Five years later, Joaquin Phoenix is back as Arthur Fleck/Jokerand Todd Phillips is back as the director. I found this much-anticipated continuation lacking. Not in a completely negative way, but more because it’s totally opposite from what many might expect. It is like the evil and terror from the first Jokeralmost never happened. Joker: Folie a Deux feels like a circus… in a prison cell and legal suits.
In this film, Arthur is amid legal proceedings for his violent crimes from the previous film. This time, however, he has made his prison environment feel like home. Nothing has really changed in his characterizations of an absurd mental illness.
Despite all his troubles, he has become quite famous due to his criminal behaviors. His attorney is Maryanne Stewart (played by Catherine Keener). She tries to convince Arthur that he should not present himself as the Joker which is difficult for him because he believes he is so special. This does not help his case nor does taunting a police guard, Jackie Sullivan (played by Brendan Gleeson). He despises Arthur’s presence with passion. With all the hatred, fame, and bizarre attention that Arthur loves, there is one special person who has a bad influence that comes into the picture. That lady is Lee Quinzel, and her stage name is Harley Quinn (played by Lady Gaga).
The criminalities abound for Arthur, and he cannot dismiss his Joker persona. He finds happiness when he falls in love with Lee Quinzel (when she uses her stage name Harley Quinn). Together, they create a world of boiling evil and catastrophe. Their vengeance is daring, but the presentation is flat. Too many moments they share on screen transition to them singing so don’t expect a lot of action or suspenseful violence in Joker: Folie a Deux.
With performances from Phoenix and Gaga, I was expecting some real eye-openers during the movie. Although the writing is not too bad, there seems to be misdirection which causes the story to not vibe all that well. With Arthur’s new love and his various trial dates, the film does not have a clear path to balance out its stressors.
Instead, Phoenix’s character creates a circus of wonders, but is unsuccessful in finding meaning or presenting the big picture. The halting point is that Arthur/Joker is in prison.
Therefore, the story relies too much on the fascination of the ridiculous love between Arthur and Lee/Joker and Harley Quinn. Their bizarre tangos fueled by their unique brands of crazy make for a weird ride.
In the end, this sequel relies too much on Arthur finding ways to feel powerful. While he has some success, the film is a sub-par continuation in a theatrical setting.
Joker: Folie a Deux does manage to hit the bar of mediocrity. It isn’t terrible but is simply lacking in far too many areas and is not nearly as compelling as the first one.
Two out of four stars.