I truly felt that Ledger had not played "the Joker" - the comic book character, the villain, Batman's nemesis - he had invented a new character who was a shrewd, brilliant, and completely unstoppable maniac who was simply known as the Joker. He was a force of nature. As Alfred notes, he "wants to see the world burn" - not because he hates it or is vindictive, that it is somehow flawed, or deserving of punishment. Simply because there's nothing better on television at the time.
No!
Ledger was good, I'll give you that, but the things you are crediting him with, actually go to the writer. Everything I like about this Joker came from the writing. His utter fearlessness, his great quotes, his psychology all come from Chris and Nathan Nolan.
Heath did come up with some great tics, and I totally bought him as the Joker, but that is what they were tics and tricks. I would love to see what another Oscar caliber actor would do with this part. Such a good villain. (Though if you ask me Scarecrow was behind this some how. Joker says he's not a planner but if not he was pretty damn prepared for the Just In Case.)
A good villain because, this isn't someone who snapped because there was nothing on TV, this was someone who ate the shit the world served him for too long. The lies of this is how it's supposed to be.
Maybe the realization that justice is for those that can pay for it, that people under the boot of order need an escape that when a champion comes forward another force needs to balance it out. But something caused him to snap into action, moving him to take that next step and it wasn't the lack of TV choices.
Something hinted at in that self inflicted smile, a way to remove himself from society. That there would be no way he could lose his guts and try to bury his head again. Society would always see him on the outside how he felt on the inside, as an outsider.
Maybe he wants to burn the world, not because he hates the world or is vindictive but because it is his duty. If he doesn't stand, no one else will. A necessary opposition to the order. A emissary of Discordia.
I am still not sure, but that is what makes this such a good movie. I am examining a character for motivation, expecting it to move under the microscope like a real person might.
My favorite part of the "Some people just want to see the world burn." story is where Alfred and his cronies burn down the forest to catch the thief. It makes you wonder who really wants to see the world burn? Or the lengths that order will go to see chaos wiped out.
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Date: 2008-07-27 07:55 am (UTC)No!
Ledger was good, I'll give you that, but the things you are crediting him with, actually go to the writer. Everything I like about this Joker came from the writing. His utter fearlessness, his great quotes, his psychology all come from Chris and Nathan Nolan.
Heath did come up with some great tics, and I totally bought him as the Joker, but that is what they were tics and tricks. I would love to see what another Oscar caliber actor would do with this part. Such a good villain. (Though if you ask me Scarecrow was behind this some how. Joker says he's not a planner but if not he was pretty damn prepared for the Just In Case.)
A good villain because, this isn't someone who snapped because there was nothing on TV, this was someone who ate the shit the world served him for too long. The lies of this is how it's supposed to be.
Maybe the realization that justice is for those that can pay for it, that people under the boot of order need an escape that when a champion comes forward another force needs to balance it out.
But something caused him to snap into action, moving him to take that next step and it wasn't the lack of TV choices.
Something hinted at in that self inflicted smile, a way to remove himself from society. That there would be no way he could lose his guts and try to bury his head again. Society would always see him on the outside how he felt on the inside, as an outsider.
Maybe he wants to burn the world, not because he hates the world or is vindictive but because it is his duty. If he doesn't stand, no one else will. A necessary opposition to the order. A emissary of Discordia.
I am still not sure, but that is what makes this such a good movie. I am examining a character for motivation, expecting it to move under the microscope like a real person might.
My favorite part of the "Some people just want to see the world burn." story is where Alfred and his cronies burn down the forest to catch the thief. It makes you wonder who really wants to see the world burn? Or the lengths that order will go to see chaos wiped out.