Quentin Tarantino Praises JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX: "[Todd Phillips Is] Saying F*** You To [The Comic Book Geeks]"

Quentin Tarantino Praises JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX: "[Todd Phillips Is] Saying F*** You To [The Comic Book Geeks]"

Legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has shared his review of the controversial Joker: Folie à Deux, and he freaking loved it. He was also a big fan of what he thinks filmmaker Todd Phillips accomplished.

By JoshWilding - Oct 29, 2024 04:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Joker

Following a disastrous run at the box office, Joker: Folie à Deux hit VOD platforms today as Warner Bros. looks to recoup anything they can from a movie that promises to deliver a sizeable loss. 

Neither critics nor audiences embraced the Joker sequel but the movie has earned a mega fan in Pulp Fiction and Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood helmer Quentin Tarantino.

"I really, really liked it, really," he said on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. "A lot. Like, tremendously, and I went to see it expecting to be impressed by the filmmaking. But I thought it was going to be an arms-length, intellectual exercise that ultimately I wouldn’t think worked like a movie, but that I would appreciate it for what it is."

"And I’m just nihilistic enough to kind of enjoy a movie that doesn’t quite work as a movie. That’s like a big, giant mess to some degree," Tarantino added, at least acknowledging its failings. "And I didn’t find it an intellectual exercise. I really got caught up into it. I really liked the musical sequences. I got really caught up. I thought the more banal the songs were, the better they were."

Revealing that he saw Joker: Folie à Deux in an "almost empty IMAX theater," the filmmaker reiterated that he "loved" what Todd Phillips did with the movie and, "On top of all that, I thought it was really funny."

So far, it almost sounds as if Tarantino had a "so bad it was good" experience with the Joker sequel. However, there was no irony to his comments and the writer/director behind the likes of Django Unchained and Reservoir Dogs would go on to heap praise upon Phillips for what he did with Joker: Folie à Deux

"Todd Phillips is the Joker. The Joker directed the movie. The entire concept, even him spending the studio’s money - he’s spending it like the Joker would spend it, all right? And then his big surprise gift - haha! - the the jack in the box, when he offers you his hand for a handshake and you get a buzzer with 10,000 volts shooting you - is the comic book geeks. He’s saying f*** you to all of them. He’s saying f*** you to the movie audience. He’s saying f*** you to Hollywood. He’s saying f))) you to anybody who owns any stock at DC and Warner Brothers […]  And Todd Phillips is the Joker. Un film de Joker, all right, is what it is. He is the Joker."

Well, that or he made a really sh*tty movie, right? 

Honestly, it feels like Tarantino is looking waaaay too deeply into Joker: Folie à Deux, though his perspective is certainly an interesting one.

Perhaps Phillips did just want to deliver a "f*** you" movie, but when it's said to lose Warner Bros. hundreds of millions of dollars - and likely rob him of what would have been hefty bonuses had it reached the same level of success as Joker - we doubt it somehow. 

As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX Actor Calls Sequel The Worst Film Ever Made
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JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX Actor Calls Sequel "The Worst Film Ever Made"

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX - Warner Bros. Discovery CEO Acknowledges Sequel's Disappointing Box Office Performance
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Conquistador
Conquistador - 10/29/2024, 4:32 PM
"[Todd Phillips Is] Saying F*** You To [The Comic Book Geeks]"

I been saying that.. the real Joker was Philips all along.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 10/29/2024, 4:33 PM
@Conquistador - well...im waiting for the punchline.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 10/29/2024, 5:08 PM
@Malatrova15 - User Comment Image
Toecutter
Toecutter - 10/29/2024, 5:17 PM
@Conquistador - Maybe the real Joker was the friends we made along the way?
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 10/29/2024, 5:26 PM
@McMurdo - meh...i lost interest when she was revealed as a biological woman....like..everybody else..including my mom! C'MON!!!!
McMurdo
McMurdo - 10/29/2024, 6:37 PM
@Malatrova15 - sure, can't argue with that. These cis terrorists are becoming old hat.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 10/30/2024, 7:32 AM
@Conquistador - The point of "joker" was to say there isn't one. "joker" as a symbol is nothing but a sick fantasy people project onto someone else and disgustingly worship similar to the real life serial killers like john wayne gacy, jeffrey dahmer, and ted bundy who killed several people and were being worshipped by groupies and the media.

its probably the most realistic take on joker even more so than matt reeve's batman verse. a real life joker is nothing but a result of society failing to help and false media worshipping. once you discover who the real person is under all that "make up and symbolism" its never going to live up to your expectations and almost all the infamous serial killers die like a bitch towards the end of their life.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 10/30/2024, 7:46 AM
@mastakilla39 - Maybe for the first one, but the second one went somewhere else with all that music and dancing. It sucked.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 10/30/2024, 10:20 AM
@mastakilla39 - I agree with you 100% and then some. Just great analyzation.

