Joker [with Joaquin Phoenix]

[Zenfoldor]

It was fine but I wish it wasnt a joker movie since we already knew the ending. I woulda liked it more if it was an original ip.

I felt the same way about Titanic.

However, I'm okay with this movie because even if I know how it ends, I still absolutely love the source material, so any story about Batman/Joker is 100% enjoyment in my book. I can't wait to watch it.

[PACOX]

I tried to hit up some reviews of this movie from content creators I don't usually follow. I can't do it. Too many people are acting like this is some sort of documentary or that it claimed to be something it wasn't. Oh and I can't stand when people try to review movies on a rubic like a film teacher testing a student on how well they grasped a concept.

This is a movie about the Joker. Who is a sick twisted villian with in darkest end of the comedic spectrum. Set in a dark corrupted city where even it's marquee hero has some questionable morals.

A bad guy, in a bad city who supposed to be disturbing.
No one watches Scarface hoping for a happy rags to riches story so I don't get why some people feel like this movie 'went to far' or try hit it technicalities as if a student didn't follow the teachers rules. Sorry end rant.

YouTube and podcasts might give too many people a platform. Not that their opinions are bad, but when you need to formulate an opinion to attract more viewers hit the algorithms, the integrity of the opinion falls apart.

[Trassk]

Unpopular opinion: terrible movie, people like it because it's making the bad guy with a trauma look lovable when in fact he has to be locked up or at least treated seriously. If you associate yourself with this Joker, go see a therapist.

Thats a very bland and uninspired look at the film, and no that isn't what people take away from it. Its about the breakdown of a man whos just had one bad day after another until it breaks him. Saying he's lovable is daft too, its a more sympathetic portrayal of the character, but only because the people he kills are mostly all assholes themselves, apart from his mentally disturbed mother, and even she did something horrible to him as a child.

What people get out of it is the satisfaction of a man whos had his life torn him down to the point of going insane, and given moments of retribution for all the shit he took. Try and look at this movie again without the name joker attached to it, and maybe your understand what its trying to convey.

[melodramocracy]

I tried to hit up some reviews of this movie from content creators I don't usually follow. I can't do it. Too many people are acting like this is some sort of documentary or that it claimed to be something it wasn't. Oh and I can't stand when people try to review movies on a rubic like a film teacher testing a student on how well they grasped a concept.

This is a movie about the Joker. Who is a sick twisted villian with in darkest end of the comedic spectrum. Set in a dark corrupted city where even it's marquee hero has some questionable morals.

A bad guy, in a bad city who supposed to be disturbing.
No one watches Scarface hoping for a happy rags to riches story so I don't get why some people feel like this movie 'went to far' or try hit it technicalities as if a student didn't follow the teachers rules. Sorry end rant.

YouTube and podcasts might give too many people a platform. Not that their opinions are bad, but when you need to formulate an opinion to attract more viewers hit the algorithms, the integrity of the opinion falls apart.

This sort of thing is a prime example of why it's more than ok to simply place all other opinions as irrelevant, and decide for yourself. I watched the trailer, knew I'd think this would be an interesting watch, and then simply ignored any leaks, articles, reviews, etc until I got to see it.

The self importance of people acting "concerned" about this film is just beyond tedious. The movie isn't perfect, but the execution, character development (or de-evolution) and acting is stellar.

[Ryme]

I saw it, I think it's the most over hyped film of the year. Joaquin is absolutely incredible, but the film is fairly uninteresting. There were moments I thought the film was going to be special, the fight club esque moment, for example, but it wasn't done with any where near enough subtlety and didn't extend beyond that one scene.

I'd say it's worth watching, but don't expect to be bowled over.

[-aiko-]

This was a controversial movie among my group of friends. I saw it with 3 friends; I liked it, another friend loved it, and the other 2 thought it was boring.

I get the feeling of it being slow paced, but to me that was kind of the point. It's just a slow burn into the character of the Joker, but I think it just...fit my vision of the Joker. At the end of the day, none of what he did was pre-meditated. He wasn't trying to push some political message. It all happened incidentally, because he was legitimately crazy.

