by Blake Chapman Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for Joker. In a world of comic book heroes and supervillains, what defines right and wrong remains mostly unobstructed. Simply put, the hero desires to fix what is wrong with the world around them for the greater good, no matter the sacrifice, while their adversary hopes to take advantage of the system for personal gain by any means necessary. Most series illustrate our champion as flawless, and the antagonist without an inkling of humanity. There are some series that look to break this cycle of predictability, Batman being the principle among them. What sets this now 80-year-old legend of Bruce Wayne’s protection of Gotham apart from others is a shift in character from normal comic book archetypes. Batman’s flaws define his moral code as much as his strengths, not to mention that when all is said and done, he is still physically human. This humanistic framing of character gives necessary depth to not only the champions of the Batman universe, but also its numerous villains as well. However, there is only one nemesis of the World’s Greatest Detective that holds the crown for the most tragic and complex origin: The Joker. The evolution of the Clown Prince of Crime has extended beyond the comic strip to the silver screen with both excellent (Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight) and lackluster (Jared Leto in Suicide Squad) examples galore. Joker increases the number of successful portrayals of the most famous DC villain and depicts him with as much volatility as his setting. Through an incredible performance by Joaquin Phoenix, simplistic directing that evokes tension at every turn, and writing that keeps up with itself for the majority of the film, this new iteration fleshes out the motives and environmental factors that shaped one of the most memorable characters from the pantheon of DC Comics.
A story almost as flawed as its protagonist
Directing that reveals every side of a fractured Gotham city
A portrayal that pushes the envelope and raises the bar
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