On the year 2015, I and many other DC fans were treated to the teaser trailer for Suicide Squad. In the teaser, we all saw a glimpse of the method actor, Jared Leto, a well-respected actor, and rock artist of the band, 30 Seconds To Mars as the most popular comic book villain, The Joker.
The reception of Jared's take on the character was mixed from the start, even before the teaser trailer. There was a photo revealed by David Ayer of how his version of Joker would be. His posture was that of the character's pose from "The Killing Joke" novel, neon green hair, red lips, metal capped teeth and a really bunch of tattoos (surprisingly shirtless). And like the teaser trailer reception was mixed.
As 2016 rolled around, more trailers, television spots, pictures, and posters were showing more of the characters including The Joker. The reception had got better around the second and third trailers when more showings of Joker was seen and even Jared and David Ayer, the director of the movie explained "The trick was to be respectful to the legacy of The Joker and not tamper with that, yet at the same time, reinvent The Joker."
And Jared talked about the role in a interview about the character saying "Logically, this role has been interpreted so beautifully." "But then there's the other side, what else can you uncover?" "What other parts to this story, to this life, what can you do that hasn't been done?"
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I feel that Jared's Joker is the black sheep that is looking and trying at getting that same feeling of living up to the character's essence and charisma. I have faith in Jared's ability to make The Joker as great as he can do like Ledger, Nicholson, Hamill, and Romero has in the past along with many others. He has all the time in the world to really get it up to the potential that I know he can reach. Now while his version of Joker is a modern gangster which I have no problem with, his look and act in my opinion looks like he can pull off the stuff that the comic book Joker has done such as "Death In The Family", "The Killing Joke", and even "Endgame." I know Jared Leto will do great and it's unfortunate that people want to write him off so quickly when there's so much more he can do because he is capable. He's not Romero, Nicholson, Hamill or Ledger but that's the point. Had he tried to do what they've done it wouldn't probably end well for him so having said that, the new look Joker has in the DCEU I believe fits well and will do fine. He's got this. If he didn't, WB, DCEU, Ayer, Snyder and/or whoever would've never chosen him. We have to give Jared our patience which will help him do even better. Now granted he had little screen time in Suicide Squad which was very unfortunate but not that he didn't leave me with the impression that he's not capable. Jared is very capable because his Joker is that a complete loose cannon and embodies an actual psychopath. I have my favorite scenes with Jared's Joker from Suicide Squad I wish to discuss.
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①. Club Scene with Joker, Harley and Monster T.
⦁ The Joker owning a night club is the last thing most people faithful to the lore would never expect. Surprisingly it's what we got but really, what's not surprising that Joker would own anything he builds in his image or for sake of personal entertainment (depending on which Joker people prefer). Seeing Joker sit there in his club with his cane in hand and eyes on Harley who dances for him as his only viewing pleasure was something I've never seen been explored with the two characters unless we're counting the novel titled "Joker." When Monster T tries to shake his hand, Frost informs him his boss doesn't do so and thus Joker only applying by his very will on his time. He still has his eyes on Harley as Monster tries perhaps to make a deal that revolved around money no doubt and it's only till Joker finally acknowledges him by questioning Monster's compliments towards him. I also love that shot of Joker putting his hand tattoo to his mouth which I personally put right up there with Luke Cage's Cottonmouth and his Biggie photo. Now while the scene isn't Jack Nicolson's or Heath Ledger's versions of their Joker meeting mob-like scenes, I'd still give it a chance. Monster T then brings his attention to Harley still dancing and looks directly at Monster, who calls Harley a "Bad Bitch", a compliment that Joker immediately took offense to if you could tell by the quick flash that symbolized him being triggered and actually jealous. The Joker being jealous was something I didn't even think possible and was such a crazy thing to see which intrigued me to no end. Then as Joker monologues Monster about Harley being "The fire in my loins" "The itch in my crotch" and then announcing her introduction theatrical style, Monster downs his last drinks as Harley makes her way over by the whistle of Mr. J. Joker offers Harley as a "gift" to Monster who he calls him "This handsome HUNKA, HUNKA!" That line made me laugh my ass off. I understand that people didn't like the line personally but let's be honest here, it's not the first time Joker's ever said something ridiculous and made it funny. Now I noticed on Harley's arm was watches which have me believing that something like this has happened in J's club before. They try to talk business, that person stares or makes a compliment about her and Joker doesn't like it to which he manipulates the situation to get his point across that Harley is his and "only" his. So as Harley sits on Monster's lap, playfully offering herself to him, but realizing that Joker was still there but didn't know that he and Harley played him. He tries to ensure Joker that there's no beef between them to which Joker mocks Monster by repeating "You don't want no beef?" over and over. Monster still trying to make peace as Joker sits near Monster, got him trapped until Monster respectfully ensures him "That's your lady, Joker." And Joker reminds of that by putting a bullet in his head, killing him. Seeing the Joker, even being clearly modernized still have the power of manipulation and fearful aura about him was cool. I know also people felt that Joker was "cringe" and he came off as a cuck, but the cuck thing is far from the case. Joker made it very clear that only Harley was his girl. He only "offered" her to Monster because it's a game that both Joker and Harley have played before with two other nameless victims.
①. The Joker interrogates Griggs.
