It was with good reasons I didn't see the Joker (2019) sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, in cinemas.
While I did like the first film, I've never rewatched it, and have no desire to see it again any time soon. It was a little too graphically violent and generally a depressing story overall for me.
Add to that, every single review I read for the sequel effectively panned the film, with the common theme being "...this movie is a big middle finger to DC fans."
Subscribing to HBO Max, for season 2 of Peacemaker, gave me access to the Joker sequel. Time to see if this movie was really as bad a everyone said it was.
Joker: Folie à Deux centers around Arthur Fleck's (a.k.a. The Joker) (Joaquin Phoenix) trial for the murders he committed in the first film, along with his growing relationship with a fellow, female inmate at Arkham Hospital, Lee (Lady GaGa).
While I can definitely see why DC fans thought this movie was a complete misfiring train wreck of a film, I'm going to have to admit, I kind of like it.
It's definitely not what comic book movie fans were looking for in a Joker movie. They were, no doubt, at least expecting something more along the lines of the first - as was I, to be honest. But then we all heard the sequel was going to be more of a musical, with Lady Gaga cast as Harley Quinn, and who knew what it would be? Still, the trailers did have some promising moments and imagery.
People were hoping, maybe, Joker would expand into a wider DC universe. It has the serious, gritty drama, and deep, thought provoking plots that many DC fans have gravitated toward since the Nolan Batman Trilogy. They may have even hoped to see this Joker go up against Batman some day - even though Bruce Wayne's Dark Knight story has barely even begun in this universe.
That aside, if you take this movie, and the first, for what it is, a completely different take on the Joker, not connected to anything other than these two films, then you may just appreciate the sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, a little bit more as a piece of 'art cinema'.
It's not anything DC fans were looking for, but it is an interesting character study of a mentally ambiguous man (is he crazy or is he not?), and the singing and dance sequences bring color, and are a substitute for action set pieces that you'd usually find in a comic book film.
Since Arthur's crimes are mostly described in the sequel, you don't actually need to have seen the first film. However the first film is the better of the two, in terms of a more complete story with interesting characters.
It's also easier to miss when Arthur is hallucinating in the first film, which can help you be a little more empathetic toward Arthur despite his actions later on.
Lady Gaga is somewhat wasted in this film. Where fans thought we were going to get an interesting and new take on Harley Quinn, in the end she's barely a version of the character.
As the Joker's love interest, and song and dance partner, Gaga is great. She just doesn't get much to hold onto that makes her anything much more than Lee Quinzel. Where people were interested to see another film featuring Phoenix's Joker, I don't think anyone is clamoring to see more of Gaga's Harley. Despite some strong stills and images of Harley in the marketing, she doesn't really stand out in the film itself, she's more... just Lee.
Like the film, Lee just kind of fades away in the third act. Which I found was the film's biggest problem (after being a total misstep with the fan base). I didn't find the film boring at all. In fact it held my attention all the way through, but it goes nowhere.
It hints at a possible path forward for Joker, should anyone be crazy enough to continue this corner of, what is now, a DC Elseworlds story, but why would you? (If you haven't seen the film that question will make more sense once you know how it ends).
As an art piece, and perhaps if you view it through the lens of being a filmed version of the stage musical director Todd Philips initially envisioned it to be, it's a compelling piece of cinema. You may just enjoy it.
As a DC Comic book movie, it's awful. Maybe with a better through line, that delivered a better purpose and a compelling payoff, it would have worked - and even been thought of as genius. But it doesn't. Worse still, nobody is even interested in this version of Joker anymore.
Such a shame, since the first movie delivered so much promise.
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