The Film That Ignited the Passion of Tarantino and Kojima

Two iconic figures in entertainment have fiercely defended the controversial Joker 2. Quentin Tarantino, the cinema master behind works like Pulp Fiction and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, has expressed his complete respect and devotion for Todd Phillips, the director of the series. Tarantino, ever the provocateur, hasn’t hesitated to declare that Phillips is, in some ways, the “real Joker.” According to him, Phillips has a bold “watch the world burn” attitude, a perspective that resonates with the chaos of Gotham’s villain himself.

But it’s not only Tarantino who has praised Phillips’s vision. Hideo Kojima, the legendary creator of video games like Metal Gear and a creative and narrative genius in his own right, has also spoken up. For Kojima, Joker 2 is a work entirely misunderstood by today’s audiences. Kojima assures that time will be the ultimate judge: in 10 or 20 years, he claims, the film and Joaquin Phoenix’s performance will be celebrated as true gems of our era. This statement echoes the Joker’s own journey—a condemned and marginalized character who always resurfaces, both on screen and in pop culture.

It’s interesting to remember that Joaquin Phoenix was once considered to play the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. Although the role ultimately went to Heath Ledger, who delivered a legendary performance, the idea of Phoenix embodying that iconic version of the character is fascinating. While Phoenix’s Joker in Phillips’s saga evokes the despair and raw violence of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, Ledger’s interpretation, as he once explained, was inspired by Johnny Rotten, the fierce frontman of the Sex Pistols. Thus, these two actors, each in their own way, have captured the essence of a character that continues to challenge conventional storytelling.

Although Joker 2 was met with skepticism by some viewers, its journey is far from over. Its upcoming release on streaming platforms could provide a more intimate setting, where audiences, free from commercial expectations, might better appreciate its complexity and darkness. Perhaps, in that environment, Todd Phillips’s vision will finally find its place, leaving a profound impact on those seeking to explore the darker side of the human psyche.

“Some men just want to watch the world burn,” Alfred said in The Dark Knight. Perhaps, Todd Phillips is one of them.