The Jared Leto is The Joker(?) Thread

[Luke234]

I still think it's stupid we didn't get a Robin flashback in Suicide Squad. I would've reworked that entire storyline. Enchantress was a mistake. Joker should have been the primary villain. The whole movie would've been better if they adapted "Batman: Assault on Arkham" word for word

But yeah a flashback like that is an absolute must for the DCEU. It's too iconic to pass up

Joker the primary villain, yes. I loved MOS and BVS but I was like "whoa that wasn't good ." " Wow." coming out of SS.
But I know a couple people who liked it so to each his own.
I totally agree though. The Joker should have been the primary villain. Leto is really, really good in my opinion. I wouldn't lose hope with the Joker JUST yet.

 

[Wildcard]

I'm seeing now that even if Ayer had done so, there's no way of really knowing if he would've came up with a truly competent story for Joker. What Leto needs is to not ever be under the direction of David Ayer again.

 

[wnjcwjkk]

I'm seeing now that even if Ayer had done so, there's no way of really knowing if he would've came up with a truly competent story for Joker. What Leto needs is to not ever be under the direction of David Ayer again.

Yeah, it might have actually been a good thing we didn't get very much Joker in the film, less opportunity to irredeemably botch the character. As it stands, it was pretty bad, but there's still a chance that we can get a good Joker eventually. Leto needs to tone down the 90's Jim Carrey impression a LOT. I'm surprised he didn't say "SSSSSMOKIN", but "HUNKA HUNKA" was just as bad.


The "really REALLY bad" scene from the trailer was pretty good Joker. Frightening, psychotic, manic, jittery, and he had a look in his eyes like he is really getting a kick out of what he's doing. And the scene in Hulk's avatar above my post. Kind of based on the classic James Cagney goin down in flames gangster scene. And the "I can't wait to show you my toys!" line looked good, a little nod to Nicholson's "Where does he get these wonderful toys?" line. When I saw those quick clips in the original trailers, I had pretty high hopes for Leto

 

[The Joker]

It's about quality not quantity. What we got was bad enough to turn fans off the character. It has to be pretty bad for CB fans to dislike the Joker.

 

[Slade W]

It's about quality not quantity. What we got was bad enough to turn fans off the character. It has to be pretty bad for CB fans to dislike the Joker.

I haven't seen the movie, but from what I have heard of Rogue One

Spoiler

that is how you use an iconic villain in a more limited role, especially the scene at the end.

If it was as good as plenty of people are saying, it puts SS and its use of Letoker to shame.

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

I haven't seen the movie, but from what I have heard of Rogue One

Spoiler

that is how you use an iconic villain in a more limited role, especially the scene at the end.

If it was as good as plenty of people are saying, it puts SS and its use of Letoker to shame.

Vader in Rogue One proves that the most common defence of Letoker (he didn't make a great impression because he had little screentime and wasn't the main villain of the movie) is BS.

 

[DeadStroke]

Yeah, it might have actually been a good thing we didn't get very much Joker in the film, less opportunity to irredeemably botch the character. As it stands, it was pretty bad, but there's still a chance that we can get a good Joker eventually. Leto needs to tone down the 90's Jim Carrey impression a LOT. I'm surprised he didn't say "SSSSSMOKIN", but "HUNKA HUNKA" was just as bad.


The "really REALLY bad" scene from the trailer was pretty good Joker. Frightening, psychotic, manic, jittery, and he had a look in his eyes like he is really getting a kick out of what he's doing. And the scene in Hulk's avatar above my post. Kind of based on the classic James Cagney goin down in flames gangster scene. And the "I can't wait to show you my toys!" line looked good, a little nod to Nicholson's "Where does he get these wonderful toys?" line. When I saw those quick clips in the original trailers, I had pretty high hopes for Leto

I liked the performance, but I swear it does seem like they chose the lesser takes.

Its also weird how seems more charismatic in the behind the scenes stuff than the actual film.

Its also weird that he seemed more intimidating in a Rick Ross video

 

[Greens]

Vader in Rogue One proves that the most common defence of Letoker (he didn't make a great impression because he had little screentime and wasn't the main villain of the movie) is BS.

We all expected the Arkham break-out to be the equivalent to what Vader did in Rogue One. Hell, the helicopter scene could have been a second shot at that.

The most frustrating thing about SS as a movie is not the end result, but how EASY it is to think of ways they could have done it better. If we can sit on this forum and cook up a better film, what the **** were they doing at WB? Make Joker the main villain, have him ****ing rampage through Arkham. Show off the facility, have Joker go from his cell to the place where he tortures Harleen. On his way he shoots up the place, releases a bunch of crazies, laughs his ass off. The potential for Joker porn, as Rogue One was Vader porn, was there.

 

[Rodrigo90]

It's about quality not quantity. What we got was bad enough to turn fans off the character. It has to be pretty bad for CB fans to dislike the Joker.

