Jokerhas proven to be a tremendous hit with IMDb users, as the controversial movie is now among the online database’s highest-rated movies of all time. As of this time, the movie is currently sitting in the No. 9 slot, sitting behind such other classic titles asThe Shawshank Redemption,Pulp Fiction, and the first twoGodfathermovies. This also marks two separate spots in the top 10 for the Clown Prince of Crime, asThe Dark Knightwith Heath Ledger as the Joker is currently ranked No. 4. While this is an awesome ranking to achieve so soon after its premiere, it’s also worth noting that this number could start quickly decreasing if more IMDb users give it lower ratings over the course of its theatrical run and subsequent release on home video.
Directed by Todd Phillipsusing a screenplay co-written with scott Silver,Jokerpresents an alternate origin story for Batman’s arch-nemesis. To be clear, the standalone movie has no storyline connection whatsoever to any other movies from Warner Bros. and DC. It stars Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a down-on-his-luck clown who dreams of great success as a stand-up comedian. His constant failures and clear mental illness will instead lead him to become the Joker, complete with the trademark face paint and colorful suit. Starring alongside Phoenix in the hit movie are Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, and Brett Cullen.
There had been a lot of controversy surroundingJokerup to and after its release in theaters. This mostly concerned the movie’s violent and disturbing content with fears that it would inspiremass shootings or copycat killers. While nothing of the sort has happened at this time, the movie continues to take heat from those who feel releasing it was irresponsible. Even so, the majority of professional critics have praised Phillips' direction and the performance of Phoenix as the dastardly DC villain, with even some of its critics begrudgingly admittingJokershould be up for Academy Award consideration.
DC and Warner Bros.are undoubtedly very happy to see the success achieved byJoker. While many installments of the DCEU have underperformed both at the box office and with critics, things are going much better for the Clown Prince of Crime’s solo movie. The movie pulled in nearly $100 million domestically during its opening weekend, and those numbers will only continue to climb. The decision to establish an entirely new story completely separate from the DCEU was a wise one, as it allowed Phillips the creative control necessary to makeJokertruly stand on its own. The role is wildly different from any previous performance we’ve seen of the classic character and has already become one of the most appreciated, alongside names like Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger.
Jokeris now playing in theaters everywhere, so if you haven’t seen the movie yet, you may check it out on the big screen to see what the hype is all about. While the release has certainly generated a variety of opinions, the numbers suggest the majority of viewers are walking away very satisfied with the movie. You can see the full list of IMDb’s top-rated movies of all time over atIMDb.com.
