The Scene staff
Many of you comic-book fans out there have surely been anticipating the release of Warner Bros. Studio’s “Joker,” which will give the beloved super villain his own feature film, with no Batman around to steal the show.
Joker is the arch-nemisis of the superhero Batman. The two have been at each other’s throats since Batman’s comic-book debut, back in 1940. (That was during World War II, kids!)
Over the decades, Joker has grown into a household name, with the character being adapted to various forms of media, most notably film and television. He’s a villain who’s infamous for not having a backstory. The mystery of his past is one of the many things that make him truly disturbing.
However, Joker’s newest iteration seeks to do what has never been done before: It actually gives him context.
The interpretation was born entirely in the minds of the film’s two writers, Todd Philips and Scott Silver, having no connection to any previous comic book or movie.
Film legend Joaquin Phoenix stars as the title character, who uncharacteristically has a real name other than “Joker.” Arthur Fleck, a man suffering from mental illness and shunned by society, turns to a life of crime in what has been described as a “character study,” similar to Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver,” which seems to be a huge inspiration.
The Joker role has been played on screen since 1966, starting with the classic TV show “Batman,” in which Cesar Romero drew the blueprints for every Joker performance that has followed.
Jack Nicholson carried the torch in the 1989 movie “Batman,” closely resembling the TV show’s version of the clown prince of crime.
Next came the groundbreaking performance of the late Heath Ledger, who perfected the clown’s mix of dark and silly in 2008’s “The Dark Knight,” a movie that many dub the best out of the seven Batman installments and by far the greatest portrayal of Joker.
Jared Leto played the character in 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” but we don’t really want to talk about that one.
This all sounds good and fun, and why shouldn’t it? Fans have been wanting justice for their beloved killer clown for years now, and with talent like Phoenix and De Niro on board, what could go wrong?
That question was answered this month, when a controversy surrounding the movie culminated with the New York Police Department announcing that it would increase its presence at “Joker” screenings, according to Deadline.
“If something happens inside one of the screenings, we intend to be able to pacify the situation quickly and conclusively,” a law-enforcement official was quoted as saying.
This means that undercover police officers will be sitting next to you, making the easiest money anybody has ever made.
The controversy began with a few people making online comments about being “uncomfortable” with material in the movie. People accused the “Joker” storyline of being in “bad taste,” given all the mass shootings committed by mentally deranged individuals, including the shooter who killed 12 moviegoers at a midnight premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012. He was dressed as Joker.
Yes, the similarities between the Joker character and these criminals are obvious, to say the least. You’d have to be a fool to not see them.
But isn’t the point of movies like this one to stretch social norms? To make us feel uncomfortable? They hold a mirror up to society and show us how ugly we really are, or how ugly we can be. It’s how we all choose to not go down that path that separates the fake from reality.
One of the most vocal defenders of the film is the star himself. Film critic Robbie Collin asked Phoenix during an interview with The Telegraph if he worried that “Joker” might “perversely end up inspiring exactly the kind of people it’s about, with potentially tragic results.”
Phoenix responded with, “Why? Why would you …? No, no.” He then promptly walked out of the interview.
Phoenix had this to say when questioned by Vanity Fair about the controversy: “I didn’t imagine that it would be smooth sailing. It’s a difficult film. In some ways, it’s good that people are having a strong reaction to it.”
“Joker” is set to break domestic box-office records in spite of its bad press. The movie was praised in September, when it won best film at the Venice Film Festival.
I am seriously concerned that all of the unnecessary controversy surrounding “Joker” has done more harm than good. Before, the thought of something bad happening during a movie screening wasn’t even in my mind. Now, the idea is being spouted everywhere you go.
My fear is that somebody a lot less sane than me has been looking for a time and a place to do something terrible, and now he’s presented with an option because of the media’s dumb coverage of a comic-book movie.
If you plan on seeing “Joker” this weekend with your friends or family, don’t forget that it’s just a movie. Batman and Superman aren’t real, and the people playing them on the big screen are something called “actors.” They aren’t really murdering innocents in front of your eyes.
Oh, and if you plan to dress up for the occasion, it’s important to note that more than 650 cinemas have banned masks. Have fun and stay safe.