The Joker Film review

I was not one of the apparent legions eagerly awaiting this film. When I started hearing it I knew it was connected to Batman so, did not think it would be my sort of film. I said this to work colleagues who invited me, and they said nothing to do with Batman. To be social I sceptically accepted. I did not see trailer and did not give film much thought, until having a drink before the film, I asked if needed to know anything about Batman; they said no. I was corrected when mentioned Joker was Batman’s sidekick that actually he is his arch enemy.

In some ways you kind of need need to know the Joker is Batman’s arch enemy to know point of film is he becomes a bad guy , but as the film is more nuanced than that it is not essential. The film shows how he starts off caring for his Mum. As the film goes on, not to spoil it; traumatic events he has experienced, mental health issues of himself and his Mum are revealed and he is outcasted.

It is a clever film there are sequences that are not quite what they seem, as he is imagining something different to reality. It explores the concept of the pain behind fake clown 🤡 smiles. I did not like the premise that all bad people are mentally ill. But from the film you can be left with thoughts of was it inevitable he would turn out the way he did or if events had gone in his favour rather than against him, would he be different?

The type of film I was fearing was superhero’s battling. But this was a very real rounded character as mentioned above complex character. There was not the endless fighting scenes that bore me. However there was violence and gore. This has traumatised one colleague and another jumped at several places although she did like it and was pleased it kept her awake.

In summary, it did turn out to be my sort of film. I had not looked how long it was before I went in and it is 2 hours 2minutes. I’m not keen on films over 2 hours. Possibly 90 minutes may be my preference. There were points later on I was wondering where the film was heading and how long it was taking but that is just how I’am with films.