Joker (2019)

Director: Todd Phillips

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz

In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker.

Ah, yes, ‘Joker’ – one of the most anticipated and highest acclaimed films of 2019. Does it deserve to be? Who am I to argue if it was such a huge box office success?

It doesn’t mean I have to agree, though. I can’t help but wonder whether this would have been as successful if it was a standalone movie instead of a Batman prequel, and the fact that the audience were familiar with the Joker character.

Unlike the Batman films, this is not a fantasy film. This is a drama – a rather slow moving drama, with great moments here and there. There were times when I actually found the film boring, tedious even. It wasn’t a particularly special story, although it was interesting to see how Joker came to be. What made the film worth watching, was Joaquin Phoenix’s incredibly chilling performance. (although all the laughing became annoying after a while). He certainly deserves an Oscar for this.

The film has a good ending. In general, I don’t believe the film is worthy of the hype. It just wasn’t that spectacular (or not for me, at least).

‘Joker’ was a huge box office sensation, raking in over $1 billion on a $55 million budget (!!) The film also received nearly 100 award nominations, but is still too early to mention all the winnings.

Would I watch it again? No.