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Kelaru & Fulton rating: ★★★★
Runtime: 2hrs 18 mins
This is the second sequel this year to face criticism for being different. First, we had Mad Max: Furiosa, and now Joker: Folie à Deux.
But why the backlash? Both films are impressive on their own. If they were released without any preceding titles, would they be better received by the public?
Let’s take a moment to appreciate how remarkable it is that Joker: Folie à Deux even exists. For those who haven't seen it yet, the story unfolds in a fictional world where superheroes wear capes, the main character is a mad anti-hero who paints himself as a joker, and all of this is set within a musical.
The mere fact that this film got greenlit is an act of boldness that deserves recognition. Sure, the first Joker made over a billion dollars at the box office, but when this sequel—a musical—was pitched to the Warner Bros. execs, I imagine it wasn’t an easy sell.
The entire industry is in a moment of change. Superhero films aren’t bringing in the same revenue, while original ideas are being championed by innovative studios like A24 and Neon. Last year’s writer/actor strikes are still rippling through this year’s releases, and AI is increasingly replacing human jobs—Lionsgate even partnered with AI company, Runway.
In this context, Joker: Folie à Deux might seem like madness (fitting, given that "folie" is French for "madness") for the studios, but the film is far from bad—it’s just different.
I was skeptical going in, knowing it was a musical, especially since the trailers were careful not to show the characters singing. But I was pleasantly surprised. The music doesn’t dominate or drag out the runtime (nowhere near the level of Les Misérables). Instead, it’s cleverly woven into the film. The songs aren’t original but are performed by the characters as if they’re humming or singing in casual moments, like in the kitchen or the shower. What’s more, the actors sing in character: Joaquin Phoenix’s (Joker/Arhur Fleck) voice is ragged and croaky, while Lady Gaga’s (Lee Quinn) is less like her usual polished vocals and more like an ordinary person’s voice.
The music fits perfectly with the film’s central theme: love. What better way to express love than through music ? These characters wear their hearts on their sleeves, and music becomes their raw, immediate way of expressing love.
They’re still as mad as ever, though, and they don’t break character for anything. One brilliant scene features Joker and Lee Quinn attempting to escape Arkham Asylum. It’s a fantastic blend of music and action, with Phoenix and Gaga playing off each other perfectly. Their chemistry is spot-on, and you can see the childish, innocent love in their eyes.
Beyond their relationship, which is explored in the first part of the film, the rest of the story focuses on Arthur Fleck’s (Joker) trial for the murders he committed in the first film with a young Harvey Dent pushing for the death penalty. Arthur/Joker must choose between his freedom and his love. To avoid the death sentence, he must prove that another personality, "The Joker," committed the crimes, which means accepting his real, tragic identity as Arthur Fleck, a depressed, failed comedian. But if he accepts that he is Arthur, he kills off "The Joker"—the persona that Lee Quinn and his thousands of followers have fallen in love with.
Arthur is trapped. Any decision he makes could have devastating consequences, and he knows it.
Joaquin Phoenix delivers another excellent performance, and Lady Gaga is a pleasant surprise, matching him in skill. However, the script doesn’t give them enough room to fully shine, denying them those big “Oscar-moment” scenes—mainly because of the musical elements. At times, it felt like a monologue or heated argument was replaced by a song. While entertaining, it limited the actors from digging deeper into their characters. The same goes for the supporting cast. I would’ve loved to see more of Brendan Gleeson’s Jackie Sullivan or Harry Lawtey’s Harvey Dent.
Is it as good as the first film? I’d say they’re equally good but belong to different genres: one is a psychological thriller, the other is a musical courtroom drama. Both are well-acted, visually stunning, have excellent soundtracks, and are a pleasure to watch.
We shouldn’t dismiss a film just because it dares to be different—or mad enough to try something new. As Tom Hardy’s Eames said in Inception: “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling!”