Watch Joker

The comic book movie Joker tells, once again, the origin story of Batman's most dangerous enemy. The man who will become the Joker begins his into a super villain because of pitfalls in his life. This time a bullied clown slowly descends into madness, providing a sympathetic backstory for the psychotic murderer. In this version of the story, Arthur Fleck is a comedian and clown who struggles to make a living. He's living with his mother in crime-ridden Gotham City. He also suffers from a disorder that makes him laugh inappropriately. Arthur is bullied and mocked. Eventually, he responds to the bullying by murdering his tormentors. As he descends into madness, his murderousness gets worse. But his violence also inspires supporters, who engage in violence on his behalf. The film was co-written and directed by Todd Phillips. It was reportedly inspired by the violent revenge fantasy films of Martin Scorcese, including Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy. The film was criticized for its glorification of the violence of the Joker. Critics argued that the character is cast a sympathetic figure whose murders are, in some sense, justified. The film was also criticized for its portrayal of a mentally ill character as violent. However, the film was released to mixed-to-positive reviews. It went on to become the sixth highest grossing film of 2019. Although Joker was originally intended to stand alone, its financial success spawned talk of a sequel. As of 2020, it remains unclear if a follow up film will be made.