This also irritated me:
"Honestly, it feels like Tarantino is looking waaaay too deeply into Joker: Folie à Deux,...."

What's happened to the media of unbiased writers and news organizations? That is one of the most biased statements written on this website. Just because you didn't like it doesn't mean you should randomly insert a personal dig on a person, who has earned the respect of many, and his opinion of a film.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 10/30/2024, 5:54 PM
@Conquistador - Nah this was more of the 2nd one. People loved the 1st movie because Joker became a symbolism for everyone who was economically struggling, ignored by the workforce, and government. It made Arthur Fleck out to be a victim of circumstances that we can relate to thats why people can empathize with his actions and the movie overall.

Part 2 deals with the real life consequences of murderous fame and the flaws of our justice system. The music cues and musicals were used to show us Arther Flecks deteriorating mental and physical state.

I thought the movie was "okay" because I can understand the intent similar to QT in this article. I think most were disappointed because it tried to do a lot and failed at most. Its such a sad and grimm ending for arther fleck who just cant catch a break. but I'm okay with that because thats just life, not everyone gets a happy ending especially victims.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 10/30/2024, 6:00 PM
@lazlodaytona - Yeah films are so objective and this article makes some bold statements that don't represent everyone who paid to see Joker 2. But this website and community is still very fun and interesting if you want to gauge this community's likes, dislikes, and trolling lol.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 10/31/2024, 9:34 AM
@mastakilla39 - You have a great point. I love coming here and talking with each other...in a civil manner.

Have a great day dude!
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 10/29/2024, 4:32 PM
YES YES YES GET JONKLED HATERS!!!!! YES trantino is amazin JONATHAN MAJORS IS GOD AND WE ARE LVING IN KANG COUNTRY ....DONT FORGET TO VOTE!!!! ISRAEL NEEDS YOU
HermanM
HermanM - 10/29/2024, 4:34 PM
We can say [frick] You right back.

Enjoy them box office receipts, you pretentious twat.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 10/29/2024, 4:51 PM
@HermanM - He got paid upfront lol. I agree with the [frick] you back though.. but he's laughing in a pile of money regardless.
HermanM
HermanM - 10/29/2024, 5:07 PM
@Conquistador - yep still gotta burn him and the studio that his movie ate shit
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 10/29/2024, 4:35 PM
I just noticed Josh quoted himself on the headline.....you absolute madman, please never change.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/29/2024, 4:35 PM
Not entirely inaccurate.

Philips is clearly saying "f#ck you" to a certain movie's audience with that sequel, Tarantino is correct to at least recognize this much.

He's this close to getting it. Or he does get it, and he's just refraining from saying the quiet part out loud.
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 10/29/2024, 4:38 PM
@DrReedRichards -

Because WB was forcing him to make a sequel he didn’t want to make?
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/29/2024, 4:45 PM
@HulkisHoly -

Again, not entirely inaccurate.

Because WB forced Philips to rebrand his tragic outcast drama into a villain origin story that got praised for all the wrong reasons (and one or two valid ones).
soberchimera
soberchimera - 10/29/2024, 4:56 PM
@DrReedRichards - It's basic Hollywood narcissism in a nutshell, Phillips thought his movie had created a legion of Joker copycats, but nothing like what happened in 2012 happened in 2019, and in the end the majority of people, regardless of their political leanings, know it's just a movie and nothing to emulate.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/29/2024, 5:01 PM
@soberchimera -

Respectfully disagree. I don't think Philips's reaction is due to politics, but rather due to branding instead.

I think he enjoyed the success of the first Joker, as any of us probably would, but what annoyed him was people idolizing Joker the icon and not empathizing with Arthur the outcast, which was what that first movie was supposed to be about prior to WB's rebranding of it.

Hence this reactionary (and in my opinion totally justified) blatant "f#ck you" of a sequel.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 10/29/2024, 5:09 PM
@DrReedRichards - it's literally just Lana Wachowski Matrix Resurrections but far less interesting.
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 10/29/2024, 5:18 PM
@DrReedRichards -

How did they rebrand him? Wasn’t the final product what Phillips envisioned?

