Joker: Folie à Deux brings back Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in a sequel to the 2019 hit film. The new movie takes an unexpected turn, blending crime drama with musical elements.
Set in Gotham City, it explores Arthur’s life after the events of the first movie.
Lady Gaga joins the cast as Harley Quinn, Arthur’s love interest from the comics. The film promises a unique take on their relationship, set against the backdrop of Arkham Asylum.
Fans of the original might be surprised by this new direction, which adds song and dance to the gritty world established in Joker.
Grade: C
The sequel to “Joker” falls short of expectations. It picks up after the first movie, with Arthur Fleck in Arkham Asylum.
The story kicks off as Arthur meets Lee Quinzell, played by Lady Gaga. Their connection seems to spark something in Arthur, but the movie never quite ignites.
The film’s pacing is slow. A big chunk of time is spent watching Arthur in prison.
Later, it turns into a courtroom drama. This shift feels awkward and doesn’t add much to the story.
The movie’s biggest letdown is how it simplifies Arthur’s character. It paints him as someone with a split personality, which takes away the mystery that made him interesting before.
The filmmakers seem to want viewers to question if Arthur is the real Joker, but this approach falls flat.
Lady Gaga does a good job with her role, even though her character isn’t very deep. Joaquin Phoenix acts well too, but his talent feels wasted here.
The movie looks nice, which is a plus, but that’s not enough to save it.
One odd thing about this film is that it’s partly a musical. But the musical parts aren’t great.
The song choices are too obvious, and while Gaga shines, Phoenix’s singing is bad on purpose.
The movie doesn’t expand on what we learned in the first film. It feels cramped, with most scenes looking like they could be on a stage.
We don’t see much of Gotham City, and there’s no mention of Batman or other characters from that world.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the movie:
| Aspect | Rating |
|---|---|
| Acting | Good |
| Story | Poor |
| Pacing | Slow |
| Music | Mixed |
| Visuals | Nice |
Some fans might see this movie as a joke on them. It’s different from other comic book films, but not in a good way.
It doesn’t try to be deep or thoughtful like the first one did.
The film seems to suggest that Arthur Fleck isn’t the real Joker we know from other stories. He tries to be something he’s not.
Even when he acts like the Joker, he’s not very good at it. He blames others for his problems instead of taking responsibility.
In the end, the movie leaves us with a sad message. Arthur becomes a symbol that’s bigger than him, even though he’s not the real deal.
People love him anyway, which is pretty depressing.
The movie runs for 2 hours and 18 minutes. It’s rated R.
Besides Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, it stars Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Harry Lawtey, and Steve Coogan.
Todd Phillips, who made the first “Joker” movie, directed this one too.
While some might find things to like about “Joker: Folie à Deux,” it doesn’t live up to the first film.
It’s a letdown for those who wanted more depth and complexity. The movie seems content to play it safe, which is strange for a story about such a wild character.
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures, 2024.
