SPOILERS BEWARE! (Avoid comments section if you haven't seen the film and don't want it spoiled)
Ever since it was announced that director Todd Philips said he'd be making a standalone JOKER film (i.e. not connected to the DCEU) starring Joaquin Phoenix there's been both an air of apprehensiveness and curious excitement. Having an actor like Phoenix inhabit the Clown Prince of Crime was, in itself, too good to not get hyped for, but the prospect of uncovering Joker's "origin" always seemed a bit counterproductive to what made the character so compelling to begin with; his ambiguity as a psychopath. There's something almost mystical about never knowning the "why" of what made The Joker who he is, although it's been skirted in the films and comics, just never to a large extent. After an early screening (of which I attended) almost everyone walked out feeling like they'd seen something great, but the tide quickly shifted in the online world as the content of the film was dissected (via reviews, not by actually seeing the film) and weaponized to fit every sociopolitical issue that could be unearthed. Suddenly, JOKER went from an amazing film to a "problematic" one with a downward spiraling critic RT score that reeks of pearl clutching in the face of online popular opinion.
Personally, I loved the film, which is told entirely from JOKER's perspective (a very important point, I might add) and manages to shed a new light on the classic villain's origin, while still leaving room for the mystery and ambiguity. In my 9/10 review, I closed with, "Phillips and Phoenix have crafted a truly unique take on this character and raised the bar of their individual work to boot, paving the way for (hopefully) a wealth of more diverse, compelling and riskier takes on these iconic characters that will challenge our perceptions and leave us with something to chew on for years to come." After a second viewing, I stand by that. Chris Bumbray felt similarly in his 8/10 review, saying, "It’s an ugly uncompromising R-rated psychological thriller that will leave many rattled and prove to be among the most provocative movies of the year. Of course, it’s a must-see."
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And with that, now it's your turn! We want to hear what YOU thought of the film! Naturally, we'd prefer you to comment only if you've seen the film as that's the point here, but do what feels good. Just don't get mad if you get trounced for trolling or posting blatant spoilers in headlines. Healthy debate, genuine thoughts, and respectful interactions is all we ask.
Is JOKER the masterpiece many claim it to be or an overrated and/or dangerous film?
Rotten Tomatoes: 376 critic reviews at 69% Rotten and 5,300 Verified Reviews with an audience score of 93%.