Joker "The Joker" in development with Todd Phillips and Martin Scorsese attached? - Part 2

[chintai80]

game recognize game.

 

[jmc]

So, after weeks of delays due to work I finally managed to catch this film, and I gotta say.... It's ok, but it's being overhyped on two fronts.

First, Phoenix is of course fantastic, there was never any doubt about that, the film is essentially a one man show that dabbles into Batman folklore. Whether or not that folklore should have been there to me is up to debate. Knowing who this guy is suppose to become in many ways robs me the ability to watch this in a truly unbiased way. At the end of the day all I kept thinking during the film was 'This guy is suppose to become the greatest evil genius in the whole DC Universe?'. Basically what it comes down to for me is that I probably would have been able to give this film a better critique if it was without any of the Batman stuff. At it's core it's a film about mental illness, and how the systems that are suppose to be in place often fail those they are meant to help.

Batman stuff aside, I get that the film is taking the slow burn approach in its story, but that burn simply dragged on for far longer than I felt was necessary. Some shots just seemed to linger way too much. The film is only 2 hours but I do think there could have been a much tighter edit made, which I think would have help pick up the pacing. The other issue to me is that whilst the character was depicted as being one on a downhill trajectory, there weren't enough peaks to offset this. Basically, the film shows Arthur's life sucks and very little else, no other areas that showed where his life could have improved, which would have made his turn to the Joker all the more tragic.

The last act where he basically embraces the Joker were probably the best moments, but at the end of the day I couldn't help but think how much of a wasted opportunity this was, because this is a Joker that is desperately crying out for a Batman to battle, and sadly we won't get one. Knowing who the character is suppose to become means I simply couldn't get invested in this story. I think this is decent film with an good message about mental health, elevated by a great lead performance, dabbling in folklore it didn't really need to dabble into.

The other area of overhype is simply the media. I have never seen a film being beaten up by the Blue Checkmarks for the most ridiculous of reasons. The whole time I was watching this I was waiting for whatever the big moment was that caused all of the media controversy and it never came. The idea that somehow this film was ever going to inspire some crazed person to go on a shooting spree is without doubt one the biggest overreactions I've ever seen. In fact, every journalist who wrote an article about this non-troversy needs to have a really hard look at themselves in the mirror after this movie. Of all the films this year to have made a big deal over, this is not the film to die on. An embarrassment if ever there was.

But overall, the film's ok. It doesn't add anything to the Batman lore, and it doesn't change anything about the Joker for me. I don't quit get why it's so popular, but it's clearly resonating with others in a different way to me.

6.5/10

 

[Yowza]

Apologies if this has already been posted but on October 4th at the 11:09 mark Joachin Phoenix pretty much sums up what I've been thinking on these forums regarding this whole media incited controversy regarding the film:

 

[geosphere]

I HATE the updates to box office mojo btw. Dude they got rid of some key micro-features that allows you to dig way deep into box office numbers for a film. I know they think this is a sleeker and more modern design but it really just sucks!

 

[geosphere]

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

 

[TheSmoothKnight]

 

[terry78]

Well **** it all.

 

[Boom]

The official Joker Twitter page prepping the "See it again!" tweet:

 

[Nardz937]

I HATE the updates to box office mojo btw. Dude they got rid of some key micro-features that allows you to dig way deep into box office numbers for a film. I know they think this is a sleeker and more modern design but it really just sucks!

They're there. Just behind a paywall now.

 

[Jekecy]

T-shirts have started popping on those those "available for 24 hours only" online sellers.

So are you gonna link these or let the 24hrs run out…

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

 

[Hollis Mason]

These two deserve all the praise of this success.

 

[geosphere]

They're there. Just behind a paywall now.

well, they lost their minds if they think the features I was complaining about is worth paying for.

 

[Pennywise]

 

[geosphere]

Dude, If it makes 850 million by the end of this weekened it will at least hit the 1 billion dollar mark's butthole by the end of its run! after this weekend I believe that it will have at least another 40 million left to squeeze out of it domestically. And if it makes another 40 more million domestically, international numbers have proven to have at least double the domestic take so far.

 

[HBarnill]

Quick question: I know they got De Niro for this to pay homage to King of Comedy but why didn’t they get an actual host since he’s only in it for a few scenes? Were Stewart, Corden, Conan, Letterman, Colbert, Oliver, and Noah unavailable? I know some of them aren’t actors but the job didn’t require that much acting, given how phoned in De Niro’s performance was.

 

[Hollis Mason]

Ugh, no. DeNiro is far better host than those. By far. Dude actually has charm.

 

[Pennywise]

He was perfect as Murray, IMO.

 

[chintai80]

i want to see deniro actually host a late night show in real life after seeing his performance as murray. lol

 

[The Shape]

Quick question: I know they got De Niro for this to pay homage to King of Comedy but why didn’t they get an actual host since he’s only in it for a few scenes? Were Stewart, Corden, Conan, Letterman, Colbert, Oliver, and Noah unavailable? I know some of them aren’t actors but the job didn’t require that much acting, given how phoned in De Niro’s performance was.

Same reason they didn't get actual clowns, therapists, cops, mental patients, and serial killers to be in it.

It's a movie.

 

[HBarnill]

Same reason they didn't get actual clowns, therapists, cops, mental patients, and serial killers to be in it.

It's a movie.

There were no rapists in this movie.

 

[chintai80]

There were no rapists in this movie.

is this sean connery?

 

[Pennywise]

Never thought it would surpass Deadpool & Deadpool 2!

 

[HBarnill]

is this sean connery?

I got that from Arrested Development.