Joker (2019)

My fascination with the character Joker began not during the Caesar Romero era (the 60s campy TV series) …no… it was in 1989, that unforgettable year in Hollywood, summer of bloodbath as it was called when fantastic films were unleashed very close to each other.

Here’s the list according to this site

1              Batman

2              Indiana Jones and the Last

3              Lethal Weapon

4              Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

5              Rain Man            

6              Look Who's Talking

7              Ghostbusters II

8              Back to the Future Part II

9              Parenthood       

10           Dead Poets Society

Batman led in the collection department and there was so much to be enjoyed in that first proper reincarnation of the Dark Knight on big screen…. thanks to Tim Burton’s noir/gothic take on the comic book superhero, coupled with great score by Danny Elfman…and the biggest draw was the actor who took the lead credit, and did not play title character, Jack Nicholson who played The Joker.

His Joker was different from the previous incarnation that was Caesar Romero who was just a clown dispensing terrible jokes and committing laughable crime. It was intentional and we did had fun. With Jack at helm, I took the character seriously and started imitating him, annoying a very close friend, my ex-classmate who still bears the grudge thirty years later.

Anyway, there was several incarnations of Joker later, but I cannot imagine anyone upping Jack’s interpretation. His was a maniac, with a touch of silliness and you are not sure to laugh with him, at his antics or to be terrified by his action. Jack stole the thunder and set the tone of the next three Batman films to come where the guys playing Batman end up regretting playing part which actually was playing second fiddle to the headlining bad guys.

Now, let’s look at this origin story of Batman’s most nefarious and popular nemesis, The Joker. As a comic book movie, this will be disappointing. Terribly. There’s nothing comic book-y about it at all. Nothing.

But I ended up seeing it as a spiritual side-quel of the likes of the early two Martin Scorsese flicks (both starring Robert de Niro who appears here, perhaps a nod), Taxi Driver and King of Comedy. This film, in fact, could be an amalgamated remake of those two films.

Is this an origin story? Yes and no. Yes, because of course, we all know who the Joker is, and the character himself names himself that at a crucial point in this film. No, because this can be a standalone flick, a character study not unlike the two films mentioned (go to other reviews, most of the critics definitely will mention the parallel, nods and the similarities).

Yes, its gritty. It reminded me of those neo-noir films that came in the 70s onwards…with Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, the title character, resembling Travis Bickle, in many ways. We sit with him and personally go through his trials and tribulations as he struggles with his psychological afflictions and anti-social predicaments.

We, then, are slowly forced to embrace his felonious descend into supposedly morally decayed reactions. We ourselves are not sure whether or not to root for him. This really rocks our conscience. With exception of Michael Keaton, I am not a fan of any of the other Batmans (yes, even Bale…I like the films, I never liked Bale/Batman), therefore I might actually root for this Joker too. Yes, Keaton prevented me from rooting for Jack in that film.

The film, seemingly set in late 70s and early 80s, evoked those two Scorsese films to my delight. Scorsese is my favourite Hollywood director and I thought the evocative aura that emanates from the setting, the location and overall feel of this entire flick was a nod, a homage, a tribute and an enhancement of how Scorsese made the seedier side of New York itself as a leading character in those films.

So, how do I rate this film overall? It’s a thought-provoking film… an intellectual roller-coaster ride and there can’t be a better choice than Joaquin Phoenix to play this character in this film. He just kept me glued to my seat and I forgot to finish my frickin’ popcorn by the time it finished. There will be awards, there will be accolades…but there will also be onslaught of serious studies on other characters from comic books that are not the current tights wearing super champs.

The Jokers over the years....
Top row: Caesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill (voice).
Bottom row: Heath Ledge...whatsisname...Joaquin Phoenix.

But Joaquin took what little brilliance there was in Heath Ledger, and made a big deal about it, that it will intrigue us...wanting us to peek deep into his mind only to find a disturbing abyss in it.

It’s a character study on the fearful nature of man who, when pushed can be as animalistic as he sits brilliantly at the top of the food chain. Comic book villains have always been the draw, without them the heroes are nothing. But here is a film about a bad guy in an environment filled with worst folks. What is a shade of grey in a flick where the rest are not exactly black and white or any other colour neither. Phoenix and the director completely snatched a character from the pulpy prints and gave a grotesquely intriguing portrayal that will be remembered for a long, long time, giving the comic books the dignity it never quite deserved the way it has kept recycling its stories and characters to grab the last drops of penny from a child’s piggy bank.

This is a heck of film. I really loved it and it did disturb me. In short, I cared for this Joker and I am scared shit of him.