Joker 2 seems to be twice as controversial
as the original . . . at least as far as the reviews are concerned. Here’s what the
critics are saying about “Joker: Folie à Deux.” "Joker" is one of the darker comic movies
out there, not to mention one of the more polarizing ones. The Clown Prince of Crime's
first solo outing foregoes the crowd-pleasing thrills of superhero flicks in favor of a
serious character study about Arthur Fleck and his disturbing descent into madness. So, when
it was confirmed that "Joker 2" was going to be more controversial as a result of mixing mayhem
with musical elements, fans were intrigued to see what director Todd Phillips came up with.
"Joker: Folie à Deux" has finally premiered at the 81st Venice Film Festival, and — as
most of us expected — it's divided critics. “Let’s give the people what they want.” "Joker: Folie à Deux" sees the titular villain
and Harley Quinn fall in love through their mutual love of music and wickedness, giving
us a twisted romance for the ages. Meanwhile, in Gotham, the Clown Prince's followers hatch
a plan to free him from Arkham State Hospital so that he can continue his reign of terror
in the city. That's an intriguing premise, and some critics believe that the film lives
up to the hype. As Matthew Turner of NME wrote, "[Phillips has] delivered the
last thing anyone expected: a socially responsible Joker
movie that finds an intriguing way to explore the consequences (both
on and offscreen) of the first film." That said, "Joker 2" was always
going to attract a few naysayers, and some reviewers don't recommend it at all. Regardless of your views on the first
movie, many fans think that Joaquin Phoenix ranks among the best on-screen Jokers.
He doesn't disappoint in this outing either, and David Rooney of The Hollywood
Reporter believes that he has great on-screen chemistry with
his main co-star, writing, "[Lady] Gaga is a compelling live-wire presence,
splitting the difference between affinity and obsession, while endearingly giving Arthur
a shot of joy ... Their musical numbers, both duets and solos, have a vitality that
the more often dour film desperately needs." Empire writer John Nugent also praised
the chemistry between Phoenix and Gaga, noting that they manage to add some
sentimentality to their characters' bad romance. "As sweet and beguiling a musical romance as
it's possible to have between two murderous psychopaths. Its kooky approach won't
suit all stripes of comic-book fan, but it finds a strange, tragic
hopefulness all of its own." “That’s what we should be talking about.” "Joker: Folie à Deux" also explores some of the
social issues that informed the first film, with some critics praising the sequel for doing so in a
compelling way. Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent described it as a shocking and unsettling
depiction of urban life in modern America — a world where cities are on the verge of chaos at
all times. That description makes "Joker 2" sound quite exciting, but don't jump to conclusions
until you've read the opposing viewpoints. The decision to make "Joker 2" a jukebox
musical suggests that it's one of those left field sequels that swings for the fences
and takes risks. However, some critics argue that it's quite tame and doesn't go as far as
it should. Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote, "Joker: Folie à Deux may be ambitious
and superficially outrageous, but in a basic way it's an
overly cautious sequel.” Similarly, The Times critic Kevin Maher believes
that "Joker 2" is a slog that doesn't do much to break free from its predecessor, or
other movies, for that matter, writing, "Phillips and co. smashed back
into the self-contained world, shook all the contents out onto the carpet and...
had another go. The result? Messy, lifeless, derivative and exactly what you'd expect from a
film that simply doesn't want, or need, to exist." Alison Willmore of Vulture blamed the
film's sluggish qualities on the writing, stating that Arthur Fleck is the least interesting
part of the story. The reviewer also argues that Gaga's talents are wasted by making her
play second fiddle to such an uninspired character. Despite this, Willmore praised
Joaquin Phoenix for putting his all into playing such a tormented villain, even though
he didn't have great material to work with.