We are coming up on 15 years since Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins released in US. It has become the birthday of the realistic, dark and edgy comic book movie. It’s trend has lead to some inspired work, such as the Dark Knight Returns and Dredd (2012). It has also produced some awful stuff, such as Batman v Superman and Fantastic Four (2015). Joker is the latest entry in this still expanding catalog. It is a solid argument that the Joker is the perfect kind of character for this genre, but is the “Joke” really on the audience?

This iteration of the Joker takes place in an alternate space. It is not related to any ongoing or previous film incarnations of Batman/DC Extended Universe. Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a part time clown and an aspiring to be a stand up comedian. It takes place in 1980’s Gotham City, which takes great inspiration from New York City. He suffers from a unique brain condition that causes him to laugh at inappropriate times. What follows is a journey through his condition, and the resulting circumstances that set up his free fall into depravity and violence. I’m confident I didn’t give much away here. I believe everyone knows what they are in for with this one.

The film is really well made. It takes a lot of queues from one of the masters of dramatic story-telling Martin Scorsese. It doesn’t take long to see the parallels to his previous works of Taxi Driver and King of Comedy. It wears these inspirations on it’s sleeve very openly. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say the film is more about those films than it’s title comic book character. The fact that Robert Di Nero, star of both Taxi Driver and King of Comedy, is in Joker just drives that inspiration home. This is not a bad thing. Joker has good bones because of the excellent source material it is inspired by.

Joaquin Phoenix is amazing. He conveys the transition from the down on his luck street performer Arthur Fleck, to the embodiment of unhinged violence and angst of the Joker. It’s a very visceral and physical performance. He will dance, flail, and laugh maniacally in both times of personal strife and disgusting violence. The entire cast comes to play. Robert Di Nero plays a late night talk show host who is the object of Arthur’s desires. Zazie Beetz is Arthur’s neighbor and love interest. I didn’t think her role did her any justice. It was actually a little alarming until something is clarified later. To go into it at all is would be a spoiler. I just wish they gave her a little more to work with.

This is where the good things I have to say come to an end. Let’s be clear, this is the origin story of one of the most iconic villains in comics. I personally question why do we need this film. I’m really not all that interested in “Batman” movies without “Batman” in it. The director Todd Phillips and Warner Bros have insisted that Joker is a standalone project. Wanting the audience to judge this work on it’s own merits. However, that becomes difficult with all the obvious call outs to the Batman mythos. Question, Do you think they had the resolve not to include an ending scene that would leave the door wide open for Batman’s inclusion in another film much later? I’ll give you three guesses, but your only going to need one. Of course they threw that scene in there, because ultimately the Joker’s presence requires batman. The duality of the hero that takes everything just a bit too seriously. Versus the maniac who perceives everything as a joke. These premises are not easily ripped apart, especially from the Joker’s point of few.

So if your going to do this movie. I think it is important to show something a little profound. What part of his descent can be highlighted that will showcase the story in a new and/or creative light. Phoenix’s amazing performance aside, I did not see any of that. Joker isn’t so much about what changes Arthur Fleck to become the Joker. The film is about Fleck realizing he is the Joker the whole time. It is not a movie about a sympathetic character, it is a movie about a pitiful one. I get the sense that a lot of people aren’t having the same take away. That may say more about us than the movie. To shamefully bring this around… maybe that is the joke? Who knows…

I give the Joker better than average marks because it is so well made. Phoenix is incredible but I didn’t find it to be an elevated addition to whichever genre you choose to associate it with.