Never judge a book by its cover! I was seriously not interested in that movie after watching some clowns roaming about in the trailer - I'm getting tired of the redundant Purge movies' characters, you know ; and I'm not enjoying the new trend of blurring the lines between good and evil (e.g. Maleficent, 2019). I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when some friends opted for watching it, and I was baffled!
The movie was nothing I had expected it to be. It is actually what a Joker backstory should be like. It is believable, intriguing and down to earth. It is really what you can call an adaptation. Todd Phillips manages to make you feel the darkness in Gotham and how it roves through the city in search of the next victim. The whole Batman universe is thus successfully explained. And Joaquin Phoenix is perfect in the role of the Joker.
This movie is not really for the usual Batman fan in search of fantasy, fight scenes and high-tech accessories, but for the pragmatic moviegoers who can enjoy watching a masterpiece just like others enjoy French cuisine in a 5-starred restaurant - I'm not kidding! Great job!