Joker, the psychological thriller based on the DC Comics character, arrives in cinemas today (October 4).
Directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix, the highly-anticipated film comes with mixed reviews. Of course you may have heard about its EIGHT MINUTE STANDING OVATION at the Venice Film Festival, but more recent critiques focus on its controversial nature.
The film tells the story of the Joker pre-Batman; depicting a troubled man driven to mass murder. But it’s caused so much concern that Warner Bros. literally had to issue a statement to clarify that the film is not “an endorsement of real-world violence of any kind”.
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It’s not all bad though, and many film critics have given Joker high praise:
Jim Vejvoda, IGN
“Featuring a riveting, fully realized, and Oscar-worthy performance by Joaquin Phoenix, Joker would work just as well as an engrossing character study without any of its DC Comics trappings; that it just so happens to be a brilliant Batman-universe movie is icing on the Batfan cake. You will likely leave Joker feeling like I did: unsettled and ready to debate the film for years to come.”
Terri White, Empire
“As Arthur/Joker, Joaquin Phoenix is astonishing. Phillips has said he had a picture of the actor above his screen when writing the script and it’s a belief that has paid off. Phoenix inhabits Arthur: having lost weight for the role, he looks thin, frail, hungry. Shadows carve out his exposed bones. His physicality is precise — the way he moves, shuffles, runs, sits, smokes, shrinks. His usual intensity is on full display and it’s captivating, even overwhelming in moments.
Bold, devastating and utterly beautiful, Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix have not just reimagined one of the most iconic villains in cinema history, but reimagined the comic book movie itself.”
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Todd Phillips is best known for directing The Hangover trilogy, so he’s clearly taken his work in a very different direction. But does he pull it off? We’ll leave you to reach your own conclusions — but we thought some cheap cinema tickets might help. Fever have exclusive tickets for just £8.49 if you head to any ODEON cinema.