⦁ Another scene I loved even though it didn't, unfortunately, include the lines of "We're gonna have so much fun together" and more importantly "I can't wait to show you my toys" which was possibly my only gripe but that's it. Joker wants to find his queen for he feels, perhaps for the first time in his life completely lost without her. Now sure, he could've had another girl but Harley is pretty much is one and only equal when it comes to crazy. He buys off the debt of Griggs, the head guard of the black site prison, Belle Reve and who antagonized Harley since the beginning of the film. As Griggs is in the kitchen wondering what the hell is happening, he now feels Joker's presence and is very quickly scared to death. And I think the men that Joker made a deal to buy Grigg's debt were also scared considering as J entered the kitchen, the other men couldn't even stop at the very least flinch as Joker intimidates Griggs who's forced to kiss Joker's finger ring and have the unfortunate pleasure of Joker messing with his personal space by sitting on his lap, clearly on a path to make Griggs spill his guts out. This again just shows how powerful and snake-like his swagger can change people's way of thinking, and for the worse thus making them terrified of him.
①. The Joker rescues Harley.
⦁ After the Squad find out that Amanda Waller, the puppet master in their fates is the one who they had to rescue, the chopper that was meant to escort her to safety was jacked by Joker and Frost. Frost with a mini-gun and Joker dressed in his tuxedo with a golden AK-47 proceeded to take out the only remaining members of Waller's project except, of course, Harley. As J gives her the signal, risking the possibility of getting her head blown off, to which we found out earlier that when beginning his pursuit of his beloved siren, he crashed the Wayne lab that made the nanite bomb and kidnaps Dr. Van Criss right after injecting him with the same device and holding his hostage, thus also forces him to join Joker and Frost in the chopper. After the bomb is disarmed and Harley jumps for the rope hanging from the plane, she is finally reunited with her puddin as she throws herself into his arms with a passionate kiss, Joker tells her that he'd do anything for her, thus solidifying that he does love her. Even if fans aren't totally keen on the idea that he cares for her, to see a different side of the usual lore of their toxic relationship was something else to be interested in. The plane is then shot by a missile ordered by Waller, killing Frost, Van Criss and Panda Man from what I saw in slow motion from the scene. Joker and Harley attempt to jump, but the front of the plane explodes and Joker and Harley let go of each other's hands with Joker falling back into the crash-landing plane and Harley falling out to what seemed like her coming death as Joker screams for her but she survives the fall, leaving Harley alone again as the plane crashes supposedly killing J. Another great scene. Seeing Joker shooting with the AK and in his trademark suit was like watching Scarface again.
①. Honorable Mention: The Chemical Wedding Scene.
⦁ This I'm pretty sure is I guess mostly everyone's favorite scene and I can say understandable. It's the very moment that made Harleen into Harley Quinn. Joker asks her would she die and live for him to which she responded yes to. Joker warned her to be careful about thoughtlessly saying something without conviction to which he puts his tattooed hand up to her mouth and says perhaps maybe my favorite line from the movie. "Desire becomes surrender, surrender becomes power." And it fits. Harleen desired to show her love and be with J forever, thus surrendering herself to his "idea" and "state of mind". And wanting the power along with it which is how they became the king and queen of Gotham City. I also like the little bottom lip flick Joker did. :) Unlike in the comics, Harleen in the movie gave herself to jump in the chemicals below to be forever linked to Joker. J was about to leave her to possibly die, but stopping for a few seconds and having a moment of perhaps his soul pulling him in to jump in after her. He fearlessly makes the jump and saves her, bringing her breath back with a kiss waking her up as she smiles and they kiss again bonding them and both laugh together.
Well, those are my favorite Joker scenes from Suicide Squad. Some would argue there wasn't much which is true because a lot of his scenes were cut from the final product but still. Another thing I wanted to touch on was the growling and snarling Joker did in the movie. To me, it adds to him like the lip licking and smacking did for Ledger's Joker. Just the little things that add a dynamic to a character.
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Unfortunately, Jared's Joker has also made extreme criticisms due to the look and everything else. Some have said he's cringe. Some have said he looks like a Juggalo whatever the hell that is. That he's a Hollywood Hot Topic version but the two worse ones are that he sounded like Jim Carrey and that he's not the real Joker. That he was just some drug addict pretending and fronting as Joker. Half of many people called for the role of Joker to be recasted. He's even been called a disgrace to the character which is so bullshit. Had Jared tried to be like Nicholson's or Ledger's Joker people would get pissed off and so now because they went something completely different and rightfully so, they still got pissed off. Now fans that didn't like his version try to write this off as if it's the absolute worse when he has yet to harness and show his true deep potential as The Joker and quite frankly it's unfair.
There's so much Jared Leto can do and he'll have the chance to do so once again. Now that he's reprising the role of Joker in Suicide Squad 2, Gotham City Sirens and now a Joker/Harley spin-off movie, and Jared recently addressed the reports of whether or not he was leaving the DCEU and others were completely debunked, (Thank God) the future looks bright for him. I personally cannot wait with how he'll make fans anticipating his return and piss off those who wanted him gone. Either way, Jared while sure has a lot to live up to, he'll make the most of it and I know he wouldn't let go of a great role like this. All we can do now is patiently wait and see where he goes from here and there.
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I started this in February on the 18th. Finally glad I finished it and such! Still trying to get my stories together you guys! Just wanted to get this out there in continuing to advocate for Jared Leto's Joker. Still going through writer's block for right now so again, I'll keep fans posted! :)