Joker: Folie À Deux critics brand sequel ‘bleak’ and say it’s the ‘most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie’ as fans claim it could ruin Lady Gaga’s career

Joker: Folie À Deux critics brand sequel 'bleak' and say it's the 'most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' as fans claim it could ruin Lady Gaga's career

As a die-hard fan of the original Joker, I must confess that my expectations for Folie À Deux were through the roof. Having witnessed Joaquin Phoenix’s mesmerizing portrayal of Arthur Fleck and Todd Phillips’ masterful direction, I was eagerly anticipating a sequel that would continue the narrative in a way that was both innovative and captivating.


As a connoisseur of all things lifestyle, I must admit that I’ve found myself in agreement with some critics who label “Folie À Deux” as a somewhat underwhelming sequel following the Oscar-winning masterpiece it succeeded.

In a twist, the follow-up has garnered varied reactions from fans, with certain individuals expressing concern that Lady Gaga’s professional path might face challenges.

With Todd Phillips once again at the helm, some critics argue that the follow-up film essentially mirrors its predecessor, albeit with a catchy melodic spin thrown in.

In general consensus, many reviewers argued that Todd misutilized Lady Gaga in the film, suggesting that she was primarily brought on board for her musical talents rather than a more substantial role.

Although most critics found Joker: Folie À Deux disappointing compared to their expectations, some have labeled it as daring and exceptional.

Joker: Folie À Deux critics brand sequel 'bleak' and say it's the 'most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' as fans claim it could ruin Lady Gaga's career

Joker: Folie À Deux critics brand sequel 'bleak' and say it's the 'most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' as fans claim it could ruin Lady Gaga's career

Joker: Sequel titled “Folie à Deux” made its debut at the 81st Venice International Film Festival recently, and it hit the big screens in both the United Kingdom and the United States this past Friday.

Brian Viner from The Daily Mail praised the action as both daring and impressive, yet he felt it was missing an element of excitement.

In his review, he awarded it four stars by saying: ‘The second movie has an audacious new style that differs from the first, although it doesn’t have quite the same electric charge, it is still daringly good and smart.’

Currently, Arthur is incarcerated, anticipating if he will be deemed mentally capable to face a murder trial. In the interim, he’s basking in his newfound fame among fellow inmates and even some guards, including an Irish guard portrayed by Brendan Gleeson, who shares cigarettes with him in exchange for jokes.

In a forthcoming role, Lady Gaga takes on the character of Lee, an inmate who seems destined to develop a relationship with Harley Quinn’s potential love interest, the Joker. At a music therapy session, they bond and soon find themselves deeply attracted to each other. However, it becomes clear that Lee harbors affection for the enigmatic and charismatic Joker, also known as the ‘clown prince of crime’, rather than the brooding Arthur.

“Is the true character the psychopath in the disguise or the sensitive individual hidden beneath? In any case, the exploration of identity confusion is central to this movie, which continues to be marketed as a musical.

While music plays a significant role in portraying the growing affection between Arthur and Lee, it’s essential to note that their relationship isn’t just a romantic fairy tale. There are a few dance sequences that might remind you of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone from La La Land (2016), but with an edge of psychosis.

As a devoted admirer, I found the original Joker to be almost flawless. Although this sequel doesn’t quite reach those lofty heights, it remains an enthralling exploration of mental health, falling short of timeless classics like Psycho (1960) and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), but still holding its own in their esteemed company.

According to Geoffrey Macnab from The Independent, the movie “Joker” has become well-known as one of the most revolutionary and creative films from the past ten years. Its highly anticipated follow-up maintains the same dark and innovative style as the original film.

Simultaneously, Donald Clarke from The Irish Times awarded the film only two stars, yet acknowledged Phillips’ efforts as the key factor in producing a follow-up, given the first movie’s box office success of $1 billion.

He said: ‘Credit where credit is due. Todd Phillips has followed up Joker, a film that made $1 billion and won two, with a work of unexpected eccentricity. 

He had an opportunity to appease the studio’s financial team more effortlessly by making his anti-hero character even more comedic or cartoonish.

Rather than contradicting unpleasant views of the initial movie’s more fanatical supporters, he constructed a musical instead that ultimately dismisses such opinions.

Danny Leigh from Financial Times commented that despite Lady Gaga’s efforts to boost the ratings for the sequel, it seemed as though Bradley Cooper (Phillips) lacked a clear plan on how to utilize her talents effectively.

Five years following the hugely successful portrayal of the Joker by Joaquin Phoenix, which left audiences in awe, a sequel has arrived to continue captivating viewers with both dance and song.

After such an outstanding achievement, it was clear that the next step would unexpectedly take the form of a musical production. Lady Gaga was set to appear alongside others in this venture.

Joker: Folie À Deux critics brand sequel 'bleak' and say it's the 'most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' as fans claim it could ruin Lady Gaga's career
Joker: Folie À Deux critics brand sequel 'bleak' and say it's the 'most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' as fans claim it could ruin Lady Gaga's career
Joker: Folie À Deux critics brand sequel 'bleak' and say it's the 'most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' as fans claim it could ruin Lady Gaga's career
Joker: Folie À Deux critics brand sequel 'bleak' and say it's the 'most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' as fans claim it could ruin Lady Gaga's career

Additionally, Lady Gaga puts in significant effort to elevate her character’s stardom, yet her limited screen time leaves Martin Scorsese appearing as if he’d unexpectedly captured a vehicle – unsure of how best to utilize her presence within the film.

Giving a three star rating, The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw claimed the movie proves ‘claustrophobic’ and ‘repetitive’. 

Initially, director Todd Phillips announced that there wouldn’t be a sequel to the original film, but later he had a change of heart, leading to the creation of a film that appears to draw heavily from other musicals. (Kevin Maher of The Times)

As a devoted admirer, I must confess that this sequel seems to fall short following such an exceptional Oscar-winning performance, much like how Sir Anthony Hopkins’ chilling portrayal of Dr. Lecter was transformed into something less impactful and more reminiscent of camp and kitsch compared to its original.

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2024-10-04 14:04

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