- Written by James
Walters
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Our soon-to-be Batman and our new Joker, eternal adversaries but should
they face off? [Image Source: Metro]
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With the release of the new Joker (2019) film starring Joaquin Phoenix and the news earlier
this year that Robert Pattinson would soon don the cowl as our new caped
crusader, many have wondered if the two icon of comic books would come face to
face on the big screen. While it’s no secret that Joker is Batman’s arch enemy
and the two actors involved would undoubtedly make for a great viewing
experience, after seeing Joker (2019)
I don’t think they would work out being in the same universe together.
Of course this is semi-redundant as the actor and director
involved with Joker (2019) have both
already confirmed that their interpretation of the
clown prince of crime won’t be encountering the new Dark Knight in the future.
This news left many out there disappointed as the film is currently receiving
rave reviews from both critics and audience members everywhere. At time of
writing, the film has a score of 68% on Rotten Tomatoes with an
audience score of 90%.
Having just been the see the film myself this past weekend
(my review can be found here), I have found myself on the opposite side
of this argument and truly believe that Joaquin Phoenix as Joker and Robert
Pattinson as Batman shouldn’t share the screen as these characters (or at least
not any time soon). Here are my thoughts on the matter.
Joker (2019) is a
very new and interesting take on the iconic character; we are shown Arthur
Fleck in his entirety and watch as he slowly breaks down and becomes the Joker
due to his mental state and the environment has found himself in. It’s a truly
gripping and dark story of a man who is already teetering on the edge as he is
pushed over it by a society that couldn’t care less about him. It’s a film
that’s as much a commentary on classism and the conditions of one’s life
defining who they become, as it is about mental health and the need to raise
awareness of issues surrounding mental health. Arthur isn’t a hero, he isn’t
even someone who we are supposed to identify with by the time the film ends,
but he is a character that despite his murderous tendencies we as an audience
cannot completely fault him for turning out the way he does because of the
outside forces that push him into it. In short, he’s far more complex than he
would be, or even could be, had he been introduced as the antagonist of a
Batman movie.
Knowing this version of the Joker as we do, I find it
difficult to completely accept him as a plausible villain for a Batman film, or
any other superhero based film at that. Previous versions on screen, such as
Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto all gave us the insane and
villainous portrayals of the character that we expect him to be. While only one
of those examples gave us a brief glimpse into how they became the Joker, Joker (2019) gives us an entire film of
backstory and origins that make us see him in a whole new light. Yes, Ledger
and Leto’s performances were great in their own right and worked well as
antagonists in their respective franchises, but Joaquin’s Joker demands much
more thought and attention into the mind of the villain than any before it.
While we have yet to see anything regarding the new Batman
movie, due out sometime 2021, it would be considerably difficult for anyone
that has seen Joker (2019) to take
him only as an antagonist for Batman. If they were to bring in Joker at some
point for what is likely to be a new trilogy of movies, they would have to
bring in another actor to portray another version of the villain. One who would
be believable as nought but a bad guy for Batman to defeat. Bringing in this
Joker only for him to play second fiddle would be a detriment and insult to the
masterful portrayal and characterization we have been given by Todd Phillips
and Joaquin Phoenix.
So while many will mourn the fact that Phoenix and Pattinson
won’t be facing off at any point, I for one am glad. To take this new iteration
and ask us to hate him by proxy of being Batman’s enemy would not sit right
with me as an audience member. Happily give us another Joker for him to face,
or even bring back Jared Leto, provided they actually give him some screen
time.
