Joker Movie Sparks Controversy

“Why so serious?” you might ask as you read the newest headlines regarding the Joker movie. With opening day in a little less than a week, “Joker” has raised many concerns due to the psychotic nature of the film. The movie will showcase the Joker’s transformation as he becomes one of Gotham City’s most feared criminals. So why is this a concern? Many people are linking the movie to a spark that could ignite mass shootings. In this sense, the movie has been deemed “dangerous” by many critics and has already faced a lot of backlash.

If you know the background of the Joker, then you may know why the concern exists. The Joker, previously known as comedian, Arthur Fleck, faces constant obstacles in his life. The violence, disappointment, rage, and rocks thrown at him lead him down a dark and twisted path. A path that results in a clown costume and the committing of terrible crimes. For some people, this is a little too real in today’s age of gun violence. The main concern being the sympathy surrounding the Joker’s character. Critics who have seen the movie have said the movie makes you feel sympathy toward the Joker due to his lack of love. People are saying that this idea of sympathy and understanding for the Joker will give an excuse to the twisted individuals in our world to lash out on innocent people.

In response to the growing concern, Warner Brothers released a statement saying, “Warner Bros. believes that one of the functions of storytelling is to provoke difficult conversations around complex issues.” They also said, “Make no mistake: neither the fictional character Joker, nor the film, is an endorsement of real-world violence of any kind. It is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero.”  With this, I think it’s pretty clear that the movie was not intended to provide sympathy to those who would do dark and twisted things.

Regardless, many movie theaters are taking extra precautions and providing added security during opening weekend. The military even reached out to service members advising them to stay alert, and stay safe. This comes from a threat that was made on social media, saying there would be a replication of the Aurora mass shooting. A shooting in a theater during the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises. The shooter, inspired by the insanity of the Joker, set off explosives and open-fired at movie-goers, killing 12 people, and injuring 58 more. With the mantra, “history repeats itself,” extra precaution seems to be the way to go.

With the added security in place, and heated discussion, Joaquin Phoenix (the actor playing the Joker) has been quick to dismiss the criticism. He believes that film-making is a “complicated art” that is meant to spark discussion and portray difficult topics that many people talk around or avoid. So, if you watch this movie, be prepared to think. Maybe even get involved in the discussion. How did it make you feel? Are those saying this movie is dangerous in the right, or are they just being dramatic? Will this inspire change regarding the severity of media’s influence on society? In time, we may be able to answer these questions, but for now be alert, be safe and have fun. The Joker is not a guy with a plan, so it’s best to stay one step ahead.