JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX Is a Perplexing, Cheerily Downbeat Sequel
The unexpected triumph of Todd Phillips’ “Joker” in 2019 left me astounded. As a die-hard Batman enthusiast, the concept of a standalone Joker movie—exploring the character’s Elseworlds origins devoid of Batman’s influence—initially seemed contradictory. Furthermore, it appeared excessively edgy, with the film set in a 1970s Gotham City inspired by Scorsese, plagued by crime and corruption on a massive scale. Frankly, I thought the Joker was an inappropriate choice for portraying a Rorschach-style psychopath. However, the movie was released, it raked in enormous profits, won some Oscars, and now we’re anticipating the sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux.”