By Samuel Hoffman, Contributing Writer
While the name “Joker” might be enticing to anyone familiar with the Batman franchise, the movie’s R-rating is to be taken seriously. It has some dark scenes that are not suitable for kids, despite them wanting to see the film because of its association with Batman.
“Joker” tells the story of a man named Arthur Fleck who lives in Gotham City. He works as a clown-for-hire, takes care of his elderly mother and constantly deals with demons from both society and his personal world. This movie is the Joker’s prequel, depicting how his life unravels and makes him the Joker, the ultimate villain of the caped crusader.
The titular character is played by Joaquin Phoenix. Like many, I have to praise his performance. While all the other actors were great, he stole the show. Casting choices for the character are most often spot-on, but he brings something special here. It helps that this iteration is so different from most others. Unlike the previous incarnations of the Joker played by Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson and the rest, Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck is actually a human being behind the makeup. He has problems, and those problems weigh him down. It’s scary how he transforms from start to finish.
The cinematography and the score also deserve compliments. There are a ton of fantastic shots spread throughout an already beautiful movie. The colors pop and the details stand out, making so many shots look like paintings. The music, by Hildur Guðnadóttir, descends into sanity with Fleck’s arc. In the soundtrack for “The Dark Knight,” composed by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, the piece “Why So Serious?” serves as the Joker’s theme for the movie. If you listen to the “Joker” soundtrack closely, you can hear parts clearly inspired by “Why So Serious?” Good job, Guðnadóttir. It’s never a bad thing to remind someone of music that somehow didn’t earn an Academy Award.
Despite all the praises I could sing, there are two small grievances I have with “Joker.” One involves subtlety. That’s not to say I think the movie lacks any, but rather it has two instances of showing the audience exactly what is going on in scenes that I otherwise adore. Without giving away too much, there is a scene with altered flashbacks to earlier in the movie and one with an iconic comic book moment.
The other gripe I have is with the ending. If the movie had finished about two minutes earlier, it would have been just about perfect. Instead, there’s one more quick scene that works, but it isn’t as effective as I found the previous scene to be.
On the one hand, “Joker” has a lot of amazing things going for it; on the other, it can be hard to watch at times. Most movies and TV shows based on comics have a side to them that’s quick-paced and fun. Even similarly dark programs, such as “Logan” and “Daredevil,” have action spread throughout to satisfy that want from the audience. “Joker” is simply about the character, and how society can push someone that far into madness.
It’s a great film for sure, even if I may be somewhat hesitant to re-watch it. If you want a car chase or fist fight somewhere in your movie experience, then this is not the movie for you. However, if you enjoy character pieces and can handle some dark scenes, I highly recommend it.
