10-10-2019, 08:46 AM
Day 34 (0)
Today I went with my flatmate to watch the new "Joker" movie. Today's post will be review/critique/random thoughts on that movie.
SPOILER ALERT!!!! If you haven't watched the movie yet DO NOT READ THIS! I highly recommend it, it's not your average superhero movie and it's pretty much great! Acting is genius, music is great, cinematography is stellar and plot itself keeps you interested. No flying capes of super strong heroes is an added bonus.
OK, that being said the movie left me quite puzzled. Arthur (Joker's name) is presented as sympathetic antihero. We are not supposed to cheer for him (at least I did not at any point) but you feel sympathy and empathy for this guy. He does a lot of bad stuff (like, you know, killing people) but he does so only to those who have wronged him. And step by step, scene after scene you see his descent into the Joker.
You get him. You understand why he does what he does, none of this is random or forced. You might not approve of it and you might think (rightly so) that he deserves punishment for his deeds. But you cannot escape the feeling that, in his circumstances, what he does seems natural. He's not trying to conquer the world or kill half the population. He does what he believes is right. He is a hero of his own story.
Guy's crazy but it's not he's fault. Lifetime of mistreatment and lies by his mother made his socially inadequate, living in his own reality. He's delusional, sees a specter of a girl he has a crush on and hears applause when there is none. It is beautiful to see in the third act how confident and focused he becomes after he shed the weight life put on him, bit by bit. It's almost cathartic to behold.
He does not however take responsibility of his actions, part which is so important for my own philosophy. He's still like a child, reacting but not acting. Not fully understanding the consequences of his actions. His hermetic life left him stranded in a place where he knew what he wanted but (it seemed like) there is no bridge to get him there. The question is in what capacity he could have taken control of his life without all the murders.
Is his mental illness an excuse, perhaps not right but justification of his actions? Could have something be done? I don't know. Or at least I'm not sure yet.
Who would I be without friends, hobbies, accomplishments? Who would I be if I were to spend my entire life with only my crazy mother and my own delusions? If, in this situation, something were to happen that would empower me be would not me any wiser, would I have done the same? Yet another school shooter? Before watching this movie I would have said "hell no!" but now... "maybe".
This movie shows a lot of things, the results of neglect and abuse on human psychy is possibly the most obvious one. But for me it's kind of a warning. A showcase of what might happen when you let conditions like that to exist and grow.
At no point did I think that the movie is unrealistic, that actions presented are forced or improbable. The descend from madness to empowered madness is presented in such a believable way there is no way for me not to look back at the movie and think that this might become real. Perhaps not for me but for my friends, my family, my co-workers, my neighbors, that chick I say yesterday walking her dog etc.
Today I went with my flatmate to watch the new "Joker" movie. Today's post will be review/critique/random thoughts on that movie.
SPOILER ALERT!!!! If you haven't watched the movie yet DO NOT READ THIS! I highly recommend it, it's not your average superhero movie and it's pretty much great! Acting is genius, music is great, cinematography is stellar and plot itself keeps you interested. No flying capes of super strong heroes is an added bonus.
OK, that being said the movie left me quite puzzled. Arthur (Joker's name) is presented as sympathetic antihero. We are not supposed to cheer for him (at least I did not at any point) but you feel sympathy and empathy for this guy. He does a lot of bad stuff (like, you know, killing people) but he does so only to those who have wronged him. And step by step, scene after scene you see his descent into the Joker.
You get him. You understand why he does what he does, none of this is random or forced. You might not approve of it and you might think (rightly so) that he deserves punishment for his deeds. But you cannot escape the feeling that, in his circumstances, what he does seems natural. He's not trying to conquer the world or kill half the population. He does what he believes is right. He is a hero of his own story.
Guy's crazy but it's not he's fault. Lifetime of mistreatment and lies by his mother made his socially inadequate, living in his own reality. He's delusional, sees a specter of a girl he has a crush on and hears applause when there is none. It is beautiful to see in the third act how confident and focused he becomes after he shed the weight life put on him, bit by bit. It's almost cathartic to behold.
He does not however take responsibility of his actions, part which is so important for my own philosophy. He's still like a child, reacting but not acting. Not fully understanding the consequences of his actions. His hermetic life left him stranded in a place where he knew what he wanted but (it seemed like) there is no bridge to get him there. The question is in what capacity he could have taken control of his life without all the murders.
Is his mental illness an excuse, perhaps not right but justification of his actions? Could have something be done? I don't know. Or at least I'm not sure yet.
Who would I be without friends, hobbies, accomplishments? Who would I be if I were to spend my entire life with only my crazy mother and my own delusions? If, in this situation, something were to happen that would empower me be would not me any wiser, would I have done the same? Yet another school shooter? Before watching this movie I would have said "hell no!" but now... "maybe".
This movie shows a lot of things, the results of neglect and abuse on human psychy is possibly the most obvious one. But for me it's kind of a warning. A showcase of what might happen when you let conditions like that to exist and grow.
At no point did I think that the movie is unrealistic, that actions presented are forced or improbable. The descend from madness to empowered madness is presented in such a believable way there is no way for me not to look back at the movie and think that this might become real. Perhaps not for me but for my friends, my family, my co-workers, my neighbors, that chick I say yesterday walking her dog etc.
For not by numbers of men, nor by measure of body, but by valor of soul is war to be decided.
~Belisarius, the last Roman
Certitude is for the puzzle-box logicians and girls of white glamour [...]. I am a letter written in uncertainty.
~36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 4
~Belisarius, the last Roman
Certitude is for the puzzle-box logicians and girls of white glamour [...]. I am a letter written in uncertainty.
~36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 4
