"Joker" is an amazing movie. Great cinematography, an amazing performance by Joaquin Phoenix, and a gripping, intense, heart wrenching script. Throughout its entire run time I felt my heart pounding, feeling as it wanted to explode out of my chest. I don't think any movie has made me feel like this. However, fair warning, this movie is very disturbing (for all the good reasons, but disturbing nonetheless). "The Dark Knight" showed us a demon. The embodiment of chaos, death, anarchy, and destruction. "Joker" gave us a man. A person with a family, hopes, dreams, and we watch him be slowly stripped away from everything that made him human until he is nothing but a monster. There is a comfort in villainizing those who commit atrocious acts. We could never become like them because they are evil. To me, this is what's horrifying about "Joker": The realization that monsters were, indeed, once human.
Now, this movie has problems, like any other. I felt the music could've been quieter in some scenes. Also Joker seems to be whinier in some scenes. Usually he is more confident, commanding, and intelligent but his character does make sense in the world he is portrayed (it IS a different interpretation after all so as long as it works in the story and captures the essence of the character, it doesn't matter). There also a lot of shots that might come off as pretentious because Todd Philips wanted to be artsy, or some sequences that go on for a little too long, but honestly this is all nitpicking.
"Joker" is a movie that was very carefully made, and the lighting, staging, acting, and cinematography all reflect that. It is absolutely a MUST watch. I might go and see it again because there's so much that can be picked apart. I know this review was kind of vague and short, but I do believe that this is a movie that should be experienced, not be told about.
