Jared Leto IS The Joker - - - - - Part 14

[TheVileOne]

But I mean if they shot all these extra Joker scenes, what did they have to do with the plot?

As it is, Joker's not really connected to what's going on in this film. It's not really a Joker story.

Was there going to be something like with Assault on Arkham where he becomes a significant part of the climax?

 

[Wildcard]

I hope we get a chance to find out what's going on in those scenes. With Joker being such a huge selling point, I still can't fathom why they cut out so much. I wasn't ever expecting him to have the bulk of the screen time but still...

 

[Raphi]

I couldn't even get a feel for Leto's Joker because he had so little screentime. Crushing disappointment, if I'm honest. I really feel like I barely saw anything. I couldn't even tell you whether Leto was good or not.

I knew this was never really going to be a Joker story, but it just blows my mind that he's in it significantly less than what I was already expecting, especially when they know they had a lot of live up to after Ledger.

 

[AnneFan]

All I can think of, is that they'll try and sell an extended cut of the film with more Joker scenes.

I wish they just put everything in the movie to begin with.

 

[Wildcard]

All I can think of, is that they'll try and sell an extended cut of the film with more Joker scenes.

I wish they just put everything in the movie to begin with.

My thoughts exactly. But WB doesn't seem to care for taking logical actions.

 

[nogster]

I couldn't even get a feel for Leto's Joker because he had s zso little screentime. Crushing disappointment, if I'm honest. I really feel like I barely saw anything. I couldn't even tell you whether Leto was good or not.

I knew this was never really going to be a Joker story, but it just blows my mind that he's in it significantly less than what I was already expecting, especially when they know they had a lot of live up to after Ledger.

Totally agree. Too little screentime or scenes to even judge his performance. I hated how they tell the Harley Quinn origin. 2 scenes a couple of seconds long is all you get. There is one awesome shot for comic book fans though. There should of been a Joker, Harley movie showing how they got together and became menaces to Gotham instead of shoehorning it into this movie.

 

[King23DC]

I think in trying so hard to be different they went too far. The tattoos and chrome mouth are just too off-the-wall and outlandish for The Joker. It's a different visual take, but I just can't for the life of me ever imagine The Joker sitting down to get those tattoos. I feel like he would sooner shoot a tattoo artist then get his body all inked up for that amount of time.

Now granted, Ledger's Joker was also a bit different too. They gave him the messy makeup and the scars on his face. Some people weren't into that at first, but it ended up working. I think OK, Joker having a bit of scarred face for that crooked smile sort of works. Having muddy makeup kind of works.

But then again, Ledger's Joker is not one who was "created" by Batman. No chemical plant accident. No bleached skin. It's just makeup. They did deconstruct his Joker a lot. But at least they sort of got that psychosis down.

Leto's Joker doesn't have much psychosis at all.

Actually the Batman did create Ledger's Joker. The taste for the theatrical at the end of Batman Begins and into The Dark Knight.

"You changed things" ... he inspired the Joker as the organic counter point from the underworld to Batman's presence. That's worse than merely frightening a thug into falling into a vat of chemicals.

This is all in the movie. Both in dialogue and actions. Joker takes on the appearance of a clown to "scare people, you know like war paint"

Nolan's idea for the Joker visually makes more sense than the comic. It's also more frightening. The Glasgow smile the character was actually based on. Retains the quirky custom purple suit. Clown socks. Classic white face, black eyes, green hair and red smeared lips.

And he made his Joker into his purest form a true anarchist. A random act of insanity. Not someone who is vein, and fashionable. But a dirty demon who seemingly rose from the streets to counter Batman. He's dirty, nihilistic and doesn't care. Yellow teeth, unkempt and gritty.

Just way more frightening. Even his voice. Once second light and playful, the next utterly insane. He's easily the best Joker ever. Even managed to put Nicholson and Hamill to shame.

 

[TheVileOne]

I understand your reverence for Nolan and Ledger King23DC. However, when I mean create, I mean create in the literal sense as in dropping him into the vat of chemicals that permanently bleached his skin.

 

[DeadStroke]

Harry Knowles on Leto's Joker. I guess some slight spoilers.

JOKER (Jared Leto) – You haven’t seen Jared Leto’s Joker in any previous adaptation of the character to film. This isn’t Caesar Romero, this isn’t Jack Nicholson, this isn’t Mark Hamill, this isn’t Heath Ledger… it’s Jared Leto’s… and Jared Leto, from accounts I’ve heard, but would never repeat in their entirety… is a bit unhinged. That’s ideal for Mister J. If you only know Joker from Cartoons… if you only know the Joker from his bachelor cinematic identity… you don’t know the Joker. The Joker here is more like the impression I get of the Joker when looking at Bill Sienkiewicz’s water color paintings and abstract inks of the Joker. Madness in brief. The Joker here feels like Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein Monster… only he doesn’t need Victor to make a bride for him, he’ll do it himself. As he transforms her, he finally feels complete in his own fractured sense of madness. He wants her… needs her… Harley feels less needy. Harley is able to function just fine in her cage, with the Squad, in the midst of combat, watching the world burn. Harley is in her element at all times. The Joker wants her back and she does miss her Mr. J and wants to be reunited, but I never get the idea she’s counting the seconds or particularly missing him, until she thinks he’s gone. This Joker and this Harley Quinn could carry 30 movies. The peek at domestic bliss between Joker & Harley that the Enchantress gives Harley is a drug so powerful it sways her. A dream undreamt, but once seen… never forgot. One thing I can say with absolute certainty, no DC Fanboy will be satiated with what we’re given of the Joker in this film. The trailers try to give you the idea that the SUICIDE SQUAD is taking on JOKER – if only that were the case. I wish

 

[harlequinade]

Harry Knowles on Leto's Joker. I guess some slight spoilers.