Heath could've appeared in just the bank heist scene and no more of TDK and would've still been considered a better Joker than Jared.

And I would put that down to him not sounding like Jim Carrey in certain scenes...

 

[Micromind]

I think Ayer did not want Joker to steal the show from Harley and Deadshot so Joker was not given much importance in the script and the movie however both Ayer and WB wanted Joker's name to market the movie, and let's face it without Joker this movie would have earned much less.

Joker was not the antagonist in this movie, which he should have been had they given some thought about the story.

My bigger gripe is that Ayer allowed Leto to give an over the top performance coupled with horribly written dialogue.

 

[Greens]

I think Ayer did not want Joker to steal the show from Harley and Deadshot so Joker was not given much importance in the script and the movie however both Ayer and WB wanted Joker's name to market the movie, and let's face it without Joker this movie would have earned much less.

Joker was not the antagonist in this movie, which he should have been had they given some thought about the story.

My bigger gripe is that Ayer allowed Leto to give an over the top performance coupled with horribly written dialogue.

They could definitely have done much more with the screen time they gave Leto. As Slade said, Vader makes a hell of an impression in Rogue One and he only has about 4 minutes of screen time. You just have to make those minutes worth it.

 

[Wildcard]

I liked the performance, but I swear it does seem like they chose the lesser takes.

Its also weird how seems more charismatic in the behind the scenes stuff than the actual film.

Its also weird that he seemed more intimidating in a Rick Ross video

Because his performance got chopped up to no end and when they did add in more, it was no more than 2:30 of material that didn't substantially add to what was already there.

There's a lot of charisma in Jared's Joker, we just don't get to see all of it because of garbage editing.

 

[Matt.S99]

While I didn't particularly care for the Joker in SS, I wouldn't recast him. Leto is a good actor, he just needs something better to work with and better direction.

 

[Wildcard]

^ Bingo.

What Leto needs is a Joker-centric movie to explore the history between him and Batman. Would give (some) people what they want in getting to see that classic Joker look while not having to unnecessarily redesign him.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

There's a lot of charisma in Jared's Joker, we just don't get to see all of it because of garbage editing.

If we didn't get to see it, how do you know he's actually charismatic in the role?

 

[Wildcard]

Because everybody sees differently, maybe? Maybe he saw charisma where you didn't?

 

[Tacit Ronin]

But your premise is that we didn't see it. It was cut. So how did you see charisma where there is nothing to see?

 

[Wildcard]

But your premise is that we didn't see it. It was cut. So how did you see charisma where there is nothing to see?

No, no. I didn't say all of his charismatic scenes were cut, just that too much of his material was cut to really let his performance/scenes flow properly (i.e getting the full Arkham scene, for instance) and that he seemed to exude a lot of charisma BTS as well that Ayer failed to capture via his writing and overall direction.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

I don't count backstage antics as serious evidence for anything. A whole nother ball game when the cameras are on you.

And I don't buy the whole chopped up theory. The whole film suffers from it. Didn't stop Margot, Davis and Will from giving solid turns.

 

[Boom]

.... Um, what exactly is so charismatic about his behind-the-scenes footage? It literally just looks like a guy working through his progressions with the director.

 

[Auteur]

He was so charismatic...in the gag reel!!11! Lol.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

.... Um, what exactly is so charismatic about his behind-the-scenes footage? It literally just looks like a guy working through his progressions with his director.

But....but..are we assessing it objectively? (Snickers...)

 

[Wildcard]

But....but..are we assessing it objectively? (Snickers...)

Ooooh, you're just so damn witty for that one.

(Dense)

 

[culver3vlr22]

And I don't buy the whole chopped up theory. The whole film suffers from it. Didn't stop Viola Davis from giving solid turns.

Fixed that for you.

 

[shauner111]

Margot was great with what she had to work with. I've heard people say that Will Smith was just ...Will Smith. But i felt like he had that old Will charisma in Suicide Squad. Everyone had crap to work with, yet the standouts were Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn , Amanda Waller and Deadshot. Waller had the worst of it too.

Leto certainly has charisma, as Joker. He is not dull. The problem is that his performance is too over the top. In order for him to tone his antics down, he needs better direction. Ben Affleck is a better director than David Ayer, and i can see Jared showing Ben a little more respect. Not that he was disrespecting Ayer, but i think Jared knows the difference between the two and would want to make sure they get it right this time. On the other hand, Leto was responsible for creating all of those over the top antics. Ayer just pushed him further by letting him go for it. I can see Affleck showing more discipline with Jared.

Heath experimented and i'm sure a large amount of his experiments didn't make it past his apartment. Nolan also filtered through each take, where Ledger probably went crazy. Doesn't it feel like Leto was given too much freedom?

Obviously it helps to have better dialogue, characterization and a good look for the Joker. Ben can't undo everything. But it's a collaboration and things can improve with Letoker.