I didn't see him as some sympathetic character, I didn't like him, I didn't resonate at all with the 'Joker' movement against the 'rich'. Like he said in the movie, his life was just a comedy. He's just a crazy individual, and is embracing his craziness as it's the only thing that makes him happy. Which is what makes him so dangerous.

I admit I'd have a hard time watching it again but I'd give it a solid 7-8, somewhere in that range. A good origin story for an iconic villain.

[LilSaihah]

I'm a little bit torn on this film, though I absolutely did enjoy it. Three big problems I had with it:

- I felt that being a comic book character kinda tied down the narrative. It seems to just be part of the film landscape nowadays though; if you don't ape something that people know you won't get picked up by a big studio and you won't get the audience. Still, I thought it was a bit jarring.
- The whole 'some scenes are real, some aren't' thing is something that I don't really enjoy too much as a plot device. I don't really want to spend the film wondering which scenes are real and which ones aren't. The whole 'your girlfriend wasn't real!' reveal was unnecessary, too; we connected the dots by that point.
- I thought Crime Alley/Joe Chill scene was unnecessary. Maybe it was there because it's needed to tell you that Arthur definitely did kill Robert DeNiro (because otherwise Joe wouldn't have shot Thomas and Martha, and we know that happens in every timeline(kinda sorta?)), but I think that needing that scene for the unreliable narrator to work is a flaw, not a strength.

That said, otherwise, fantastic film. I need to see it again, I think. I get the criticisms that the 'eat the rich' movement is undercooked but I think that's kinda the point; that's in the periphery of Arthur's life, not in the focus, so it shouldn't be the focus of the film.

[Mormolyce]

In short:

1) Fantastic performance from Joaquin Phoenix, as expected.
2) I thought going in that it'd basically be a remake of Taxi Driver, because I thought Scorcese was involved. Turns out Scorcese isn't involved anymore, but it's more a remake of Taxi Driver than even I expected. Also King of Comedy. To be honest I think this is over the line between homage and plagiarism...
3) There are a few scenes where the film over-explained itself, like it thought the audience were a bunch of idiots. Notably the reveal in his girlfriend's apartment.

Mostly enjoyed it, the performances carry the film (supporting cast was excellent too). But the director is kind of a hack...

[Sykol]

Excellent movie. I feel like if you thought it was boring, or too violent, or didn't make sense, there's probably something wrong with you.

[PACOX]

I can see how someone could call it boring but the fault lies on those people who know dramas aren't their thing..

Violence? Even daytime cartoon Jokers were twisted.

[Zaktar]

I'm a little bit torn on this film, though I absolutely did enjoy it. Three big problems I had with it:

- I felt that being a comic book character kinda tied down the narrative. It seems to just be part of the film landscape nowadays though; if you don't ape something that people know you won't get picked up by a big studio and you won't get the audience. Still, I thought it was a bit jarring.
- The whole 'some scenes are real, some aren't' thing is something that I don't really enjoy too much as a plot device. I don't really want to spend the film wondering which scenes are real and which ones aren't. The whole 'your girlfriend wasn't real!' reveal was unnecessary, too; we connected the dots by that point.
- I thought Crime Alley/Joe Chill scene was unnecessary. Maybe it was there because it's needed to tell you that Arthur definitely did kill Robert DeNiro (because otherwise Joe wouldn't have shot Thomas and Martha, and we know that happens in every timeline(kinda sorta?)), but I think that needing that scene for the unreliable narrator to work is a flaw, not a strength.

That said, otherwise, fantastic film. I need to see it again, I think. I get the criticisms that the 'eat the rich' movement is undercooked but I think that's kinda the point; that's in the periphery of Arthur's life, not in the focus, so it shouldn't be the focus of the film.

Yeah, the unreliable narrator element of the film was half baked at best. I think it mostly exists to give the writers a way to handwave flaws in their story ("oh that was wrong? WAS IT RLLY THO??") and add some kind of funhouse mirror version of depth; the only actual payoff was the ham-fisted fake girlfriend moment. When watching the end, and Arthur was looking out the car window at the unfolding chaos, I started to question how much of what he was seeing was real until yeah - that moment when we see the Wayne's shot and I guess it has to be real. There is some argument that the whole film is a delusion, or that it sets up the question "is it real or isn't it????" but it also pastes a big neon sign reading "FAKE" over his delusions for us. So why would we question it? It seems pretty clear what is real and what isn't.

