One of the vital vital shortcomings of Todd Phillips’ visually placing but finally hole sequel to his billion-dollar hit “Joker” is its daring resolution to remodel into an MGM-style technicolor fever dream musical. It casts Girl Gaga—one of many world’s greatest pop stars—however fails to offer her with the runway or display screen time essential to showcase her abilities; she doesn’t even have her personal solo, show-stopping quantity. This encapsulates “Joker: Folie à Deux,” a movie that goals excessive however finally falls brief, unable to capitalize on its bold premise. Whereas I wasn’t notably keen on the unique, I acknowledged its deserves and located worth in its Martin Scorsese influences. Sadly, there’s no such luck right here.
In “Joker,” Phillips, alongside co-writer Scott Silver, introduced Arthur Fleck, a.ok.a. the Joker, not as a violent gangster however as a sufferer of societal neglect—a loner chewed up and spat out by the system. He wasn’t perceived as a menace however relatively a misunderstood determine. When he resorts to homicide, he’s seen by some as a insurgent with a trigger. This plot resonated with audiences, producing over a billion {dollars} on the field workplace, regardless of my perception that it was the improper movie for the second and inherently mean-spirited. Given its monetary success, a sequel was virtually inevitable.
Phillips and Silver deserve credit score for making an attempt to steer their follow-up into new, uncharted territory. They place their broken anti-hero on trial and create a premise during which Arthur bursts into track each time he wants a pick-me-up. Sadly, the execution falls flat, rendering the movie a tedious train in redundancy. With a reported funds of round $200 million—bonkers for a movie set primarily in simply a few places—one can not help however surprise if these assets have been squandered.
Set two years after the chaos of “Joker,” Arthur (Joaquin Phoenix, reprising his Oscar-winning position) is holed up in Arkham Asylum awaiting trial. The movie’s first half focuses on his life contained in the establishment, the place he interacts with orderlies in trade for cigarettes. The latter half unfolds in a courtroom, that includes numerous characters from the primary movie testifying towards him. Initially, this extra contained storyline feels refreshing, however because it drags on—notably through the tedious courtroom scenes—you start to want that the $200 million funds had been utilized extra successfully.
The few moments the place “Folie à Deux” actually resonates happen when Arthur and Harley Quinn—performed by Gaga—share the display screen. Gaga brings heat to her character, however her portrayal is hampered by a scarcity of independence within the writing. All through the movie, she flatters Arthur, comforts him, and performs duets like a subdued rendition of “That’s Leisure.” The movie’s most compelling moments come up when it momentarily breaks away from its grim narrative, showcasing a cinematic flourish that will make Gene Kelly smile. Nevertheless, these moments are sparse.
A lot of Gaga’s display screen time is spent in flirtation with Arthur, and her encouragement for him to maintain combating typically veers into obsessive territory, decreasing her character to a fangirl relatively than a real love curiosity.
Phillips comes near addressing the implications of the primary movie, questioning what it implies that society nonetheless helps Arthur after witnessing his cold-blooded murders. Nevertheless, simply because the movie appears poised to discover new allegories or insights, it runs out of steam.
One would count on a movie of this scale and ambition to characteristic grander and extra intricate musical numbers. Had the courtroom sequences paused to discover the ramifications of Arthur’s actions, “Folie à Deux” might need managed to piece itself again collectively. In the end, this sequel feels extra drained and insulting than its predecessor, squandering the abilities of a sensational solid, notably Phoenix and Gaga, who ship performances in a movie that doesn’t know how you can make the most of them. It appears the joke is on the viewers who select to pay for this disappointing sequel.
JOKER: FOLIE á DEUX is now taking part in in theaters