Joker Folie à Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, is a big disappointment. There’s no proper story or character arc, says our review.
In Short
- Joker: Folie à Deux released in Indian theatres on October 2
- Directed by Todd Phillips, the film features Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga
- The film failed to impress because of the lack of an intriguing stor
A sequel or a follow-up to a potentially successful franchise very rarely goes off track. If you have the same director and actor from the first film, the chances of the film derailing are even less. But Todd Philips does the unthinkable by making one of the biggest messes of a sequel with Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker: Folie Deux.
When Joker came out, it not only gained instant box office success but also gave us one of the most disturbing yet hauntingly mesmerising performances, with Phoenix playing Arthur Fleck. The follow-up not only manages to tarnish the reputation of its predecessor but also makes you question Fleck’s character even more. The choices he made in Joker, the consequences he had to suffer and the mental health issues he highlights were so pivotal to the film. Unfortunately, the second part feels like a cheap trick to make a quick buck for fans of the franchise.
Here’s the trailer:
Unlike the 2018 musical, A Star is Born, Joker Part 2 has not one song or track that is worth mentioning. Gaga’s contribution to the film feels as muted as her shallow performance. Phoenix’s vocals feel strained and forced. Even fans who champion Gaga’s foray into the musical world have given her a side project – an album dedicated to the film, The Cold Shoulder. Justified, because the entire premise of this film feels forced.
Joker: Folie Deux had great potential. Unfortunately, the writers or makers never seem to rise to the occasion and grab the chance to make phenomenal. Instead, they feel confused and lost. Even Gaga and Phoenix’s first few interaction scenes, which could have had so much drama, feel subdued. It is safe to say that fans of Joker will be disappointed. With no proper storyline or character arc or even a solid fight or action scene in place, this film should have been titled Joker: A massive faux pas!
Another DC misfire?
With a budget only slightly lower than the CGI-heavy DC spectacles that “Joker” deviated from, is “Folie à Deux” headed for a fate similar to the superhero misfires that Warner Bros. put out last year ahead of James Gunn’s 2025 franchise reboot? Even the best performing of those 2023 films, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” had to leg out over the holidays to get into break-even territory with $439 million worldwide, less than half of the $1.15 billion the first “Aquaman” made.
Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in “Joker: Folie a Deux”
As with many movies, it will become clearer how well “Joker 2” is going to do after its second weekend. The $55 million opening for “The Flash” was a letdown given the hype behind it, but it was the brutal 72% drop in its second weekend that sealed its fate. Exhibitor sources said overseas tracking for “Joker 2” is stronger than it was for “The Flash,” which could help lessen the blow if the film can’t leg out domestically.
After loyal fans of “Joker” and Lady Gaga show up alongside each other opening weekend, “Joker 2” will need enough traction to keep it going as the primary moneymaker for theaters in October. If not, that could leave the door open for upcoming sequels like Paramount’s “Smile 2” and Sony’s “Venom: The Last Dance” to draw in moviegoers looking for darker mainstream fare.
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