While I thought the buzz surrounding the new Joker movie would die out soon after it was first released, people are still talking about it weeks after it premiered. The release date was Oct. 4th, and people are still talking about it three weeks later. I have always been more of a Marvel fan myself, but I figured if everyone was going to keep talking about it, I might as well go see it. 

The first thing I noticed when I got to the theatre was the sign that stood next to the woman who checked my ticket at the AMC in Southlands. The sign stated that the movie was not a typical superhero movie and anyone under the age of 17 had to have an adult present with them. The sign surprised me, but the woman that checked my ID surprised me more with her thoroughness. 

There were many threats that were associated with the Joker movie due to the shooting that occurred in 2012 at The Dark Knight Rises screening in Aurora. This horrific event caused tremendous pain to so many people I know personally, and I am thankful to the many people that were on high alert the weekend of Oct. 4. Thankfully, no one went through with their threats, and the premiere was blissfully uneventful. Even so, my mom hated the idea of me going to see the movie and I wasn’t allowed to see it at night. I will admit that throughout the movie there was a nagging thought in the back of my head that made me extra alert and, quite honestly, a little scared. 

The movie itself was cinematically beautiful. The colors, costumes, and lighting throughout the movie played very nicely together. I am often a critic of DC movies being visually dark and muddled, but this movie contrasted light and dark scenes well. 

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur/Joker transformed the villain many of us grew up with into an entirely new character. Phoenix’s acting truly made me believe that the Joker was real and created a connection from the comics to the harsh reality we often see with psychopaths. 

However, the storyline itself was not as thrilling as I think it could have been. The director, Todd Phillips, seemed deeply focused on getting into the audience’s head psychologically. While Phillips most definitely accomplished this, the movie was slow at some parts, and there wasn’t an action filled plot that one expects with ‘superhero’ movies. 

Overall, I thought the movie was very good, and I would definitely recommend it to someone who either likes the comics or is into movies that mess with your head. This is not a movie that should be taken lightly; however, and being in a good mental state is necessary while watching it.