Joker: Folie à Deux

It was a complete waste of time. As a massive fan of Joker, I expected a strong comeback five years later. The movie was a complete drag. Whenever I thought the movie was taking a turn for the better, it got worse. Save yourself the time and money. Joaquin Phoenix's performance was excellent, but the script was terrible. Through no fault of his own, Joker Folie A Deux is in line as one of the worst sequels ever. The movie seemed more like a display of Lady Gaga's singing and acting ability, which isn't great. I believe this may be the biggest box office flop of 2024. This movie should have been released on Tubi for free.

• Rating is 6.5/10
• Watched on Sept. 30 2024 @ Fan First Premiere (First Watch)
• Format: (Digital) IMAX

Todd Phillips repeats exactly what he did to The Hangover trilogy with Joker 2. The director goes on to make a sequel that is unfortunately empty and has no character development.

Phillips outdone himself in directing a film that has an outstanding cinematography/visuals that portrays every feeling and emotion that it wants to tell and express. BUT, he failed in creating an engaging storyline. From a part one to a part two, usually the characters of the film change. Their arc either declines or inclines. Their personalities change. Events/obstacles come along their way to shift their lives. OR new character/s enter their life which opens the door for more interesting events to come along their way resulting in a "Folie à Deux". In this film, Joker's/Arthur Fleck's life doesn't seem to change much as Gaga's character, Lee, is added. Instead, the film keeps repeating its events by REvisiting the past (the first Joker film) or reacting some of its scenes. It also keeps coming back and forth to the same locations and events within this film itself. Resulting in an overall dull film that is ONLY visually entertaining.

This film introduces two major characters within the Gotham world, Harvey Dent, who is played terribly by Harry Lawtey and written even worse. By the end of the film, I felt like he was useless and is taken advantage of because of his 'name' within the comic books fandom. Same goes to Lady Gaga's Lee that simply felt like it wasn't even in this film.

I enjoyed how this film uses music/songs to showcase that it's an ESCAPE for our inner selves. But, the song choices weren't on point. On the other hand, their performance was well done by Gaga or Joaquin Phoenix and Lawrence Sher's cinematography skills.

Joker 2 attempts to once again dive into the mind of Arthur Fleck, but unfortunately, it treads too much of the same ground as the first film. The original Joker was such a meticulous and thorough character study that by the end, it felt like there was little left to uncover. That exact feeling haunts this sequel, as it struggles to find new dimensions to Arthur's complex psyche, leaving the film feeling more like an epilogue rather than a fresh narrative.

Joaquin Phoenix, as expected, delivers an excellent performance as Arthur Fleck, further cementing his unsettling portrayal of the Joker. Lady Gaga also brings depth to her role as Harley Quinn, adding a new dynamic to Arthur's story. However, the movie continuously pulls away from their strong performances with unnecessary musical numbers and courtroom drama that feel out of place.

Ironically, the movie feels its best when it alludes to the iconic scenes and atmosphere of the first film, rather than when it tries to experiment with new elements. The callbacks to Arthur's lonely and disturbed journey in the original film evoke the same eerie tension and emotional weight that made Joker so powerful. However, the attempts to add new layers with the courtroom drama and out-of-nowhere musical sequences ultimately detract from the story's flow, feeling more like distractions than meaningful additions.

The film shines brightest when it focuses on the twisted and toxic relationship between Joker and Harley. The chemistry between Phoenix and Gaga adds a fascinating layer to the film, but unfortunately, these moments are too few and far between.

Ultimately, Joker 2 feels more like a continuation that didn't have much more to say. While it has its highlights, particularly in its performances, the film feels like an unnecessary add-on to the first rather than a compelling new chapter. For fans of the original, it might feel redundant, offering little new exploration of Arthur's character or the world he inhabits.

The sequel to "Joker" promised a lot, but the final result fell short of expectations, also a bad movie. The ambitious choice to transform the film into a musical, although bold, was not interesting.

The story does not add anything truly new or original. The relationship between Joker and Harley Quinn, although central to the plot, fails to convince, lacking that emotional depth that could have made it memorable.

Joaquin Phoenix confirms his talent, but his interpretation is also a bit repetitive compared to the first film. Lady Gaga, in the role of Harley Quinn, offers a solid performance, but the character seems crushed by the dominant figure of the Joker.

Ultimately, "Joker: Folie à Deux" is a film that leaves a sense of incompleteness, I did not like it. A bad film overall.

If Joker 2 was meant to expand on the tortured psyche of Arthur Fleck, it succeeded only in expanding my boredom. What made the first film so intriguing-the slow descent into madness-was replaced with a frantic, disjointed attempt to outdo its predecessor without any real sense of direction. Fleck's evolution (or lack thereof) feels more like a series of erratic, isolated scenes than a cohesive narrative.

The film struggles to find its tone, oscillating between forced social commentary and a carnival of absurdity, leaving neither thought-provoking nor entertaining moments to cling to. It's as if the filmmakers believed that more chaos automatically equals more depth, but instead, it comes off as empty spectacle with none of the philosophical grit that made the original resonate. The character development was shallow, almost as if they hoped we wouldn't notice the lack of story under the avalanche of neon-lit chaos and ominous laughs.

Joaquin Phoenix, ever the committed actor, did his best, but even his performance couldn't save a script that feels more like a checklist of provocations than an actual journey. Joker 2 is a poor imitation of its own predecessor, like trying to laugh at the same joke twice-only this time, it falls flat, and you're left wondering why you ever found it funny in the first place.

Verdict? Skip this punchline.