Joker 2019

★★★★½ 

Watched 09 Oct, 2019

The tension in this movie was phenomenal. It keeps you on the edge of your seat in every single scene. Even the slower-paced scenes have a sense of dread and tension underneath them. The way the character is handled by Todd Philipps and Joaquin Phoenix is simply phenomenal. It’s tough characterizing the Joker without Batman and yet Phoenix gives a performance that would give Ledger (with all due respect), a run for his money. The pacing is a bit wonky and it feels like the script wasn’t structured efficiently, but those are very small issues. The catharsis of this movie is brilliant and all that tension builds up to a moment that doesn’t satisfy you, but you aren’t let down either. Joker will get you thinking a lot about whether you should have sympathized with him or not. I got the privilege of watching it in IMAX, which was one of the best cinematic experiences of my life, every gunshot, breath and musical cue felt surreal. Philipps’ filmmaking style in this film is very derivative of Scorcese’s work and the cinematography is genuinely breathtaking. Nearly every frame of this movie can be sold as a painting. The portrayal of Gotham City is unique and very interesting. The way it handles mental illness and other social issues is also brilliant. Overall, I liked this movie a lot, more than most of the people I know. If you watch it with the right people, with the right mindset you’ll be thrilled by this movie. It’s the best thing to come out of DC in a while and it’s ironic that this is the movie where they don’t show the DC logo anywhere.