Joker: Folie a Deux shocks, divides fans

How do you follow-up a cinematic masterpiece? Logically, you attempt to create another one.

Five years after the blockbuster success and critical acclaim of Joker, director Todd Phillips returns with the highly anticipated sequel, this time backed by a larger budget from Warner Bros. Pictures.

Joker: Folie à Deux stars Joaquin Phoenix, who reprises his role as the mentally disturbed Arthur Fleck.

Joining Joaquin is singer Lady Gaga, portraying the character of Herleen “Lee” Quinzel, a patient at Gotham City’s psychiatric hospital Arkham State Hospital.

Also part of the movie are Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Steve Coogan, Zazie Beetz, and Harry Lawtey.

Joker: Folie à Deux: Synopsis

Two years after murdering talk show host Murray Franklin on live television, an incarcerated Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is poised to stand trial for his crimes, which also include the killings of three people he encountered during a train ride and the death of his mother.

During his visits to Arkham State Hospital, he often comes across Herleen “Lee” Quinzel, who is intrigued by the cult of personality Arthur has built in the wake of his horrific crime.

The two form a relationship that feeds on their fantasies and cynicism toward everyone around them.

As his trial attracts national attention, Arthur faces the death penalty if convicted, and begins to grapple with the complexities of his dual personality.

Arthur’s harsh environment in prison, compounded by the brutal treatment he receives from prison guards, adds to his mental and emotional torment, further exacerbating his fragile state.

NEW JOKER FILM HITS DIFFERENT

The challenge with sequels to hit movies is that viewer expectations skyrocket heading into the theaters.

However, Todd seems not to care about this.

There’s a sense that he deliberately seeks to distance Joker: Folie à Deux from its predecessor.

First off, Joker: Folie à Deux is, surprisingly, a musical.

Now, music played a pivotal role in Joker in 2019, with the soundtrack heightening the sense of danger and dark euphoria as Arthur descends into madness.

Nothing illustrates this better than the scene where Arthur dressed as the Joker, embracing his newfound persona, dances joyfully and aimlessly on a staircase to the hypnotic tune of disgraced rockstar Gary Glitter’s “Rock and Roll,” also known as “The Hey Song.”

However, Joker: Folie à Deux takes things several steps further by transforming the film into a jukebox musical, featuring the Joker and Lee singing and performing within their twisted fantasies.

Then there’s the setting.

Understandably, Arthur’s circumstances have changed drastically two years after his murder spree.

He is no longer the hustling clown and aspiring but uncharismatic stand-up comedian roaming the streets of Gotham.

Taking the bus and train, or strolling miserably through Gotham’s neglected neighborhoods and decrepit buildings, is no longer part of Arthur’s daily reality.

Instead, we see Arthur looking more depressed and alienated as his life revolves around the gloomy prison and the court where he stands trial.

This limited setting may disappoint some viewers who are not enamored with courtroom drama and expect their favorite ruthless villain to be out on the streets, sowing terror and wreaking havoc with reckless abandon.

On a deeper level, Arthur’s monotonous routine heightens the sense of claustrophobia and discomfort, escalating his mental torment.

The cinematography remains topnotch, with dark, gritty visuals consistent with the first film and all things Batman-related.

Take note that Joaquin’s take on the celebrated villain is more psychological, and focuses more on his mental instability which both humanizes the character and justifies his criminal nature.

Once again, Joaquin delivers a superb performance, portraying Arthur in a way that provokes empathy and compassion while also evoking disgust and fear in viewers who regard the villain protagonist with deep distrust.

Lady Gaga earns praise for her performance in the film, though some critics argue her character lacks depth, blaming the writers for not integrating Lee effectively into the climax.

However, Todd has maintained from the outset that Lee wouldn’t fully embrace a Harley Quinn-like persona, emphasizing that the film’s primary focus remains, and rightly so, on the Joker.

A consistent element in both films is the sudden eruption of violence; the ending, like the first, is disturbingly vicious and leaves viewers confused and dumbfounded.

Joker: Folie à Deux is a well-crafted film that unfolds as a slow burner.

It is a good film, though it may take some time to process, unlike its predecessor, which made an immediate impact on viewers’ psyche.

So, how do you follow-up a cinematic masterpiece? Attempt to create another one, yes —or perhaps tear everything down and come up with something bizarrely unexpected to confound the audience.

Joker: Folie à Deux is now showing in cinemas nationwide.