Quentin Tarantino recently addressed the criticism of his positive Joker 2 review. Joker: Folie à Deux aimed to be a show-stopper, especially for Joker fans, but instead, it miserably stumbled onto the stage and got booed off. Despite Todd Philips’ first Joker being a smashing hit, the sequel failed to hit critics and fans alike, earning harsh reviews and a lackluster box office haul.
Though audiences weren’t exactly singing along to this musical-esque DC Elseworlds drama, Tarantino waltzed in with a standing ovation. However, his unapologetically positive review reignited the debate, turning the spotlight on him and sparking a backlash hotter than Joaquin Phoenix’s fiery Joker dance.
Quentin Tarantino Addresses Joker 2 Criticism
In October, Quentin Tarantino shook up the cinematic chatter when he boldly praised Joker: Folie à Deux for its daring creative pivot and Joaquin Phoenix’s magnetic performance as Arthur Fleck. Fast forward two months, and the legendary director found himself defending his take amidst a wave of backlash.
Addressing the negativity head-on, Tarantino doubled down with Variety, stating, “I go on a show, and I say that I like ‘Joker 2.’ Now there are 150 articles on it… One person listens to the thing and writes an article about it and there are 150 ripoff articles on that. And then you read the comments: ‘Quentin is a f—king asshole. That movie f—king sucks. He’s a f—king asshole for saying that.’ Why am I a f—king asshole? I liked the f—king movie! That makes me a f—king asshole? You either like the movie or you don’t. I’m not plugging the movie. I’m not doing anything. I’m just saying I like it. Who gives a f—k what I like? What do you care what the f—k I like?”
Quentin Tarantino Praised Joker 2 As “One of the Best Performances I’ve Ever Seen In My Life”
Surprisingly, Quentin Tarantino didn’t just like Joker: Folie à Deux. He adored it. Despite its critical and box office fumble, the filmmaker hailed the sequel as an unexpected triumph on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. Tarantino confessed he anticipated a detached, intellectual experience but was swept away instead.
Praising the musical sequences, he found the “banal” song choices like For Once in My Life surprisingly profound. Even more, Tarantino gushed over Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Arthur Fleck, calling it “one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my life.”
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