Not arguing just trying understand your train of thought 🚂
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/29/2024, 5:24 PM
@McMurdo -

Lol, and somehow even more blatant than...

User Comment Image
User Comment Image
User Comment Image

...whatever that was.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/29/2024, 5:26 PM
@HulkisHoly -

I thought it had been well documented by now how Philips's original idea was about a social outcast, but WB insisted on rebranding it into a Joker origin story to draw in the CBM crowd.

Let me see if I can find some links to that story back then.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 10/29/2024, 5:27 PM
@McMurdo - Excuse me but she goes by Xenaborph Eater of Souls Wachowsky now, be respectful
soberchimera
soberchimera - 10/29/2024, 6:01 PM
@DrReedRichards - I think he enjoyed the success of the first Joker, as any of us probably would, but what annoyed him was people idolizing Joker the icon and not empathizing with Arthur the outcast
That's what I'm saying though, I think he was worried that all those outcasts would try to emulate Arthur's transformation into Joker a la James Holmes in 2012.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 10/29/2024, 6:04 PM
@soberchimera -

My bad. I just re-read your comment, and yeah, I agree with you.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 10/29/2024, 6:08 PM
@DrReedRichards -
User Comment Image
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 10/29/2024, 4:37 PM
Is it really smart as a director to say “F you” to execs who will now probably not greenlight any future movies for you?

Was it worth burning the bridge.

Perhaps this is like another WB situation where they probably told the wachowskis to make matrix 4 or they will make it without them, and so they took the paycheck and made a terrible movie on person to say “F you” to the studio. 🤷‍♂️
SATW42
SATW42 - 10/29/2024, 4:54 PM
@HulkisHoly - hey now, first off, it was only Lana. Lilly sat Resurrections out.

Second, I have long maintained that Lana absolutely made a movie about how she felt about making the movie, but I do NOT think she set out to make a bad movie. Yes, she made choices like purposefully making the "new bullet time" look cheesy, but it also had a narrative point. Look I can write a whole dissertation on why I actually really enjoy Resurrections, but there is a difference between giving the studio the finger while making a movie, and giving the studio the finger making a bad movie. It's all subjective but Resurrections is not a bad movie. For all intents and purposes this is a bad movie. Tarantino even admits as such and he's just enjoying the chaos. He's the [frick]ing joker here. "Some people just want to watch the world burn"
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 10/29/2024, 5:17 PM
@SATW42 -

Eh, I’d say matrix 4 is bad and most people clearly agree from audience scores. But what do I know?

My personal scores are:

Matrix 10/10
Reloaded 5/10
Revolutions 7/10
Resurrections 2/10
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 10/29/2024, 4:38 PM
Tarantino is such an ego driven narcissist that he can’t talk about anything without talking about himself. 🤷‍♂️🤣
EgoEgor
EgoEgor - 10/29/2024, 4:52 PM
@AnthonyVonGeek - remember the time he was "talkin black" to a black panel?

?feature=shared
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 10/29/2024, 7:14 PM
@EgoEgor - I just posted the same thing because I didn't scroll through the 1st page of comments.
That shit is one of the cringest things I've ever listened too.

All that, and he LOVES using the n word repeatedly in all his movies and never has been cancelled.
He must be in with the "right people."
Gambito
Gambito - 10/29/2024, 4:40 PM
I’m sorry but I’m on the same page I actually liked how vile and cynical it was although I agree the musical numbers sucked
S8R8M
S8R8M - 10/29/2024, 4:43 PM
I can't wait for him to retire.
HistoryofMatt
HistoryofMatt - 10/29/2024, 4:47 PM
No, he pretty much nailed it.

Todd Phillips was aghast to see that all the "wrong people," or what his ridiculous secular religion tells him are the wrong people, loved his movie for what his ridiculous secular religion says are the wrong reasons and made it a gigantic success.

So he used WB's money to give a giant middle finger to all those people and crap all over them.

This is why Wokeism is truly insane. It drove Todd Phillips to destroy his career immediately after he had his greatest career success. Now he's radioactive. No one will give him the opportunity to make movies in this way again, but again, Todd is now super-cool with all the likeminded people who love that he crapped all over "incels" and "Trump voters" and whatever other bogeymen they think are the wrong kinds of people. So he'll still get to go to all the good parties in L.A.
HeraldNumber7
HeraldNumber7 - 10/29/2024, 5:01 PM
@HistoryofMatt -

right on target 🎯

paid millions to be a contemptuous prick and yet this (non-existant) audience is the problem. go figure.
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