Batman’s arch-rival Joker has become one of the most recurring villains in cinema, appearing in several films and portrayed by many talented actors. While many portrayals have been well received, Jared Leto’s version of the character was quite polarizing. Thankfully, some DCEU fans are ready to defend his performance.
In a Reddit discussion, fans shared their thoughts on “one of the most polarizing portrayals of The Joker,” and there were a surprising number of positive reviews.
One of the earlier comments stated that Leto’s Joker wasn’t given a chance to shine, and would have been better received if the character had been present in earlier standalone Batman films featuring Ben Affleck.
Several changes were made to the character’s appearance and personality, as he sported several tattoos and adopted a gangster persona. Unfortunately, his screen time in Suicide Squad was limited to less than 10 minutes, which made it difficult for fans to get into the nitty gritty of his character.
Some comments called for an Ayer Cut of the original Suicide Squad film, especially in the wake of Zack Snyder’s cut of Justice League fleshing out the story for fans who couldn’t wrap their heads around the earlier release.
Naturally, while there are comments in support of Leto’s Joker, there are still a couple of fans who remain strong in their opinion that he was the worst, especially in comparison to the performances of Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix, both of which snagged Academy Awards.