Starting tonight, the new Joker film is going to be out in theaters. People are probably watching as we speak and I for one am interested in seeing the film as well. However, it does come with some controversy. From the director’s complaints about the “death of comedy” and the depiction of violence to the increased police patrols, this movie is a big believer in bad publicity is good publicity.

Fear and timing really come into play for most of the controversy. Three mass shootings in the month of August are fresh reminders to people of the dangers of people dealing with mental illness and/or dangerous thoughts and attitudes. The film also brings back horrible memories for Aurora shooting victims and they have even written a letter to Warner Bros about the movie.

These are concerns are valid and should definitely not be dismissed, but perspective is still needed. The Joker, since around 1988, was a dark, dangerous, evil, and even charismatic character. People don’t just cheer for Batman’s success; they also root for the Joker’s disturbance. A film about the Joker was inevitable as he is one of DC Comics premiere characters.

And as much as society doesn’t want to take credit, culture has influenced this rise in villain movies as well. The two leading factors: Comic book influence and anti-heroes.

DC and the Dark

The whole gang’s here…at least the evil ones are.

The growth and expansion of morally grey, anti-heroes has lead to movies such as Nightcrawler, Drive, Deadpool, and Venom, and these movies have gotten progressively darker and darker. Movies with anti-heroes isn’t new by any means, but its acceptance has grown substantially.

DC Comics has always had a darker, grittier edge, which lends perfect to anti-heroes. A perfect example would be Suicide Squad. It was literally villains saving the day. Birds of Prey is next on DC Comics list and with Suicide Squad starting production, DC is going to lighten up anytime soon.

Having a movie about Joker, the most well-known and popular villain of all-time (regardless of medium), should not be a surprise. It was inevitable.

And with the growth of comic books becoming movies and expanding influence and recognition in today’s culture, this rise of Joker was not only predictable, but asked for.

And this can be a good thing.

The Good - Social Discussion

Sometimes, movies are meant to challenge you. This movie is going to tackle difficult topics. Whether it’s successful or not, movies should sometimes challenge us. I don’t often feel challenged by Marvel or DC movies. This could be an interesting opportunity to see a movie that challenges the way we perceive people, or society, and or ourselves if we really want to get deep.

The Bad - A Fearful Experience

Not going to a movie out of fear is disappointing. Fear should not dictate our decisions, but in reality, it can. I urge people to not give in to fear and be open to watching the movie. If you don’t want to go to the theaters, that’s fine. But I hope you aren’t choosing not to go because of fear or controversy. That being said, the movie is still predicted to make almost 90 million dollars.

The Joker - What to Know

The Joker is played by Joaquin Phoenix (Buffalo Soldiers, Walk the Line, Signs) and he lost over 50 pounds to play the role of Joker. The film is directed by Todd Phillips, known for adult comedies such as The Hangover and Borat. Other great actors in the movie include Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz. The movie took inspiration from the comic book, Batman: The Killing Joke, and Martin Scorsese’s films that focused on a character study approach that was popular in the 1970’s. This is probably useless information, but in case you are going to the movies with complete newbies, it might be fun to talk about.

On Saturday, I hope to provide a review of the film to let those on the fence know if the movie is worth watching, waiting, or skip all together (It would have to be pretty bad for me to suggest the last one, I’ve watched some real sleepers).

In the meantime, don’t dress up as a clown until Halloween.

- J.J.

NOTE:

As people are leaving the theater and others eagerly waiting to go in, please be respectfully of each other. A movie experience shouldn’t be popcorn, soda, and fear of death. It should be safe and fun. Also, if you are not of age to watch the movie, please don’t. Wait until you are.

For parents, please don’t take your kids. From my understanding, this movie will be more drama than action and character study films are not exactly Spiderman thrills. It’s for adults and should be treated as such. This movie is rated R, not PG-13.