-Written by Kyle Bain.
In 2019 Writer-Director Todd Phillips took superhero films in a darker direction, one that the world hadn’t seen since the end of the Dark Knight trilogy. Joker was different, and it created a story for the beloved Batman villain in a way that much of the world couldn't imagine. Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to that cinematic masterpiece and follows Arthur Fleck (Jaoquin Phoenix) as he stands trial for the murders he committed.
Not long after the success of Joker, Phillips made it abundantly clear that he would only consider a sequel to his film if the sequel was of the same caliber. So, the most important question going into this film for me was “does Joker: Folie à Deux live up to its predecessor?” In short, no. It doesn’t possess the same gravitas as Joker, but it also doesn’t deserve the hate it's receiving. There’s something entertaining here in Joker: Folie à Deux, something relevant, something that really works, and I believe that people are blinded by the simple fact that it’s not as good as the film that came before it.
Phoenix is good again, but he’s not quite as good as he was in Joker–though I’m not entirely sure that this is his fault. One of the things that was so appealing about Joker is the fact that the titular character was relatable. Through his psychosis and his great disconnect with the rest of the world (the world in which he lives that is), Arthur was relatable, and I was able to appreciate the things that led him to becoming the villain that he ultimately was. Joker: Folie à Deux doesn’t afford Phoenix, or the character, that opportunity. There was a great disconnect here, where it became very difficult to appreciate the character, where it became incredibly difficult to feel for him, understand his actions, or want anything but bad things to come his way. Again, I’m not sure that Phoenix is at fault here, but the issue remains nonetheless throughout almost the entirety of Joker: Folie à Deux.
Additionally, I felt that the newest version of Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) was unsuccessful. I think nearly every aspect of this character failed on some level. Harley is meant to be deranged, completely twisted–and, yet, this ideation was only a little weird. She lacked appeal in this regard, and what made it even more challenging to appreciate her was the fact that she reminded me of the Lady Gaga that arrived to award ceremonies in meat dresses. Gaga simply played an earlier version of herself, one that wasn’t compelling and, honestly, a little annoying. Beyond the version of the character present in Joker: Folie à Deux, the character itself was effectively unnecessary. Had Harley not appeared in the film, Arthur’s trajectory would have ultimately remained the same.
The musical aspect of Joker: Folie à Deux was something that made me nervous. It had the potential to derail the film before it even got started, but I think this is the aspect of the film that most impressed me. We understand Gaga’s talent, and I was incredibly impressed by what Phoenix and the others brought to the table in this regard. Music does help to propel the story, even if some of those musical numbers are drawn out a bit too much. Joker: Folie à Deux is longer than necessary, and it’s those musical numbers that extend the run time just a bit too long.
There’s a bit of an open endedness to Joker: Folie à Deux, which seems to be a point of ridicule among those harsh critics. I like this aspect of the film (and if you haven’t yet seen the film, skip to the next paragraph immediately), and I felt that making the Joker an idea rather than a specific person, with the death of Arthur, really worked for me. I feel that this creates a level of intensity that Arthur Fleck was missing to a degree in this film. Once everything is wrapped up, however, I felt that some of that intensity was reinstated and passed on to the next person–allowing Joker: Folie à Deux to go out with a bang in what seemed to be the most fitting way in my opinion.
Does Joker: Folie à Deux live up to its predecessor? No, but there are aspects of this film that surpass the first for sure. I wanted more from Harley, more from Arthur, and maybe a shorter runtime (even though the second act flies by–in all the best ways). Joker: Folie à Deux is a unique take on the superhero genre once again, and the harsh reviews that it’s receiving feel unwarranted at the end of the day. Joker: Folie à Deux is a very good film, and a fitting end to this iteration of the DC universe.
Directed by Todd Phillips.
Written by Scott Silver, Todd Phillips, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Paul Dini, & Bruce Timm.
Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey, Leigh Gill, etc.
7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
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