JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX Is a Perplexing, Cheerily Downbeat Sequel

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As a lifelong fan of the Caped Crusader, I was initially skeptical about the concept of a Joker solo movie without Batman. But Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix proved me wrong with the critically acclaimed 2019 film, and now they’re back with the highly anticipated sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux”.

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.”

According to Director Phillips, the primary motivation for making a sequel, apart from the financial success of the original film, was their deep affection for the character of Arthur Fleck, as portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix. This affection is evident in the movie “Joker: Folie à Deux“. Unlike the first movie that aimed to evoke sympathy for a mentally ill individual driven to public violence by an oppressive system, this sequel transforms Arthur’s life into a tragic, semi-comic love story. Although the film does contain intense violence, it is mainly inflicted upon Arthur rather than being a result of his actions. This paradoxically makes the movie more unsettling, not less so

The movie begins with events two years following Arthur’s live TV assassination of talk show host Murray Franklin. Now confined in Arkham Asylum, which functions more like a prison than a mental health institution, Arthur is awaiting trial. The guards, including the stern yet cheerfully sadistic leader portrayed by Brendan Gleeson, frequently resort to violence. Arthur’s attorney (Catherine Keener) is optimistic about appealing to the jury’s emotions and arguing that he is mentally ill. She aims to present “Joker” as a unique personality distinct from Arthur, suggesting that he requires psychiatric care rather than incarceration

As I, the Joker, grapple with my own identity within the confines of the asylum, a blossoming connection with fellow inmate Lee (Lady Gaga) could shake things up. She perceives the true essence beneath the clown mask, recognizing the chaos agent and the tormented soul hidden within. The film presents me with an internal battle between these two aspects: one, a jovial trickster; the other, a sorrowful, mentally unstable individual enduring a tough existence. Which is the real me?

It’s likely that you’ve already heard the buzz about the new film titled “Joker: Folie à Deux“, which is described as a musical. However, director Todd Phillips qualifies this by saying “sort of”. The movie does contain several musical sequences, but it’s important to note that these are depicted as Arthur’s fantasies within the film. Some musical numbers blend seamlessly into the scenes, while others, in my opinion, could have been more numerous and overtly theatrical, veering further into the realm of clearly unrealistic musical performances. I must admit, I was glad to see Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga singing live, with the orchestration added later. Yet, I can’t help but feel that if the movie was going to incorporate musical numbers, it should have fully embraced this aspect

In essence, other than his singing, Phoenix’s character, Arthur, appears to spend a large portion of the film mainly smoking. To be fair, he demonstrates proficiency in smoking cigarettes. However, the portrayal of Arthur in this movie seems more like an observer or a passenger in his own life, rather than a proactive participant. If the first film depicted him standing up, this one seems to depict him sitting back down for a while. The earlier observation about Phillips and Phoenix having a deep affection for Arthur seems to have resulted in the character being given a bit too much leniency. The narrative appears to hold back from delivering the expected consequences as a result of the choices made in the previous film

In the initial film that grossed over a billion dollars, much conversation online revolved around its message or lack thereof. Although it’s debatable to portray a masked killer with a painted clown face as a symbol for the disenchanted masses, inciting violence, it appears that the filmmakers are growing weary of viewers perceiving Arthur as a hero. Regrettably, angry white men already have enough motivation to take up arms. Notably, the sequel Joker: Folie à Deux tackles this issue to some extent. In contrast to the previous film, society in this movie seems even more pervasive. Arthur is merely a catalyst, a consistently deceived and disillusioned fool

Despite what I’ve previously mentioned, let me clarify that “Joker: Folie à Deux” is undeniably a masterfully crafted film with outstanding performances. Phoenix, while not as groundbreaking as in the last film, remains mesmerizing. Gaga may not fully embody the madness that Harley Quinn requires, but she delivers powerful moments where it matters most. Lastly, Gleeson offers another stellar performance, striking a perfect balance between terror and humor

Neither the Joker films are inspiring, instead, those who derived a dark power fantasy from the initial movie may find themselves let down by the sequel. The second installment, Joker: Folie à Deux, carries an odd resemblance to The Passion of the Christ, albeit with significantly more smoking scenes. I must admit, I’m not entirely convinced that the complex romantic plotline was successfully executed as intended

It seems that in terms of absolute enjoyment, I found “Joker: Folie à Deux” more pleasing than the original “Joker”. Neither film left me with a positive feeling. I must admit, I wished this sequel stood out more in its visuals and tone compared to its predecessor, but overall, I appreciated its presentation quite a bit. However, if you’re wondering who this movie is intended for, it seems to be primarily for those who created it. If you happen to enjoy it as well, that’s great!

Joker: Folie à Deux ⭐ (3 of 5)

Joker: Folie à Deux opens wide October 4.

Kyle Anderson serves as the Senior Editor at TopMob, where he also runs the popular weekly pop culture analysis podcast titled Laser Focus. His insightful film and TV critiques can be found here. To keep up with his latest work, follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd

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2024-09-04 20:10