Joaquin Phoenix does not disappoint in The Joker
Once again, the maniacal laughter and criminal lunacy of the Joker makes it to the big screen. Joaquin Phoenix dons the purple suit and makeup for the character’s first-ever solo film. Following the amazing performance of the late Heath Ledger in “The Dark Night”, Phoenix had lots to measure up to.
Phoenix’s performance was nothing short of genuinely creepy. Certain scenes had the audience clenching their fists, wondering if the Joker would kill the next guy or not. Ledger gave us a taste of a theatrical psychopath, whereas Phoenix took the route of an abandoned, deranged criminal.
The film follows the origins of the Joker, never before explored in DC cinema. The audience witnesses an innocent, mentally ill man, Arthur Fleck, fall to his demons, slowly losing his sanity. A series of unfortunate events causes a chain reaction, ultimately leading to the creation of his alter-ego. Beginning with the loss of his job, followed by the death of his mother and ending with a tainted lifetime idol, each successive event makes Fleck resent society more and more.
As for Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker, once the persona is fully developed and introduced, it is somewhat inconsistent. At times it follows the original comic book interpretation of the character: an anarchist clown whose “jokes” mainly consist of killing people.The Joker can be seen dancing down a flight of stairs, and then running from the cops while laughing the entire time.
Phoenix’s character strays from the comic book Joker in that he pursues a goal: he wants revenge against a society that abandoned him. Having a goal-oriented Joker strips an important aspect from the character. The original concept of the Joker was a criminal lunatic with no goal in mind but to “watch the world burn”, as Michael Cain put it perfectly. The mystery that shrouded the Joker before has also been stripped away, because now the fans know his origin story.
In this sense, Phoenix’s performance cannot live up to Ledgers, but it still may be the closest thing we’ve seen. Because of the different approaches to the character, and the wide interpretations of the Joker’s motives, it is hard to compare the two actors. Each brings their unique perspective to the role, and each gives a different performance.
Overall, “The Joker” was a great film. I would give it an 8/10 due to the lack of anarchy and mystery surrounding Joker. There are a healthy amount of easter eggs that have the fans anticipating what’s to come. It is a must-watch for any comic book fan.