That comes off as negative but I really enjoyed the film, also would like to see it again. It would be fun to see more Joker from this team, or at least from Phoenix (who has already hinted that he still has interest in the character).

[Trassk]

No, it's not a breakdown of a man, it's a story about a person with mental issues who needs to be hospitalized and treated respectfully. It's not about depression, it's about serious mental issues and they shouldn't talk about them like in this movie.

It's pretty clear you don't get the comic origins of the Joker that inspired this movie. One of the most leading moments for the character was how he stood on a principle of just someone having one very bad day could destroy their sanity, infact he wanted to prove this to batman that one bad day could break someone, like it did to him, by putting jim gordan through the worst day of his life.

That aspect to the character was reflected in this movie, doing its own thing, but paying homage to the origin from the comics

[cyberglum]

I throughly enjoyed it, thought it was great, well made movie.

The whole talkshow scene really stood out for me. Seemed so surreal yet grounded in reality, it could have been something we watch unfold on our own TVs.

One nitpick I had was (if we're to believe everything we're shown) is why would the authorities have given young Arthur back to his mother AFTER the incident in the report? I mean, I assume that's what happened as he is caring for her in present day.

I really think DC should take note of this film in respect to its other movies, Abandon following Marvel's Shared Universe approach and go for more of these one-off, kind of Elseworlds takes on their characters. I think the box office takings on Joker proves audiances are ready for mature, well thought out studies. Batman and Gothams various denizens are an almost bottomless well of interesting characters.

Go back to what Nolan was angling for a decade ago (but never quite caught in my opinion).

[Trassk]

One nitpick I had was (if we're to believe everything we're shown) is why would the authorities have given young Arthur back to his mother AFTER the incident in the report? I mean, I assume that's what happened as he is caring for her in present day.

the reasons why I believe that was the case was, as it mentioned she was in the madhouse herself for a while, she was assessed and declared sane enough, and because the system in gothem is so corrupt or loose, he was given back to her. It could of have something to do with her signing the papers to make it look like he was adopted.

[Jutath]

Went and saw this today, was a pretty good movie in my opinion.

[Lora]

Just saw it. Honestly thought it was pretty garbage. It only got good halfway through and even then it was lackluster. Had a few humorous moments though. Definitely too long of a movie with lack of action/plot.

[Kokolums]

As I say, you can sum up writing fiction in one sentence: create interesting characters and torture them for 300 pages. I think this film will be hit and miss with audiences because for a lot of people it didn't create interesting characters. Phoenix does a very good job but in the end I think a lot of people will find him a boring Joker. The reason he is boring is I think people will "get it" with the Phoenix Joker very quickly. He's got mental issues, probably brain damaged, and struggles to survive. And it doesn't seem to get much deeper than that. Heath Ledger's Joker was more mysterious. Is he an anarchist? A mastermind? Just crazy? He was like peeling a funny onion. Heath Joker seemed very complex but Phoenix Joker seems very simple.

[zenkai]

I really liked this movie, it was more of a Drama than anything else, I think this movie will age well.

I also liked how Robert De Niro got to play himself, wonder if he knew the irony that he was playing someone just like him.

- - - Updated - - -

Just saw it. Honestly thought it was pretty garbage. It only got good halfway through and even then it was lackluster. Had a few humorous moments though. Definitely too long of a movie with lack of action/plot.

I think it will be a miss for people like you who thought they were going to see a popcorn flick instead of something more thought provoking.

[prwraith]

Just saw it. Honestly thought it was pretty garbage. It only got good halfway through and even then it was lackluster. Had a few humorous moments though. Definitely too long of a movie with lack of action/plot.

>.< You seem like you probably like boring movies tbh. Anybody can shoot an action film.

[thilicen]

Loved it. Phoenix is just a top tier actor.