Batman, also known as the Dark Knight, laid his mark on Gotham City and struck fear across every criminal all over. There have been many foes that the caped crusader has fought, each of which has their own origins to tell. But one is an enigma as a result of his multiple-choice like nature. The Joker is not only Batman's arch-nemesis but also his antithesis. The Joaquin Phoenix version is one that has garnered plenty of favor with fans.
Joaquin Phoenix's performance in Joker shows the Clown Prince of Crime's origins in a world where Batman has yet to rise against him. While the film does take inspiration from multiple Batman comics, Joker doesn't strive to be comics accurate.
10 Accurate: Tragedy
When fans think about the Joker, they often think about his chaotic nature– all of this stemming from some sort of tragic backstory. Whether it is accidentally falling into chemicals or going mad when the world seems to turn against you, the Joker live is rooted in tragedy.
Joaquin Phoenix's version of the character is consistently beaten down, both physically and mentally, by everything that surrounds him– which results in his eventual insanity.
9 Not Accurate: No Chemicals Here
Unlike the comic Joker or certain film interpretations of the character, Joaquin Phoenix's Joker doesn't take an accidental dive into some chemicals. Rather, his character opts for clown makeup instead. The design itself is inspired by serial killer John Wayne Gacy. On top of that, he dyes his hair green and his overall design builds upon what the character's journey over the course of the film. It's far more freeform compared to the static clown look seen in his job.
8 Accurate: Insanity
A staple of the character, he wouldn't exactly be the Joker if he wasn't completely insane. Although the reasoning for his madness is a little different in Joaquin Phoenix's interpretation, there are still strong elements that remain with the character. These include his laughter, his imaginary girlfriend, and finally his acceptance of madness. In fact, it can be argued to be even more potent thanks to audiences seeing him slowly drift further and further down the rabbit hole.
7 Not Accurate: Medical Condition
Although the Joker laugh is one of the things that makes the character incredibly iconic, the origin behind it is completely new for the films. Unlike the comics where it is the result of the character's overgrowing insanity, here it is actually a medical condition that Arthur Fleck possesses. Over the course of the film, this nervous condition eventually becomes something that he completely embraces. Especially when he becomes the clown prince of crime.
6 Accurate: Connection To Batman
It wouldn't be the Joker without some form of connection to the Batman. Although the depiction of the Joker appears far earlier compared to the Batman– a point that will be explained further later– it is still shown in the movie that Arthur Fleck had some form of connection the Waynes. He went as far as interacting with a young Bruce Wayne and indirectly creating Batman as a result of his actions.
5 Not Accurate: Connection To The Waynes
The connection to the Waynes isn't that prevalent within the origins of the Joker. Although the Tim Burton Batman movie had it where the Joker actually killed Bruce Wayne's parents, the connection still wasn't as deep as this version's Joker. Here, viewers learn that Arthur Fleck's mom used to work for the Waynes but was later committed to Arkham and claimed that Arthur was a son of Thomas Wayne.
4 Accurate: Comedian
This is especially prevalent during the Alan Moore origin story of The Killing Joke, but in Joaquin Phoenix's interpretation of the character, he aspires to be a comedian. Just like his comic book counterpart, he isn't exactly the best at it. All the character ever wanted was to make people laugh, but instead they aspire to become chaotic terrors, which can be seen in both the comic books and the films.
3 Not Accurate: Suit Design
When most people see the Joker, there are some consistent hallmarks that make him a very recognizable character– his green hair, his bleached white skin, his devious smile and most importantly his purple suit. In order to make himself stand out from the other iterations, this version of the Joker is one of the more subtle yet radical changes. From the redder suit to the face paint, these design quirks allow him to become his very own Joker.
2 Accurate: Colorful Personality
Unlike Batman who is often considered to be a very stoic character, The Joker is an absolutely maniacal character who shows no remorse for anyone he kills– all for the sake of his sick sense of humor.
Although it's a little more subtle, with the change in character really not happening till the last few minutes of the movie, once Joaquin Phoenix embraces who he truly is, almost nothing can stop him.
1 Not Accurate: Time Of Origin
One of the more distinctive differences is actually the time frame of the character. It seems to be a common detail for the Joker to be older than Batman, but more often than not, Joker's creation was the result of a domino effect from Batman.
However, in the film, the opposite occurs as the Joker appears before Batman. In fact, Arthur Fleck became the Joker during Bruce Wayne's childhood. It's a radical yet interesting take on the Batman origin.