any other superhero films that was done i big budgets, this one was done in low budget between $55–60 million. And i gotta say, it looks rather good for say the least.
For starter, the location choice of New York and New Jersey is a nice choice for the depiction of Gotham City with the New York City Subway and Newark. Even though its a nice choices, but they had a troubled filming, resulting to a complaint by SAG-AFTRA due a locked subway car for more than three hours for filming, which they faced a consequence of breaking the violation, but they did recovered after representative visited the set, so they got away with it what they're filming for.
The quality of the film is rather fascinating to give it dark and disturbing feel of this film, after all, what do you expect that this film was taking place on Gotham City. not to mention, it also gives the earlier 80's style for the credit and the setting of the locations from a talk show to a poor town look, which is a neat how it took place.
But of course, as you people noticed, this is the first R-Rated Batman film since other Marvel films like Logan and Deadpool. Aside of disturbing content, but it also including the violent scene, whether is the abuse development to a brutal fight in the subway with blood. But the downside is that it didn't focuses on action, which i guess its because they don't wanna go too brutal for the beating up from subway to a riot.
Dark, disturbing and brutal, the presentation sure looks good in low budget, since we all know that Joaquin mostly likes to be in low budget films.
The Characters
Since this is the movie about Joker, the characters are rather mixed bad for get go.
First we have Arthur Fleck that we all know he's gonna be the Joker (played by Joaquin Phoenix), in this version, he's depicted as a mental person for his uncontrolled laughter when it doesn't going on his way, which i find him to be rather fascinating and also pretty disturbing when he's about to going insane or in madness. Another interesting fact about this movie, is that Joaquin lost his weight over 52 pounds before prepared to join in. And i have to give a credit that he did a nice and creepy job to playing as his depiction of Joker.
Then we have Murray Franklin (played by another legendary actor Robert De Niro), he's a talk show host with his comedic personality. At first, he's rather a nice person that you think he could give a respect to a fan like Arthur, but by the time where he mocked over Arthur's attempt, we can definitely tell that he's kinda mean when it comes to a mental person. Though De Niro said that his character was based on his previous film he's done called "The King of Comedy". But of course, De Niro did a nice work of his role, despite his pay homage from his previous role.
Next we have Sophie Dumond (played by Zazie Beetz), she's basically Arthur's attempt to have a love interest of the movie, but unfortunately, she's pretty much an unnecessary character with no personality or anything. In other words, she's basically used as a filler for how he tries to get a love. Even though Zazie did an ok role of this movie.
and we have Penny Fleck (played by Frances Conroy) who's an old mother with mentally and physical ill action from the past. She's another sympathetic figure that she's been took care by Arthur, not before she has a horrible moments from the past. At least Frances is also did a nice work of her role.
As for rest like the Wayne's Family like Thomas Wayne (played by Brett Cullen ), Burce (played by young Dante Pereira-Olson) and Alfred Pennyworth (played by Douglas Hodge), there's not much else to say, they're basically used to going after Arthur for his criminal activity for ruining their enterprises. Even if it gets predictable what happened to the Wayne's family...
As we all know, even though most of characters are rather lame, but we can all agree the movie is mainly focuses on Arthur's building up to becoming Joker.
And now for my final opinion of this film.
Overall, "Joker" is rather a good film, but more of above average film. The story is a pretty good change for his origin, the presentation looks nice and disturbing and Joaquin Phoenix's role as Joker is fascinating and disturbing too. While rest of the characters are ok at the time, but i felt that it would've been ok to have some extra more action scenes, yes it has violent and disturbing scenes, but would've been add a little more executions, sure it has some references that i like, but its just that sometimes it would've give more development with other characters and more brutality. Im not saying its bad, but its just that im disappointed a bit.
So if you guys like the new origin of Joker with brutal and disturbing fashion, i'd say check this one out, even if it has some flaws.
For my rating, its a tough one to give, i think il give this one a 6.5/10. It may not be great, but at least they're trying outside of DCEU.
So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.
(Review ends)
Anthony: Ok, im done with the comic, where was i...?
???: Ahem...
Anthony: Huh?? *looks behind to see an interesting surprise*
???: Anthony, we need to talk for what's happening...!
To be continued...!
