If you’re reading this I would like for you to either get down on one knee, bow your heads, whatever bodily position you usually take, and give a shout out to the higher power that’s above, below, or surface level.
Why acknowledge our deities now? To put it in the simple King’s English… the Joaquin Phoenix Joker movie will be rated “R”.
Collider.com along with various media outlets reported on this recent development which has me excited well beyond the obvious reasons of “F” bombs and more realistic violence.
Of course “F” bombs are great in movies, I’m sure we’ll get a couple, but where the rating will truly maximize the film’s potential is for showing Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness. And I’m positive we’re going to see some really creepy shit that could range from Joaquin sitting alone sinisterly laughing for hours, all the way to self mutilation. An “R” rating means just about anything can happen on screen and judging from the trailer, Joker looks to be Dark AF.
If Joker was rated PG-13, the story would have to rely on symbolism or artificial plot drivers to convey Fleck’s transformation into the Joker. These could be anything from an image that becomes more distorted as the story progresses or maybe as Fleck’s wardrobe changes, so does he. Both, okay representations of the protagonist’s situation. Yet, none of them will truly capture the struggles our main character in a manner that compliments the brand of the project. Audiences view the Joker like any other twisted antagonistic force and for a film to illustrate how this antagonistic force came to be… they’re going to except to see the twisted shit that shaped him. Events only an “R” rating can bring to life.
The trailer unknowingly set certain expectations from the audience and if Joker was rated anything other than “R”, those expectations would never be met.
I wrote an article for Nerdbot a while back arguing that Joker could be our first comic book movie that is also a “real” movie, one capable of being considered for major awards. I know Black Panther was amazing but we all know there was no way it would win the Oscar. The Academy just isn’t there yet on the formulaic superhero experience. Before Joker even hits the theater, the project has the making of an Oscar darling. Joaquin, a relevant to the times expose on mental health, plus the once comedy director turned more serious. Todd Phillips could easily be the next Adam McKay.
If we are thanking whoever we pray to for Joker‘s “R” rating, we should also pray that this movie doesn’t suck ass.
By Adam Chmielewski
@PolishKaiju
Photo Credits- Instagram/Warner Brothers
What’s the craziest thing we’ll see in Joker? Let Nerdbot know in the comments!!
