Dozens of prestigious awards in the world, great hopes, lots of favorable reviews and even more controversy - this is how you can describe the last few weeks of the latest Joker. In early October, after a lot of hot announcements, we finally got the long-awaited Todd Phillips film. But is it as good as everyone predicted?
Loneliness and madness
Arthur Fleck is an ordinary man trying to make ends meet. The man lives with his ailing mother in a small apartment in Gotham, and earns his living as a rented clown. The family does not overflow in life, and Arthur himself balances the fine line between joy and complete desperation every day. Poor life, the pressure of society and mental illness only aggravate his low mood, and gradually it only gets worse. The future Joker tries to enjoy two things – watching comedy shows and sinking into a dream world where he is funny, loved and just happy. Unfortunately, life problems turn out to be too strong, and Arthur himself slowly loses himself in madness, which undoubtedly leads to a tragedy.
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We live in a society …
If anyone expected a faithful adaptation of the comic book Joker, they will be disappointed. However, that doesn’t mean that portraying a famous villain is bad. On the contrary – the filmmakers managed to create a perfect image of a unit broken by people, reminiscent of the heroes of Fight Club or One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest . These are not random examples, both in Joker, as well as the above-mentioned works, we come across similar topics and a gigantic emotional load following it. In Todd Phillips’ latest work, the Joker is not so much a psychopathic murderer as a helpless victim at the mercy of others. He does not hurt people, but he himself gets hit by the skin, being beaten, cheated and mocked at almost every step, even by the people closest to him. The man did not become the Joker – it was society that changed him.
In this respect, Arthur Fleck fits perfectly into the recent trend of portraying antagonists as hurt outsiders. From the very first minutes of the film, the enormous suffering that the title “bachelor” has to face is emphasized, thus making it more human. To a certain extent, the viewer sympathizes with, and even sympathizes with, the main character, silently cheering him on in subsequent battles with life. After all, who of us doesn’t have a little Joker? Thanks to this, we are able to justify even the worst deeds committed by Arthur, making him not a villain, but a wounded martyr.
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Everyone around is crazy
During the screening, like a boomerang, the next question constantly comes back to us – who is really bad here? Fans of both DC comics and dozens of various adaptations associate the main antagonist as a ruthless psychopath with a distorted sense of humor. This image is so embedded in our culture that it is impossible to think of the Joker except as a cruel murderer who wreaks havoc in downtown Gotham. In the Phillips film, however, we get someone completely different. He is, first and foremost, an ordinary man who will never even think of killing. Paradoxically, the mentally ill Arthur is the most rational person among dozens of maniacs causing him more and more pain.
From the script side, the gradual falling into madness of the main character was carried out perfectly. There is no exaggeration or unnecessary understatement here, and the Joker’s motivations are understandable and transparent. Everything is in its place, and the feelings tormenting the protagonist just pour out of the screen. This is thanks to the genius Joaquin Phoenix, who masterfully captures the character of Arthur and shows his terrifying change in an extremely sophisticated way. The Joker’s ghastly laugh and the characteristic dance that crowns his brutal transformation are especially noteworthy. The dark atmosphere is complemented by blurry shots, an original play of lights and shadows, especially the music of Hildur Guđnadóttir, known e.g. from the soundtrack to the Chernobyl series .
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Like a wolf among sheep
It is not an easy item to read. It is in vain to look for fast paced action and many special effects here. Instead, the viewer gets deep thoughts about human nature and a strong, emotional kick. It is an extremely depressing, brutal and painfully honest work that shows the true face of human evil and ignorance. The film best sums up Arthur’s bitter question in one of the final scenes: “What if a mentally ill person is thrown into a society that treats them like garbage?” The Joker gives the perfect answer.
We invite you to watch the film Joker in the Cinema City cinema network all over the country.
