MovieChat Forums > Joker (2019) Discussion > Probably one of the most unpopular posts...

Probably one of the most unpopular posts here


I do not like this film, did not find it ground-breaking, entertaining. Did not find Joaquine's work to be "all that" didn't even think of the Joker a.k.a. comic book guy until the very end with the murder of the Waynes....and then I didn't like at either....

I honestly thought it should have just been about a mentally ill man and his descent into madness, and not sure the "Joker origin story" works for me.

That all being said, I don't quite get what the hype is. The movie is not all that great at all.

reply

Found it unremarkable, thought the first 2/3 dragged.

reply

It's just....sort of a sad commentary on mental illness and how people are toward the mentally ill, but to me, it's NOT a good Joker origin story, and I didn't even see it as that.

reply

well, the Joker is criminally mad (if I understand the Bat Man universe correctly) but the director seemed interested in social commentary not a super hero backstory

reply

To each their own. The movie was quite divisive so you're not alone. I myself loved it.

reply

I finally got around to seeing this. I thought it was decent, but I certainly didn't see what all the hype was about.

reply

[deleted]

I'm not sure I ever thought it was ground-breaking, since it treads in the footsteps of a lot of Scorsese's films, but I do think that it spun things in a way that made it feel fresh(er), particularly given the glut of Xeroxed superhero films these days.

For me, I found it refreshing alone for the idea that they had taken a comic book movie and done something other than the action-comedy blend that Marvel just keeps stamping out for billions of dollars. I love that they said, "Nah, we're going to take a risk, and we won't pre-tie it in with a bunch of already greenlit sequels and spinoffs in a vain attempt to make yet another "cinematic universe".

Joaquin's performance was brilliant, I thought, and I am surprised you didn't think it was terrific.

What I really enjoyed about it was that it took big issues - mental health, class warfare - and turned them into a personal story to let us think about those things. These are complex problems and I don't think Joker dumbed them down, pandered, or even soapboxed about it. Is the film critical of therapists? Yes: Arthur's therapist isn't always attentive and lets him down. But it also shows us how frustrated mental health workers can become thanks to the thankless red tape systems around them. We also have the politics of social classes. Does Joker criticize riotous mobs of citizens baying for blood? Sure does. Wait, though, is it also critical of callous rich people stamping the downtrodden? Sure does.

It never felt like the movie was lecturing me, but always felt like it was showing me the difficult struggles of these worlds. All that, plus it used the themes and messages (if they can be called that) to reveal character and make Arthur's struggles paramount. Add to that an unreliable narrator technique and a movie that has a good look to it (Hey! A comic book movie that doesn't look like all the other ones!) and that's a win in my book.

Ultimately, of course, if you didn't dig it, that's cool. I respect that. But, I did want to lay out some of my reasons why I really like the movie.

reply

Agreed. Overrated crap. Don't know what it was all about. Mentally unstable asshole kills a bunch of people. Then the lefties highjacked it and tried to make something "controversial" out of it. Not gonna watch it again.

reply

Saw this movie and love it. I bought it on iTunes but have not seen it again. I think this is just not that kind of movie that warrants a second or third viewing. It’s just too depressing.

reply

So you love being depressed?

reply

I'm the same. I love the movie. I love Phoenix's performance. But I rewatched it for the first time a few months ago and I think that's it for me. I may revisit certain scenes at some point, but I can't see me ever rewatching the whole thing.

reply

If you didn't enjoy it, that's fine.

Many did, many didn't. People have different tastes.

reply

But...I was under instruction to think like everyone else in the mainstream and hate this movie!

reply