#MovieMonday: Joker Review: The Best DC Movie So Far If You Don’t Have a Netflix Subscription

By
George Yang
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Very often, people like to compare Marvel movies with DC movies.

But that’s like comparing apples with oranges; the former’s filled with action and humour while the latter’s a black screen that keeps you thinking.

Marvel’s formula might have worked for people looking for mere entertainment, but DC’s movies have always been about its plot, its dark theme and scenes that just take place at night.

And in its latest instalment (though it’s technically not part of the DC Extended Universe), it went on overdrive.

Introducing Joker, the movie’s a metaphor for the real world.

Joker, The Disturbing Antihero That Everyone’s Rooting For

Back in April this year, when the first trailer for Joker was released, a group of DC fans believe that it’d be the killer to Endgame.

And a month ago, when the second trailer dropped, even non-DC fans were rooting for the antihero.

But is it as good as the trailer?

Netizens seem to think so.

Image: Google

Given that the production budget is merely about 15% of Endgame, can it win over Marvel fans?

Yes, and no.

Depending on whether you’ve a Netflix subscription.

Disturbing Contents That Are Not Suitable for Kids

Here’s a one-sentence review: if you’re a Netflix subscriber, this would be just “meh” for you.

I remember back in the days when I just subscribed to Netflix and watched my first Netflix Originals, I was blown away: not only did the antagonist achieved what he or she set out to do, I somehow could relate to his or her reasoning.

Netflix, being a non-mainstream channel, doesn’t just push the boundaries; they move out of the boundaries and dare to show us that evil does triumph over good. The channel isn’t there to show us that the world of is a bed of roses, and that corruption doesn’t just lie in certain people.

Evilness lies within all of us, held back not by our beliefs by but force known as acceptance or societal norms.

Losing faith in humanity after watching House of Cards is almost common.

And Joker is akin to a Netflix Original: the psychological thriller isn’t afraid to tell the unfiltered truth about the world, and leads you to nod along with Joker’s actions, no matter how insidious they are.

That’s a big problem: over in the US, people are bashing the movie for it “glamorizes gun violence and mental health issues,” and that it might encourage copycat crimes. Needless to say, calls to ban the movie have been loud, too.

That’s completely understandable; after watching the movie, the first thing I did was to check if the movie’s screening in Hong Kong, given that it could further encourage the protestors due to a distinct parallel event between the movie and the city.

Apparently, it’s screening there.

I won’t be surprised if the protests that lead to the entire MTR shutdown could be influenced by the movie.

However…

Despite its disturbing theme, it’s a “meh” experience for someone who’s been watching countless Netflix shows and has experienced the harsh reality.

For me, I just left the cinema disappointed, simply because I’ve read reviews from my friends that it’s a “super dark psychological thriller that makes you think about the world”…when I think I know about the world better than the Joker.

Still, it’s worth a watch—the acting’s all on point, the plot is predictable but decent, and the theme is personified well with a story.

My only complaint is that the movie’s rated NC16 in Singapore, which’s the same over in the US (they called it Rated R instead), and that doesn’t make cents sense to me: the theme itself would warrant a R21.

But that’s just me.

Rating: 4/5 (if you think your friends help you because people are kind in nature, not because they’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain)

Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:

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George Yang
Email: [email protected]