Okay, here is a detailed English introduction to the movie "Joker," focusing on its plot:
Plot Introduction to "Joker" (2019)
"Joker" is a 2019 psychological thriller film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Phillips and Scott Silver, with a screenplay based on the 1988 DC Comics character arc "The Killing Joke" by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. The film provides a radical reimagining of the character Arthur Fleck, the mentally unstable comedian who becomes the infamous Batman villain, the Joker.
The Setup: Arthur Fleck's World
The story is set in the dark and rain-soaked Gotham City in 1981. We are introduced to Arthur Fleck (played by Joaquin Phoenix), a talented but struggling stand-up comedian performing under the name "The Joker" at a small, disreputable club. He dreams of a big break but is constantly overshadowed and heckled by the city's elite, particularly the wealthy and influential Wayne Enterprises CEO, Thomas Wayne (Patricia Arquette), and his son, Bruce Wayne (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is secretly Batman.
Arthur suffers from severe physical pain due to a degenerative spinal condition, which is exacerbated by a faulty laughing gas machine used during a performance. This chronic pain, combined with deep-seated anger, anxiety, and social alienation, contributes significantly to his mental instability. He relies on his wife, Ghislaine (Zo? Kravitz), for support, and works as a freelance comedian and party clown ("Joey" the Joker) for the wealthy, which provides some income but also keeps him isolated.
The Inciting Incident: The Performance and the Incident
Arthur gets a chance to perform at a prestigious club, the 'Zoo,' managed by the ruthless and ambitious promoter纨绔子弟 (suānkù nǚdì aristocratic/privileged young man) Denham Hayes (Mark Ruffalo). He delivers a surprisingly poignant and dark comedy set focused on his pain and alienation, which resonates with the audience and catches the attention of a film producer.
However, after the show, a disastrous and violent incident occurs. Arthur is brutally beaten by a group of young men, including one possibly orchestrated by Thomas Wayne to silence or humiliate him. Crucially, during the beating, Arthur is exposed to the same faulty laughing gas he inhaled on stage. This experience triggers a catastrophic psychological breakdown.
Arthur's Transformation: From Comedian to Killer Clown
The film then shifts into a non-linear narrative, exploring the events leading up to and following this incident through a series of dark and often surreal flashbacks. We see Arthur's life before his career took off, his relationship with his mentally disabled brother, Daniel (Jared Leto), his complex interactions with Ghislaine, and the pervasive social and economic pressures of Gotham.
The faulty laughing gas acts as a catalyst, amplifying Arthur's latent instability and pushing him over the edge. He descends into madness, transforming into the Joker. This transformation is depicted through a series of violent and chaotic acts: a brutal attack on a wealthy patron during a party, a bombing at the Zoo club, and the murder of Thomas Wayne and his son Bruce in an alley.
The Aftermath and Consequences
In the present timeline, Arthur, now fully embracing his Joker persona, becomes a folk hero to the city's marginalized and forgotten citizens – the mentally ill, the poor, the outcasts. He uses elaborate pranks and violent acts to expose the hypocrisy and corruption he perceives in Gotham's elite. He becomes a symbol of rebellion and anarchy, albeit a terrifying one.
The film follows the investigation led by District Attorney Gil Colson (Robin Wright), who is determined to capture the Joker and dismantle the criminal underworld he has created. The narrative becomes a cat-and-mouse game between Colson and the increasingly unhinged Joker.
The Climax and Conclusion
The climax involves a multi-pronged confrontation between the Joker, Colson, and the Gotham Police Department, culminating in a chaotic and bloody shootout at a movie theater. The film reaches its shocking conclusion with a final, devastating act by the Joker that leaves the fate of several key characters, including Ghislaine, uncertain, and profoundly impacts the life of Bruce Wayne.
"Joker" ends on a bleak and ambiguous note, focusing on the psychological origins of the character and the societal factors that contribute to his emergence, rather than providing a traditional superhero resolution. It leaves Arthur Fleck's ultimate fate ambiguous, emphasizing the cyclical nature of violence and the potential for anyone to become a monster under the right (or wrong) circumstances.
In essence, "Joker" is a dark, character-driven exploration of mental illness, societal neglect, class divide, and the thin veneer of civilization, told through the story of one man's descent into chaos and criminality.