Damn what a fantastic write up! hopefully WB realize the potential of this Joker and Harley. Love his point of them being able to carry 30 movies

 

[weezerspider]

I liked Leto's Joker enough considering the little screentime he has. I thought he was the best part. The film was pretty meh.

 

[idiot09]

My friend who saw the movie today said everytime Leto was on screen "he made my skin craw"..even Campea said that this Joker is very unhinged/dangerous.

So excited for Leto's take

 

[Artorias]

Well I really enjoyed him in what little screen time he had, his scenes with Harley were some of the highlights of the film for me. I can't wait to see what sort of chaos these two get up to in the future.

I'm just not sure why they cut so much of his stuff, there was one in shot in particular in the trailers I was really looking forward to seeing but it wasn't in the movie.

 

[harlequinade]

Well I really enjoyed him in what little screen time he had, his scenes with Harley were some of the highlights of the film for me. I can't wait to see what sort of chaos these two get up to in the future.

I'm just not sure why they cut so much of his stuff, there was one in shot in particular in the trailers I was really looking forward to seeing but it wasn't in the movie.

Bye-bye shot?

 

[Artorias]

Bye-bye shot?

Are we allowed to post spoilers?

Anyway this Joker most reminded me of Grant Morrison's in All Star Batman or Azzarello's Joker graphics novel, just when you think he is grounded in reality he shows his psychotic edge, that madness hiding just beneath.

I think the biggest problem is the lack of a WOW moment, you keep waiting and waiting for it, that big crazy Joker moment and it never really comes. In that way it's more of a storytelling problem (why he isn't the main villain we'll never know) and his very limited screen time.

 

[tek]

a poorly written character as Leto has no scary or intimidating moments. I would argue he doesnt even wear the pants in the relationship. The movie hardly puts any work into the origin of their relationship. My most memorable moments of this Joker is the cringe inducing moments of diving into the vat with absurd soundtrack playing and when he rescues Harley at the end in disguise but with Joker in huge letters on his jacket. He would have been better off not appearing as he has damaged his reputation, ironic given his forehead tattoo

 

[King23DC]

I understand your reverence for Nolan and Ledger King23DC. However, when I mean create, I mean create in the literal sense as in dropping him into the vat of chemicals that permanently bleached his skin.

Batman doesn't do that to him in the comics. He just unintentionally scares him and the red hood falls. Nolan's version is a massive improvement because it more effectively preys on the idea the Batman is inciting and escalating crime.

 

[Karelia]

So many conflicting opinions on this portrayal though.

I'll be seeing it tonight. Hoping for the best. The Joker is my favorite comic book character/villain (mainly because of B:TAS version.) Sucks to hear a few Joker scenes got cut. I guess I'll just hope the Blu Ray release has the deleted scenes or they release an UC like BVS did.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

I saw the film last night and though he was underutilized I really enjoyed Leto's Joker. He's one of the only things about the film I can say that I really liked.

 

[The Joker]

Are we allowed to post spoilers?

Sure. Just put them in spoiler tags.

a poorly written character as Leto has no scary or intimidating moments. I would argue he doesnt even wear the pants in the relationship. The movie hardly puts any work into the origin of their relationship. My most memorable moments of this Joker is the cringe inducing moments of diving into the vat with absurd soundtrack playing and when he rescues Harley at the end in disguise but with Joker in huge letters on his jacket. He would have been better off not appearing as he has damaged his reputation, ironic given his forehead tattoo

Based on all the feedback I've heard about his characterization, and the relationship with Harley, it sounds like Ayer completely missed the point of the character and his relationship with Harley.

Honestly it sounds dreadful.

 

[Lone]

Leto's Joker was just a tease/taste. They're totally saving him for the solo Batman movie.

 

[Rowsdower!]

If most of his scenes were cut, I feel that's a huge problem. Maybe this Joker really is awful, I don't know, but I feel like if you have the Joker in a movie, you need to f***ing USE him. It sounds like WB got cold feet in post-production and thought, "OMG he's nothing like Heath Ledger... better minimize him." And I don't know... maybe his performance was disastrous. But given the character's popularity and how much they featured him in the marketing, it feels like misstep to limit him. Yeah, it's not "his" movie, but you don't put the Joker in a film and reduce him to a cameo.

 

[miltonh]

If most of his scenes were cut, I feel that's a huge problem. Maybe this Joker really is awful, I don't know, but I feel like if you have the Joker in a movie, you need to f***ing USE him. It sounds like WB got cold feet in post-production and thought, "OMG he's nothing like Heath Ledger... better minimize him." And I don't know... maybe his performance was disastrous. But given the character's popularity and how much they featured him in the marketing, it feels like misstep to limit him. Yeah, it's not "his" movie, but you don't put the Joker in a film and reduce him to a cameo.

Honestly that's what I was thinking - that WB didn't like his performance and decided to show as little as possible.

 

[Greens]

From what I've read, they weren't worried about Leto's performance. Test audiences didn't respond well to Joker's antics in the film, i.e. too abusive and over the line.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Honestly that's what I was thinking - that WB didn't like his performance and decided to show as little as possible.

Yeah, that's how it sounds. And after reading what Harry said, it sounds like their fears may have been misguided. I'm interested to see what Leto did in the role.