THE CRITICS COME OUT FOR JOKER

There is so much controversial buzz that has been surrounding Todd Phillip‘s rendition of the Joker and to some, it is no laughing matter.   The US Army is getting prepared for shootings at theatres for this weekend’s opening and a lot of critics who haven’t even seen the film yet are saying that this is going to fuel the violence from incels or outcasts.  Joaquin Phoenix who plays the Joker has already walked out of an interview when asked if the film is going fuel violence and why wouldn’t he because the film wasn’t made for that purpose.  He did fool everyone at one point when he said he was going to make a rap album on the Letterman show so he could be acting.    Otherwise, who better than to play the role of the Joker then? Since we live in a world where there is a stigma that surrounds outcasts or incels, people will interpret Joker as a film that represents this oppressed group.

Joker which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival concentrates on the highest praised villain of the DC Universe and the arch-nemesis of The Dark Knight also known as Batman.    Todd Phillips digs deep in this period piece and how Arthur C. Fleck who is a failed stand-up comedian became the Joker.  Arthur is a depressed individual who is still taking care of his mother and feeling the effects of living in the impoverished city of Gotham.  He goes to therapy every week to discuss why he feels depressed and goes to a job every day where he performs as a clown for others.  Certainly not a life where dreams are made of but one that would drive a person mad.   The film is a slow-burning character study of how the ills of society like Gotham drives people crazy and violent.  This is why a film that has a character like Joker becomes dangerous because an anti-hero is condoned for their actions which may drive those small few to do the same violent acts in real life.

Especially in today’s world, those critics will arise from out of the woodwork to relate the film to what is happening in the world today.  All the YouTubers, influencers, podcasters, journalists and movie critics will have their heyday with this film.   What we have to realize is that Joker is the reason why those people do what they do today and this film has to be one of the highlights of their many posts on the internet.  To be honest, did everyone in the world have something to say about Green Book?  There is already a stigma that is surrounding this film before it has even made its worldwide release making it the film’s downfall.   We already are judging the book by its cover and passing judgement on the film without knowing truly anything about it.  This is the reason why we have been so divided since the dawn of mankind and the reason why Arthur Fleck is in a world of shit.

So where do we go from here?  Well let all those YouTubers, influencers, podcasters, journalists do their due diligence and let them degrade or praise the film.  They can either say that Joaquin Phoenix deserves an Oscar or that he could be overacting and breaking a sweat.  Nevertheless, Joker is an impressive piece of film that does a 180 degree turn away from the normal comic book films that you see on the silver screen today.  It goes back to the times of Walter Hill‘s The Warriors and ironically Martin Scorsese‘s Taxi Driver where heroes are forgotten, anti-heroes are born and villains come to rise.  Joker is a film that you need to go watch for yourself because it is something that you would not expect.  Unfortunately, the joke might be on you and the rest of us are okay with that.

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