Poll: Heath Ledger as The Joker

[GruntOwner]

There's no denying that Ledger did an incredible job in The Dark Knight, bringing a whole new level of insanity to the grim/gritty feel that Nolan's trying to create with this trilogy, but the question is was it the right flavour of insanity? Was it the joker's insanity? Most of the comics I've seen with him show him to be far more loving/playful, in a creepy kinda way. His eyes were always wide open, excitable and all, whereas Ledger seemed far more supressed. I was just wodnering every one else's opinion. Personally, I think he did it very well given that they were aiming for a grittier feel, so it may just be Nolan's direction that's responsible for this.

 

[rossatdi]

The Joker like most DC characters don't really have a set existence. They have a set of general characteristics and themes, each of which are highlighted depending on the series or one-shot.

The Joker from the Dark Knight is very much like the Joker that killed Jason Todd and crippled Barbara Gordon. They toned down the clowniness to make it fit in better with the specific world they were in.

 

[PAGEToap44]

Never read any of the comics but I found it brilliant nonetheless.

 

[RYjet911]

Pointless poll.

I'm pretty sure every single person will vote yes. The film was great anyway, but Heath just brought it into near perfection with the Joker.

 

[DoW Lowen]

Yes, the Joker was insane. And Ledger had definitely nailed that and pushed it further with the anarchic undertones.

R.I.P Ledger,

You were too beautiful for this world.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Many people here will say that the Joker that Heath Ledger played was perfect, but I personally think no they didn't portray him well. He is supposed to be far more creepy in the fact that he's always cheery, smiling and laughing. But I guess something like that may well have been more difficult to do in this whole era of 'Grim and Gritty' than the Ledger version.

But in terms of an alternate version of The Joker, he was awesome. And yes, I do think it was Nolan's direction, coupled with his dedicated method acting skills.

Also, I personally have a fear that if they attempt to do with Harley Quinn, what they did with the Joker, that it would not work nowhere near as well as a jester Quinn. However he has essentially shot himself in the foot has he not? Because he cannot use a Jester/make-up styled Quinn, it has to be a realistic/Grim and Gritty one now.

 

[Incompl te]

I think so and his life will be missed by many...

 

[Inverse Skies]

Yeah he was pretty good. I didn't like the film as much as I thought I would but he put on a good performance.

 

[ZeeClone]

As a McGuffin of chaos he was awesome. Scene stealing.

As compared against the incarnations of The Joker from the comics, I'm not in a position to comment. I've not read nearly enough of the comics.

 

[RetiarySword]

I didn't read the comics, but he rocked hard!

 

[Doug]

I think the Dark Knight Joker was excellent - very dark, quite deep, and very, very insane. Although I've not read the comics, so can't comment as to if it was 'true to the spirit' or what not.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I never saw The Dark Knight and don't want to. /shocking fact

But from the commercials, he wasn't truly insane...just creepy. So, no.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

Yes he did.

Unfortunately, everything else in the film sucked major balls. He just about made it enjoyable.

 

[Skeleon]

Personally, I preferred Jack Nicholson, though I don't know enough about the comics themselves to say how "fluffy" either of their performances were.
I just always enjoyed Nicholson's maniacal grinning, no matter which role (Shining, Batman, Mars Attacks etc.).

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

The Joker like most DC characters don't really have a set existence. They have a set of general characteristics and themes, each of which are highlighted depending on the series or one-shot.

This. Both Batman and the Joker have been done several ways, and it seems that most people who quote a specific "type" of Joker as canon are referencing either their favorite one, or the one they first experienced.

Ledger's Joker was meant to be a force of chaos, a factor to push Bale's Batman to the edge of his own moral line in desperation. Dark Knight's main theme was the conflict between a man struggling to toe the line between good and evil, and a man who couldn't comprehend that line's existence. In that context, Ledger's performance was stellar.

 

[CoziestPigeon]

Yes, he was good. People really need to get the fuck over it though, he wasn't 'the best actor of all time' for one role.

 

[traceur_]

Hard to say, I don't think he portrayed the comic book Joker well because the comic book joker was a total pussy, he never really hurt anyone. If he portrayed the comic book joker correctly, the film would have sucked more balls than Paris Hilton at spring break. So the fact that he didn't portray the comic book joker accurately is the reason he was awesome. It was the best movie of all time with the best acting of all time. Damn it I wish he was still alive.

 

[Arsen]

He did a decent job, but the Joker I pictured was a higher combination of chaotic evilt then what Heath portrayed. Did he make him look crazy? Yes. The evil bastard he truly was? No.

 

[AdmiralWolverineLightningbolt]

silly poll

of course he did well
besides the joker's character kept changing in the comics anyway