Movie Review: Joker: Folie à Deux
Rating: 2/5
Joker: Folie à Deux, the much-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Joker, sadly fails to live up to its predecessor’s dark, gritty brilliance. While the first film struck a chord with audiences through its raw portrayal of mental illness and societal decay, this follow-up seems lost in its own ambition, failing to recapture the original’s psychological depth and emotional intensity.
Overly Ambitious but Lacks Focus
The decision to introduce musical elements into Folie à Deux is perhaps its most controversial choice, and unfortunately, it doesn’t work. Instead of complementing the Joker’s madness, the musical numbers feel disjointed and out of place, disrupting the already fragile narrative flow. What was presumably intended as an avant-garde exploration of the Joker’s psyche ends up feeling like an awkward, forced attempt to be different. The tonal shifts between a psychological thriller and musical sequences are jarring and unconvincing, leaving the audience confused about what the film is trying to achieve.
Underwhelming Character Development
Joaquin Phoenix’s performance, which was the heart and soul of the first film, feels strangely diminished here. While Phoenix certainly embodies the Joker’s unhinged persona, the character development feels stagnant, as if the script had no idea where to take him after the events of the first movie. The Joker’s descent into chaos was so thoroughly explored in Joker that Folie à Deux feels redundant in its portrayal, offering little new insight into the character.
Harley Quinn’s introduction, played by Lady Gaga, was another much-hyped element, but her portrayal feels more like a caricature than a fully fleshed-out character. Instead of the compelling psychological exploration that many hoped for, Harley Quinn comes across as a shallow sidekick, with her backstory and motivations hastily thrown together. The chemistry between Phoenix and Gaga feels forced, making their shared screen time more frustrating than compelling.
A Pacing Nightmare
At times, Joker: Folie à Deux drags unbearably, with long stretches of meandering scenes that add little to the story. The film tries to balance between its musical ambition and the darker psychological elements, but it ends up being a mess, with neither side fully realized. By the halfway point, it becomes painfully clear that the movie has no real direction. What starts as a promising setup descends into a slog, where neither the characters nor the plot seem to go anywhere meaningful.
Forced Symbolism
While the original Joker was full of subtle, thought-provoking commentary on society, mental illness, and class, Folie à Deux is heavy-handed and lacks subtlety. The film tries too hard to replicate the social commentary of its predecessor but fails to do so with any nuance. The symbolism is blunt and often feels like it’s hitting the audience over the head with tired themes about madness, society’s cruelty, and the Joker’s inevitable descent. It lacks the layered storytelling that made the original film so compelling.
Lackluster Visuals and Direction
One of the biggest disappointments in Folie à Deux is the visual direction. While the first film had a grim, almost tangible sense of Gotham’s decay, the sequel feels oddly sanitized and uninspired. The musical sequences, which should be vibrant or haunting, lack the creativity and edge needed to make them stand out. Even the darker, grittier moments fail to capture the oppressive atmosphere of the original.
Final Thoughts
Joker: Folie à Deux suffers from a serious identity crisis. It’s a movie that wants to be a bold and different sequel but ends up losing what made the original Joker so powerful: the emotional rawness, the social commentary, and the gripping character study. By veering into the realm of musical fantasy, it dilutes the dark, intimate narrative that made the first film a critical success.
Despite the strong talent behind it, Joker: Folie à Deux ultimately feels like a misguided experiment that loses its way. Fans of the original Joker may find themselves disappointed by a sequel that’s as disjointed and unfocused as its titular character.