‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Review: Unserious and Messy Sequel No One Asked For
Joker: Folie à Deux opens at theatres as a ‘not-so-highly’ anticipated sequel to Todd Phillips’ Joker, a film that redefined the comic book movie genre that delved deeply into the complexities of mental illness and societal neglect. Read our review for Joker: Folie à Deux below.
Todd Phillips made Joker heavily inspired by 1970s character studies and Martin Scorsese films, particularly Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, so one would expect he will make a sequel that’s inspired by other Scorsese films, maybe in the style of Casino, Gangs of New York, or Mean Streets. But, Phillips did the unthinkable and announced the sequel to be a musical which made everyone raise their eyebrows, because honestly, who wanted a Joker sequel to be a musical in the first place?
Audiences worldwide were captivated by Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning portrayal of Arthur Fleck, better known as the Joker; in fact, some even started to consider his persona as a personality. But there were also audiences who were divided by the dark and tragic storyline of the movie, which provides a thought-provoking analysis on the fragility of the human mind and the impact of societal shortcomings. Nevertheless, the film was still praised by critics and ultimately succeeded at the box office making it the first R-rated film to cross the billion-dollar mark. Although some were skeptical about Lady Gaga being cast as Harley Quinn, anticipation for the sequel remained very high.
The marketing of the film unveiled that the sequel would take a different path by incorporating musical elements into the story. This switch gives an interesting insight into the chaotic world of Arthur with Harley, suggesting a blend of madness and musicality. Yet, this ambitious new take raises the question of whether the film will actually keep the emotional stakes that were set by its predecessor. While the technical aspects of the film is still on par with Joker, particularly on Lawrence Sher’s cinematography, the film’s screenplay had trouble balancing the more fantastical components of the feature with the serious themes that we came to expect leaving us to contend with the tonal inconsistencies of the movie and its narrative shortcomings.
In contrast to the starkly factual perspectives of its predecessor, Joker: Folie à Deux introduces an extravagantly hallucinogenic musical immigration while exploring the complex and multidimensional relationship between Arthur Fleck and Harley Quinn against the backdrop of unquenchable societal unrest. While following Arthur and Harley as they descend into chaos, this drama aims to intellectually explore the nature of madness and love; while this setting sounds fantastic on paper, the film fails to develop a compelling and interesting plot.
Joker: Folie à Deux sees Joaquin Phoenix reprise his role as Arthur and opens the film in a prison in the aftermath of the riots instigated by his previous antics in the first film. The ambitious tone the film establishes in the beginning suggests deeper explorations of social collapse and personal crisis. However, later parts of the film emphasize showcasing musical numbers rather than narrative depth as the story progresses which ultimately leads to the plot’s emotional core being torn apart.
The sequel is once again helmed by Todd Phillips, who places a great focus on visual storytelling. In Folie à Deux, Phillips still has a way with ominous imagery, but Joker‘s sharp focus is conspicuously missing. Due to the lengthy musical interludes that impede and slow down the characters and plot development, the film’s pacing feels chaotic and erratic. Although Phillips appears to be attempting to strike a balance between giving the film a lively musical component and a traditional character analysis at the same time, the result is a disorienting and occasionally unfocused viewing experience.
As it stands, however, Lawrence Sher’s cinematography probably turns out to be the best aspect of the film, conjuring up the essence of a gritty Gotham, veering between dreary grays and sudden flashes of color, especially in the musical numbers. Camera movement is often slick and rather dynamic, dramatically encapsulating the confusing world that Arthur and Harley inhabit. It skillfully juxtaposes Arthur’s isolation against the riotous crowd around him with themes of isolation from or rejection by society. The film showcases brilliant camera techniques from sweeping crane shots to intimate close-ups to augment the dramatic weight of its unforgettable moments. However, they appear subservient to some of the moments where the overall spectacle overpowers the feeling of story, chiefly when it comes to the musical sequences wherein the camera seems more concerned about the performer than the narrative. This only proves that technical excellence of a movie can never excuse the script for its own failings, it’s really disappointing that such visual brilliance was wasted on scenes that somehow fail to engage with the audience’s feelings.
The screenplay is one of the most egregious weaknesses in Joker: Folie à Deux. The incorporation of musical elements into the narrative seems more contrived. When well-executed musicality can enhance storytelling, in this film it serves almost as predominantly as a distraction rather than a tool for the advancement of the narrative. I was also very disappointed with the relationship they give between Arthur and Harley for being so shallow and underdeveloped. I really loved the first film’s script but unfortunately, the sequel does not capture the multifaceted and layered complexity that characterized the first film. Instead of plumbing the psychological dynamics pulling these two characters together, the screenplay falls back heavily on superficial interaction and cliché tropes.
While it didn’t reach the heights of his Oscar-winning performance, Joaquin Phoenix still delivers a strong compelling performance. His singing performances, particularly in numbers like ‘The Joker’, showcase his vocal range and further demonstrate his multifaceted talent proving he still has the musical chops 19 years after his portrayal as Johnny Cash in 2005’s Walk the Line. Unfortunately, because of the film’s disorganized plot and erratic pacing, the character doesn’t feel as fully developed as in the previous film.
I love Lady Gaga, don’t get me wrong, but her casting as Harley Quinn is such a miscast. Despite her undeniable vocal prowess, her portrayal of the character frequently seems inconsistent with its established image. Gaga’s portrayal is more akin to a crazy pop star than the established character since it lacks the complexity and emotional whirl that Harley embodies. Yes, we get it, it’s different from the comics and other media iterations of the character but I find these decisions to be disrespectful to the source material. Phillips could’ve made Lee somehow sweet, giddy, and girlish, but instead he made her an uninteresting and boring portrayal of the character. Lady Gaga’s casting leaves me to question whether she was cast more for her star power than her suitability for the role.
Though it was a significant risk, the addition of musical elements to the film appears to have backfired. The musical segments serve little to no purpose in advancing the plot, appearing as though they were included solely to market the film as a musical despite the filmmakers trying to avoid the term. While many musical performances such as ‘The Joker’ and ‘Gonna Build A Mountain’ do manage to capture our attention and make us feel something for the characters, many do not, these musical performances feel excessively detached from the story and infrequently integrate with it, leaving us awkwardly suspended.
In conclusion, Joker: Folie à Deux is a visually appealing but narratively devoid sequel. The decision to capitalize the film as a musical and sacrifice the complex topics that could have been resolved in a more direct story is simply ridiculous. Although Joaquin Phoenix’s performance and the film’s cinematography are as good as the first film, the storyline and overall coherence of the film are regrettably weak. Joker: Folie à Deux seems to be an ill-considered musical sequel. It is a film that is ambitious but ultimately falls short of telling a gripping story and serves as a testament to the difficulties in creating a follow-up sequel that lives up to its predecessor. All in all, Joker: Folie à Deux is an unserious and messy sequel that no one actually asked for.
Joker: Folie à Deux is written and directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, and more. Joker: Folie à Deux is now playing in cinemas near you.
