First Take: Joker- send in the clowns

SYNOPSIS: In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker.

We’ve been waiting for the right time to push this review. Tonight - on the eve of the majority of UK cinema chains reopening their sites - feels like the right time to review one of the most surprising films of the last 12 months. It’s unlike any superhero movie we’ve had, and much like what Christopher Nolan (whose new film Tenet we will be reviewing at the end of August) did in 2005, this is a bold new take on Batman characters which we know and love.

Todd Phillips - director of movies like Road Trip and The Hangover - is at the helm at this 2 hour film, set in an alternate 1981 that has absolutely no ties with any DC film that has come before this, and he does an almighty job at balancing the light and the dark themes of the character. Over the course of the film you see this one man, abused by society, become one of the most iconic villains in comic book history, and the way this is done is through a brilliant script co-written by Phillips and Scott Silver. It is shot incredibly well by Lawrence Sher, and Hildur Guðnadóttir absolutely nails it with her Oscar award winning score. At times, there were moments that felt as groundbreaking as something like 1994′s The Crow- that’s how well crafted this film is.

And then, you have this incredible cast, and need I say any more than Joaquin Phoenix. Wow. Just wow. That is how you win an Oscar for Best Actor- because he absolutely delivered the goods, both in his guise as Arthur Fleck, but especially as Joker. You also have Robert de Niro as a late night talk show host, and even with the subtle influences of films like King of Comedy and Taxi Driver, it is easy to tell that he wanted to be a part of this film, which released at roughly the same time as another movie he worked on with a director who hates superhero films. Supporting them are Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Bret Cullen, Shea Whigham and many more, but this cast are on fire. It’s perfectly cast, perfectly paced, and perfectly executed, and it is not often those words get uttered.

THE VERDICT

It surprised the world at Venice last year. It took home the goods at the Oscars. And now it’s getting the masterpiece rating. 15 rated superhero films can work without comedy, or self-referential jokes- this film proves that theory. It isn’t an easy watch, but my god, it is brilliant.

RATING: 5/5