Scott Rzesa

Exceptional Korean movie. Watch the original subtitled version. Don't argue lol. You'll need time to watch this as its very long but well worth the ride, and the suspense builds throughout. This is definitely not your typical serial killer flick and it has plot lines layers thick. It grips you from the opening minutes right to the final gut wrenching seconds. This is a seriously excellent flick with some exceptional acting that you just don't find in most Asian films.

I saw this on Broadway in the early 90s and it' was magical in the theater. But unlike Les Miserables, which i also saw on Broadway in the early nineties, which was an amazing movie because it used amazing ACTORS who could also sing, this adaptation is pure alley cat garbage. Note to directors: stop using pop stars who are clueless as actors in your films. Not even piles of makeup could hide the horror of these performances. 1/2💥

If you expect the usual obvious rendition of the Batman nemesis then you probably should avoid this film. This is a much darker, much more dedicated depiction of the creation of a madman based on a society that has stripped way his humanity layer by layer until all that is left is a monster. There are enough smart references and homages to the original comic genre that knowledgeable fans will recognize to keep skepticism at arms length. But don't expect to be put back into that comic book box. This is much more of a complete character study of a man so completely dehumanized that his reimagined form as a villain is the only plausible result. It deftly explains the destruction of a human being and the birth of the Joker. And we are forced to accept and understand it. The result is not only compelling but magnificent. Phoenix will certainly get the Oscar nod. Brilliant.