There’s still a little over a month to go before Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips’ Joker comes crashing into theaters. Even so, the highly anticipated (and R-rated) deep-dive into the origins of one of DC Comics’ most iconic villains had its world premiere at the 76th Annual Venice Film Festival over the weekend. And, needless to say, many of the critics and entertainment writers who were on hand for the occasion seem to agree that what Phillips and Phoenix have accomplished is nothing short of Oscar-worthy.
For the most part, Venice attendees loved the film.
Joaquin Phoenix's performance in #JokerMovie is nothing short of Oscar-worthy. He fully commits to the role mentally and physically. Todd Phillips delivered a game-changing comic book film, and I cannot wait to see it again. #Joker pic.twitter.com/cnrL9bsdR2
— Dorian Parks (@DorianParksnRec) August 31, 2019
I saw #Joker — and it is unlike anything before it. The movie is dark, thrilling, and chilling. An insane masterpiece.
The movie absolutely transcends being a comic book film and acts as a character study which, at times, will make audiences uncomfortable in wild ways. 10/10 pic.twitter.com/2B2mCkzbZy
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) August 31, 2019
What I love most in JOKER – aside from Phoenix’s guttural performance & some terrific cinematography- is seeing the humanity in this character, even if that humanity slowly slips away. It’s unlike any comic book origin story you’ve seen. Divisive? Probably. But ferociously unique pic.twitter.com/lXtmCyWoIz
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) August 31, 2019
Ultimately, as twisted as it is, I think JOKER is about finding your purpose. That sometimes it’s hard to believe in anything until someone believes in you#JokerMovie pic.twitter.com/WAdHY9Lm0I
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) August 31, 2019
#joker was just… Just, just WOW. The Academy Award for Best Actor must go to #JoaquinPhoenix pic.twitter.com/hik3bvXgaP
— Olivier Sarbil (@oliviersarbil) August 31, 2019
If you had any doubts about seeing #Joker you should erase them. I can’t wait to see it again.
— Arctic Ninja (@arcticninjapaul) August 31, 2019
#JokerMovie is a brilliant, terrifying character study. Joaquin Phoenix will haunt you with a performance for the ages, letting you see and feel the darkness within #Joker from head to toe. It's disturbing because it's supposed to be, leaving you uncomfortable yet fascinated. pic.twitter.com/AQbpoKlcFs
— Sean Gerber (@MrSeanGerber) August 31, 2019
FWIW, this Joker screening received the loudest applause/cheers of the festival yet. Seems critics loved it. 😈🤡 #Venezia76
— Alex B. (@firstshowing) August 31, 2019
Massive ovation for #Joker at #Venezia76 pic.twitter.com/Poygwd7TI2
— Elsa Keslassy (@ElsaKeslassy) August 31, 2019
As much as most screening attendees seemed to love the film, however, many observers were quick to note how volatile the discourse surrounding the film already was — and how much worse it was likely to get come release day.
https://twitter.com/tvoti/status/1168041649361965057
https://twitter.com/poniewozik/status/1168156698235822080
JOKER may indeed be a great movie, but it feels like the cultural equivalent of manufacturing Hummers in response to climate change.
— Scott Tobias (@scott_tobias) September 1, 2019
https://twitter.com/arthur_affect/status/1168015487017480193
Where’s all the awful people coming to the defense of Angel Has Fallen? Brittany Runs a Marathon? Good Boys?
Why does this movie attract this type of audience member? Does the art have any responsibility to repel that audience? Or is that art’s only responsibility to be art?
— Hector Navarro (@Hectorisfunny) September 1, 2019
And, of course, there were plenty of jokes.
this is a 1957 Morris Minor in custom glitter paint. it has a wind-up key, polka dots, a light-up red nose, and rear flower pot bumpers. this is the sort of car that tells the world, "joke's on you!!" that's why it's perfect for my very special guest, Arthur Fleck, aka The Joker pic.twitter.com/dQmxeD7TgG
— dom nero (@dominicknero) September 1, 2019
Crowd at #Venezia76 went absolutely ballistic for #JOKER. Film is dark, sick, twisted. I’m with a crowd of fellow critics right now, running through the streets of Venice just screaming. Hollering. My legs are tired. We’ve been doing this for hours. Joaquin is an Oscar contender
— Ben Mekler (@benmekler) August 31, 2019
Thank you to everyone checking in on my safety after two of the German critics tried to jump onto one of the canal boats and drowned. The rest of us are safe and enjoying a much-needed dinner at Buca di Beppo. Upon further discussion we’ve decided that #JokerMovie is just okay
— Ben Mekler (@benmekler) August 31, 2019
Here’s the official logline for Joker from Warner Bros. Pictures:
Director Todd Phillips “Joker” centers around the iconic arch nemesis and is an original, standalone fictional story not seen before on the big screen. Phillips’ exploration of Arthur Fleck, who is indelibly portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, is of a man struggling to find his way in Gotham’s fractured society. A clown-for-hire by day, he aspires to be a stand-up comic at night…but finds the joke always seems to be on him. Caught in a cyclical existence between apathy and cruelty, Arthur makes one bad decision that brings about a chain reaction of escalating events in this gritty character study.
Joker laughs its way into theaters on October 4th.