When Joker was released in 2019, detailing how Arthur Fleck, an aspiring comedian who takes a downward spiral after repeated bullying, came to be “Joker”, it was to critical and audience acclaim and was considered by many to be the best film of that year.

Phoenix’s performance as Arthur Fleck in Joker was incredible, both in the depth of the character and what he becomes. Todd Phillips had created a real and believable anti-hero in his direction and even slipped in some controversial pieces – notably the extreme violence that occurs and the use of a Gary Glitter song whilst Joker “celebrates” – which led to an indelible impression upon myself and those I know that watched it.

So, having seen the trailers for Joker: Folie à Deux, I was looking forward to seeing more of Joker wreaking his own brand of havoc on Gotham and a deeper understanding of the mental illness of Arthur Fleck as he battles with Joker’s dominance.

Unfortunately, Joker: Folie à Deux simply doesn’t deliver anywhere near the expectation that I had following the build-up to it. Joker thrives on chaos, but there’s little chaos that he’s instrumental in constructing and, when there is chaos, he is not much more than a bystander to that which occurs. There are brief sparks, for instance during one scene in the courtroom when Arthur’s fantasy world creeps in leading to intense bursts of violence, but these are few and far between.

With Lady Gaga cast as “Lee Quinzel”, Joker: Folie à Deux is more of a tale of how Harley Quinn came to be rather than an extension of the original Joker and a deeper exploration of the character Joaquin Phoenix so beautifully encapsulates. In Joker: Folie à Deux, the titular character is a shadow – the irony of the opening animated sequence not being lost on me – of his former self.

I expected some showtime pieces, as Arthur’s delusions and fantasies wind with Gaga’s love for Joker in some quite beautiful set pieces which are pure cinema, but nothing prepared me for the onslaught of song after song after song. This made Joker: Folie à Deux more suited to being named “Joker: The Musical”. I’m not a lover of musicals, in general, but the trailers didn’t lead me to believe that was what I’d be watching.

It felt fragmented, a vehicle for Gaga’s Harley Quinn, and without anywhere near the impact that the first Joker movie so famously had. The lack of consequence, particularly for the prison guards – one of which is splendidly played by Brendan Gleeson – who enjoy their torture of Arthur and other prisoners a little too much, left me feeling the movie lacked morality. The denouement left me confused and disappointed. Even after the credits rolled, I remained seated and patiently waited for something more to explain or rectify that confusion but, alas, none was forthcoming.

Copyright © 2024 – David E. Gates