MovieChat Forums > Joker (2019) Discussion > Parallels to Batman

Parallels to Batman

posted 5 years ago by Ace_Spade (9574)
4 replies | jump to latest

One of the things I thought was really impressive about Joker is some of the parallels drawn to Batman himself.

1. The faux-connection to Thomas Wayne. Even though it turns out to be false, the idea is still put into our heads that the Joker has the same origin as Batman. This is reinforced by his imaginary appearance on Murray's show, talking about his lack of father.
2. Joker starts as mysterious figure, mentioned in the papers, a man who wears a mask and hurts menaces to society. Instead of criminals, they're yuppie creeps, and instead of a man in search of justice, he's a scared guy with a gun. But the parallel is there.
3. The populace takes up Joker as a symbol - a hero - for their struggles.
4. Joker fully dons his mask and takes up his mantle.

The film draws twisted parallels to Batman. We could read this as being a dark mirror of the Dark Knight, but it could also read as a critique. Who is Batman? He's a criminal. He's outside the law. He beats down people (like Arthur) who are just tired of being ignored. Maybe he's doing some kind of right, some kind of good, but...

Well...it's what makes us laugh. It's all subjective, isn't it...?

That, the political angles, the character study...this is a well-layered movie.

[–] AdamS (336) 5 years ago

Among other reasons...
I love this film as a psychological study.

By the (near) end, his perspective on existence becomes completely different then your average person.

Take the doctor he was talking to in the last scene...
He likely killed her, thus the bloody footprints walking down the hall.
That was the joke he found so funny, that she wouldn't get.
He was about to kill her, and he knew she wouldn't get the humor of it.

[–] Ace_Spade (9574) 5 years ago

Oh, absolutely. The psychology of this character is intriguing and unique. That inappropriate laugh neurosis!

I've long thought of the Joker as somebody who thinks he's funny. He thinks these are legitimately good jokes, and this movie definitely dips into that.

Also: the notion that mental illness is a factor here, but far from the only one. There's a corrupt/callous system which cuts him off from medication and help. There's the social worker who doesn't really care about him. There's his mother and his own past. There are the people who ignore and ridicule him. There's his own personal problems and personality defects. The poverty, the pop culture, everything contributes to his degeneration into the nasty clown prince of crime.

[–] Kurt (189) 5 years ago

"Who is Batman? He's a criminal. He's outside the law. He beats down people (like Arthur) who are just tired of being ignored. Maybe he's doing some kind of right, some kind of good, but..."

I'd say this is far more of a theme in the movie "Super" from 2010.

[–] Ace_Spade (9574) 5 years ago

I haven't seen Super, but that sounds interesting.

I wasn't saying Batman was bad. I'm just saying that this movie makes you think that, from the outside (a Gotham citizen or GCPD perspective) the two characters would be more alike than is comfortable for a comic book fan.