Crime
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Review: ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is a Cruel Joke of a Comic Book Sequel
October 3, 2024Ben MK
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One of the most iconic comic book villains of all time, the Joker has left his mark on pop culture like few other characters — hero or villain — have. Whether it's Cesar Romero's campy portrayal in the 1960s Batman TV show, Mark Hamill's iconic vocal interpretation in Batman: The Animated Series, or Heath Ledger's disturbing take in The Dark Knight, when it comes to the Clown Prince of Crime, every generation has their favorite. Much like his heroic arch nemesis, the Caped Crusader, the Joker has had many faces over the years. None, however, have proven as uniquely somber as director Todd Phillips' rendition in 2019's Joker — a divisive interpretation that returns in Joker: Folie à Deux. Once again, the story follows Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a failed stand-up comedian turned mass murderer who now spends his days locked up in Gotham State Penitentiary, following the brutal on-air killing of television talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro). Considered by many to be a deranged psychopath and idolized by others for the exact same reasons, Fleck's alter ego, the Joker, has become something of a mythical figure in Gotham City, inspiring a TV movie-of-the-week and a bestselling book. As far as Arthur's real life is concerned, on the other hand, it's not nearly as glamorous as some members of the public might have been led to believe. And with no Batman in sight and the only other comic-related character being Assistant District Attorney Harvey Dent (Harry Lawtey), a man looking to get Arthur convicted and sentenced to the death penalty, this sequel to the comic book genre's most grounded and depressing origin film starts off much like its predecessor— woefully bereft of all the elements moviegoers would normally come to expect from the genre. All that appears to change, however, when Arthur meets Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga), a fellow patient in the penitentiary's mental ward whom he ends up striking up a relationship with, after they both find themselves in the same music therapy class. A woman seemingly be cut from a very similar cloth as Arthur, Lee immediately gravitates to her new beau, and together they embark on a musically themed journey or romance and rebellion that will see Arthur put on trial for his misdeeds, while Lee cheers him on from the gallery. But is this future Harley Quinn everything she claims to be? Or is she more in love with the idea of the Joker than she is with Arthur? As Folie à Deux dances back and forth between being a psychological drama, a courtroom thriller and a musical, Phillips and fellow screenwriter Scott Silver will try to answer these very questions. Unfortunately, it's whether audiences are even interested in finding out these answers that's the real question, as the result only grows more and more tiresome as the overly drawn-out plot drags on. It's a genuine shame to see all the wasted potential on screen, as the first half of Folie à Deux has the makings of a legitimately fantastic follow-up, with Phillips and company slowly developing the compelling relationship between Arthur and Lee, emboldening viewers with the hope that they'll eventually take that build-up and give moviegoers precisely what they came to see. Sadly, all of that careful foundation-laying and good faith investment is squandered by the time the movie has lurched its way to its final act, thanks to some truly bizarre and disappointingly dull narrative decisions that effectively nullify Arthur's character arc to this point, taking Gotham's most notorious antihero pathetically back to square one where he originally started from. Granted, fans of the Joker and Harley Quinn will be able to take some solace in the fact that Phoenix and Gaga do make for a dashingly dynamic criminal duo, especially in the few scenes where they appear in their characters' full regalia. For the most part, though, Joker: Folie à Deux tries its hardest to be its own worst enemy, raising the stakes here and there only to tear itself down mere moments later. It's enough to make even the most die-hard comic book fan shake their head in disbelief. And while it wouldn't be out of character for the film to reverse course and say it was all in jest, ultimately, the cruellest joke is on us, the moviegoers. Joker: Folie à Deux releases October 4th, 2024 from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has an MPAA rating of R for some strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality, and brief full nudity. Its runtime is 2 hrs. 18 min. |
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