This movie is a grower
I didn’t think much of it at first (storyline isn’t great) but with repeat viewing you start to like the team more.
I just watched it for the first time a few nights ago. I thought it was fun.
It has its problems. The story definitely gets muddy at times and the script--or perhaps the editing--needed some finessing. But that wasn't enough to kill the movie for me.
Also, Leto's Joker can't stand up against Ledger or Nicholson, but for this specific story, his interpretation worked.
All in all, I'd probably give it a weak 7.
Leto's Joker is very dividing. On one hand, he brings the youthful and fun side of a joker who has a girlfriend. Two crazy people out to have fun. On the other, he isn't that frightening. With Nicholson and Ledger, you have moments where you feel you're glimpsing a truly evil person. Leto doesn't really do that. He's just dangerous because he's unhinged.
shareI view Suicide Squad as kind of a punk rock version of a superhero movie, if that makes any sense, and within that kind of vision I think Leto's Joker works. I tried to envision Ledger's Joker in this film and concluded that would NOT work. He was perfect in The Dark Knight, but would've been woefully out of place in Suicide Squad.
In SS the Joker is legitimately in love with Harley Quinn, who was portrayed EXCELLENTLY by Margot Robbie BTW, and in order to pull that off he has to come across as someone who isn't totally insane and who still has some real humanity left. Leto's interpretation of the character does this, while Ledger's Joker would not. (Nicholson's I could maybe see truly falling in love with someone, but he still wouldn't fit in SS.)
So I think Leto was great here, in this specific film and story. But I would not want to see him spill out into the mainstream DCEU.
Their love story is sort of adolescent, so had Nicholson been the joker, It would have the Alpha-male with his "woman" vibe. More like a pimp with his property. Sort of how you feel about Nicholson and his girls in Batman.
I think Ledger would have given an even more creepy possessive vibe.
So yes, Leto was perfect for this to work in the way that it did.
I wonder what Leto's fate as the character will be. I know SS2 has been announced but it keeps getting pushed back and Will Smith has at least two movies in the way before he could even join production.
On the subject of Joker portrayals, I also wonder how Joaquin Phoenix will stack up against his competition.