It’s of this world
Following on from the point above, the fact that Joker will seemingly tell a story only about real people with real flaws and no superhuman abilities is another welcome reality, and something not yet found in DC’s post-Nolan library. I think we can be rather safe in assuming that Joker will be a grounded tale of men and women, of larger than life personalities for sure, but without a super-powered threat in sight, without invading alien hordes, and heroes (if there are any) armed with nothing but their human attributes. This is a refreshing look for DC in recent years and beyond keeping Joker tethered to reality and manageable in scope for its filmmakers, it also brings along with it the sweet reality of no CGI. Oh, I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.
Sure, there might be a computer enhanced explosion or two, but there will be no Batman v Superman cartoony mess to be found, no horrendous CGI villain to battle at its climax – hopefully, all that we see will be physical, real, and intelligible. Think back to the climax of The Dark Knight, that unforgettable scene between Batman, Gordon, and Two-Face. This scene was a conversation, a standoff, with personal but colossal stakes for those involved. It was riveting and it was far beyond anything to be found in the climactic duels of Wonder Woman or Justice League. Our world is replete with drama, human beings are capable of incredible conflict, and words, not just violence, can provide entertainment to surpass any fist fight between gods.
Joaquin Phoenix
Finally, we come to the film’s star, whose identity, considering the nature of this particular film, is of incredible importance. Joaquin Phoenix is the latest actor to be challenged with the famous role of the Joker and what a wonderful choice he is. Phoenix is a bit of an odd individual himself, quirky and outside the mainstream – not your traditional leading man – making him an ideal fit for the Joker. His camera test, revealed to the world very recently, was an exciting moment to be sure, providing audiences with a helpful insight into what we can expect from his performance and the movie itself. The Joker is, of course, a systemically sinister character and from what little we’ve seen so far, it’s clear that Phoenix will be more than capable of delivering on this front.
This is going to be a Joker beaten down by life, perhaps someone who (misguidedly) sees himself as a victim. I’m not sure any actor other than Phoenix would have been a better pick with this in mind. However, it seems to me what is most pleasing about Phoenix’s casting in Joker is what it surely means for the quality of the film’s script and the vision of its filmmakers. Anyone familiar with Phoenix knows that he would never have signed up for a comic book movie like Joker if the script wasn’t something special. Hopefully, this is, therefore, a strong indicator that the film itself will be at least a match for its star and a fitting tribute to one of the great villains in fictional history.
If Joker is able to fulfill its substantial promise, I believe it has every chance to become a truly memorable moment in DC history and in the process become the brand’s greatest cinematic effort since The Dark Knight Rises. DC has the characters, it has the stories, it can attract the talent, and hopefully, now the company realises what it has to do to succeed. A shared universe is fine for Marvel, let them have it, but DC can do something better, and Joker will hopefully prove it in spectacular fashion. I wish it all the best.
Samuel Brace
