Some more thoughts on the film:
Loved the cinematography, Gotham felt like a real city you felt like you were there. The score was also fantastic as well as all the song choices. I also really felt the Wayne's death scene, it's probably the best one ever on screen. The chaos surrounding the theatre and the panic really helped create this claustrophobic feeling. Clearly this film took inspiration from Taxi Driver, but it also took notes from Killing Joke, The Dark Knight Returns, Year One and for me V for Vendetta. I think watching this movie and V for Vendetta back to back would be a great double header.
Does this film cause you to sympathize with Joker too much? I would say no more than Ledgers Joker in The Dark Knight. With Joker what makes him such a compelling character is that he hast he ability in one scene to make you laugh but in the next cause you sheer terror. With Ledger he made us laugh with a magic trick which drove a pencil through a mans eye, then scared us when he was interrogating the fake Batman in that shaky cam video and then make us laugh again when he dressed as the nurse. With this version of Joker he walks that line again and in one scene he is able to brutally kill a man with scissors and in the same scene he plays with the other clown with his fake out like he's going to get him and make us laugh.
Also Phoenix's transformation from meek Fleck to confident and strong Joker was also great. He should win the Oscar for best actor.
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