“Joker: Folie A Deux” is the newest DC movie and much-anticipated sequel to the massive billion-dollar success of “Joker” (2019).
There was pretty much no enjoyment to be had in my first viewing of the movie, and I was in misery for the entire two-and-a-half hours. Not even the occasional musical number could help me shake that feeling.
It’s quite impressive that a studio agreed to be a part of this, as director Todd Phillips took $200 million and made something that the general audience will absolutely despise.
Star Joaquin Phoenix is pretty good in this movie, just like in the first. The movie doesn’t give him a lot of scenes to stand out in, purposefully, so the performance isn’t as insane as the first movie.
Star Lady Gaga is also pretty great here too. I think she’s honestly the best part of it because her star power is undeniable, and it shines through in the musical segments the most.
The musical segments have thrown me off from this movie as well. One of the divisive moments of the movie’s release was when Phillips stated that the movie would be a jukebox musical.
That, along with other directorial decisions made throughout the film, has made it so a lot of people don’t like this movie at all. I, for one, find the musical segments to be a necessary addition, however some of them do not really work at all.
As the movie progresses, there is one very good scene of the movie that I enjoyed. The segment features the song “The Joker,” which is from Gaga’s new album but is performed by Phoenix. Phoenix’s singing in the film is definitely another unique aspect, as for a majority of the songs, he sings in a low, gravelly voice.
There is another great scene with Leigh Gill, who reprises his role from the first movie, and just in this one scene, he steals the show. I would say it is my favorite part of the film.
The movie is also a technical marvel. It looks and sounds amazing. The score once again is superb, just like in the first one. People can knock the “Joker” movies for a lot of things, but the technical aspect of them is not one of those things.
Phillips clearly hates the fandom around the Joker and, in my opinion, everything about the character. He especially hates the incel idolization that happened because of the first film. He despises it, and this movie makes no secret of sharing that hatred.
I’ve never seen a movie that blatantly hates its main character. It shows Arthur (Phoenix) clearly unwell and in need of help, but whenever it switches over to his Joker persona, there is no empathy whatsoever. And as the movie goes on, the empathy for Arthur diminishes more and more, until the movie finally ends. It’s a bold move, and it is obvious that the director really doesn’t care if you like it or not because, after this, the franchise is done making movies.
While I find the movie messy at times and a bit drawn out, I have to give Phillips credit where it is due. This is an insanely bold swing, and for me, it mostly pays off. That said, for most viewers, this will seem like a complete train wreck of a movie, especially those who go in expecting more Joker-esque antics.
Rating: 7/10
