Joaquin Phoenix’s new offering on the 2024 movie calendar may have the word “Deux” in the title, but he and the rest involved are not really considering Joker: Folie À Deux a sequel. The actor’s original portrayal of the classic Batman villain earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor, and now Phoenix is back to continue Arthur Fleck’s story. Joker 2 premiered at the Venice International Film Festival on September 4 to mixed reviews, as critics say the film is “compelling,” and yet “senselessly devoted to sabotaging” itself.
The sequel picks up two years after the events of Joker, with Arthur Fleck living as a patient in the Arkham State Hospital, where he becomes interested in his music therapist Lee Quinzel (aka Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga). In the CinemaBlend review of Joker: Folie À Deux, Eric Eisenberg calls the musical “overindulgent,” saying that while the character study offers some real surprises, it harvests a blend of misery and monotony. He rates the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, writing:
Joker: Folie À Deux is only 16 minutes longer than its predecessor, but you really end up feeling that time thanks to the mix of unrelenting heavy vibes and cruelty, the minimalist approach to plot, and what is ultimately an overindulgent number of musical sequences. The dismal and horrific tale of Arthur Fleck remains compelling, the character once again brought to life with a chaotic and emotional turn by Joaquin Phoenix, and he’s provided a great scene partner in Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn – what proves to be an intriguing interpretation of the quirky villainess. But languid pacing renders the film thin, and the impact of its smart, shocking finale is dampened by the journey to get there.
Even CinemaBlend’s critics appear to be somewhat at odds, as our own Sean O’Connell also weighs in on the project by returning director and co-writer Todd Phillips. He says he can’t stop thinking about the provocative sequel, as “a study in isolation, a fascinating analysis of the worshiping of false gods, and a showcase for the blistering talents of Joaquin Phoenix.” He continues:
I know I want to see Joker: Folie a Deux a few more times to simply unpack the numerous messages included about stolen identity, loneliness, the media’s treatment of misunderstood individuals, the broken penal system, and more. I also know I have to work up the fortitude to endure repeat showings of Joker 2, because it’s a depressing sit. You’ll admire the hell out of it. I’m not sure you can enjoy it.
Bill Bria of SlashFilm rates Joker 2 as an 8 out of 10, saying the decision to turn this movie into a musical makes it one of the most compelling comic book movie of the year. Bria writes:
Phoenix plays his part in this as compellingly as he portrayed Arthur in the first movie; his work here feels like he shot it immediately after wrapping Joker, so in-step is he with the character. The revelation of the movie is Gaga as Lee: on a technical level, it’s so impressive to see how the actress and musician modulates her talent and abilities. To better suit the film’s aesthetic (and match Phoenix’s method of performing his songs in character), Gaga lets Lee have a breathy, pitchy style to her singing, only opening up the throttle during some of the fantasy musical numbers.
Yasmine Kandil of AwardsWatch gives Joker: Folie À Deux a “B,” calling it a “deranged duet of musical mischief.” Blending the genres of musical and courtroom drama feels fresh, Kandil says — at least at first, as the format loses its charm over the 138-minute runtime. Still, the critic says:
The only thing this installment lacks from the first is its eerie suspense which the narrative desperately pines for as the fallacy of their imaginations wears off. Regardless of its non-fatal flaws, this is far more entertaining of a film than the first, but with Joaquin Phoenix reprising a role he won an Oscar for and Lady Gaga belting show tunes in gorgeous costumes, how could you ever think this film would be one to miss?
Total Film’s Jordan Farley seems to have a response to that question, as the critic says the combination of those genres “fails to hit the high notes.” Farley notes that it feels smaller and more insular, providing a less-effective vehicle for Joaquin Phoenix to play in. The critic says:
Musical numbers are frequently deployed as the dramatic crescendo of a given scene. The upshot is that the pacing and momentum in otherwise dramatically compelling sequences – a tense interview with Steve Coogan’s needling TV host Paddy Meyers being an example – is derailed as Arthur changes gear to put his thoughts into song, with most tracks seemingly selected for their painfully on-the-nose lyrics. Rarely has a film been so senselessly devoted to sabotaging its rich set-ups with flat pay-offs.
Making the sequel into a musical is definitely a unique choice, with Lady Gaga no less, but does it make for an ingenious character study? Or does the genre dampen the movie’s message? You’ll be able to find out for yourself soon enough when Joker: Folie À Deux makes it to theaters on Friday, October 4.