There. I described the movie in one word – explosive. But that’s not all, this movie is a tribute to anyone who has attempted to bring this character to life, come close to showcasing the madness, and has brought the character on paper. This movie is a montage.

Taxi Driver. The killing joke. The king of comedy. American psycho. The machinist. The dark knight. And many more.

I saw this movie on 2nd October. I sat on my seat barely 30 seconds before the movie started. The movie did not have an opening credits scene. It plunged the audience into the make believe world of Arthur Fleck, who is painting his face.

The name of the movie is, in itself, a giveaway. You’re not expecting a fairy tale. You know you’re expecting a gut wrenching, mind boggling, spine chilling, quasi emotional tale of a guy descending into madness. The movie delivers, and then some. The long and high staircase is reminiscent of Arthur trying to maintain his sanity, climbing the steps one at a time.

He gets beaten, he is ostracized, he is tempted, he is shattered, he is abused, he is lost and he is found.

Not giving away any spoilers, I’ll say this – watch the movie with an open mind, because this movie is not faithful to the material. This movie is a standalone origins movie of an antagonist who juxtaposes the character of Bruce Wayne.

The background score is a powerful reminder of The Dark Knight and The Game of Shadows. The scene would have a lesser impact if the background music wasn’t there. The cinematography is real, as if it is being told from the eyes of a toddler. The movie doesn’t shy away from matricide, homicide or a riot.

As I woke up today, I saw at least 20 of my contacts having posted about watching the movie. When I watched the movie, the audience was silent – eerily silent. They were immersed in the movie. Except for the iconic scenes, the audience didn’t dare munch a pop corn, lest they should make a noise.

The ending followed a standing ovation from the audience.

I wondered if the claims were true, that this movie will justify madness, incite incel violence, and chaos. It doesn’t. No matter what Arthur does, no matter what he goes through, you sympathize but don’t empathize. You know he’s digging a deeper hole to bury himself. He’s waiting to be recognized. He believes that he is not visible to the world, that an act of homicide makes him believe that he exists. A patient of delusional psychosis himself, he doesn’t shy away from admitting that he needs help.

Even as he is an elevator with a mental patient who can’t hold himself. The patient is seen struggling to be unchained, to be unleashed. We see what Arthur is feeling from within. He is struggling to let himself loose.

He believed that his life was a tragedy, but alas, his life was a comedy.

And then, he walks off. As he takes each step, you notice that his footprints are visible on the white vinyl floor. They are marked by blood. He walks non chalantly, leaving enough clues, and reaches a crescendo when he feels his heart filled with joy. This is who he is.

His mother told him that he’s here to spread joy and laughter in this cold, dark world.