Rated an 8.4 on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Todd Phillips’ “Joker” took the world by storm in 2019 as a triumph of cinema. Through dreamlike cinematography, a chilling yet irresistible plot and a master-class performance by Joaquin Phoenix, fans around the world fell in love with the world of Gotham.
Eagerly waiting for the sequel, “Joker” fans and movie fanatics alike celebrated when Detective Comics (DC) announced the long-awaited return of “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Once again, Phoenix returned to the set, this time alongside popstar, singer and actress Lady Gaga. With a star-studded cast and an incredible first film, expectations were set high. These expectations, however, were far from met.
The film begins where the last left off, with the Joker, whose real name is Arthur Fleck, in Arkham Asylum following the riots he caused. Awaiting his murder trial, Fleck slumps around the halls of Arkham, accompanied by a brash yet comforting guard played by Brendan Gleeson. Already, the movie felt slower than the first, with sub-par cinematography and unnecessary jump cuts.
Almost 20 minutes into the movie, the audience is finally introduced to Lee Quinzel, a psych patient of block A who immediately catches the eye of Fleck. Played by Lady Gaga, Quinzel matches the eerie and deranged actions of the Joker, setting them up to be romantic partners later in the film. It was after the introduction of Quinzel that “Joker” fans, and myself, began to lose interest.
Straying away from the style of the first movie, the introduction of Lady Gaga leads to singing, something that did not occur in the original. With multiple solos from both Fleck and Quinzel, as well as a long and twisted stage performance from the pair, viewers were left confused as to why Phillips had gone so far off course from the original movie. Though different from the first film, the movie was not entirely singing. Following multiple scenes of singing, the film transitions to focus on the trial and defense of Fleck.
The trial, filled with plenty of emotion, was by far the strongest scene of the movie. A crazed Joker; the introduction to Harvey Dent, a DC villain who will later be known as “Two Face”; and an incredibly captivating witness account from Leigh Gill, the co-worker who witnessed Fleck murder a man in the first film, all contributed to what was an engrossing and chaotic scene.
For the rest of the movie, viewers watched the Joker’s world crumble. After Quinzel breaks up with him, he briefly escapes but is captured by law enforcement and is returned to Arkham. The film begins to feel somber as if the end is near. SPOILER: This was in fact the case as Arthur Fleck was stabbed by a crazed inmate.
