Joker: Folie à Deux

Folie à Deux’s attempt at showcasing cleverness, verve, or engagement is held cruelly underwater by staid direction, shoddy emotional plotting, a gleeful sense of cruelty, and a grave nihilism that makes Zack Snyder’s work seem like a season of Bluey.

We're left with the tragedy of a broken man in a world only interested in sensationalism. It's a big swing for all involved, but all the better for it.

It begs the question, why is Phillips so reluctant to embrace that the film is a musical? Why not add a little more colour, some flourish to the production design?

Where the original Joker remains a stunning exception — that rare blockbuster with emotional shading, grownup themes and a genuine sense of grandeur — this sequel fails to stay on the beat.

Joker still has a trick up its sleeve — even a serious subtext. The best moment comes late on in an incendiary scene...

Folie à Deux can’t quite match its predecessor for dizzying impact. But it matches it for horrible tinderbox tension: it’s a film you feel might burst into flames at any given moment.

Just when things begin to boil somebody starts singing…A seismic disappointment.

It becomes apparent this isn't really going anywhere, because it can't.

Rehashes a lot of the same themes (and events) of the first film, but this time set to music. Two incredible lead performances and some fun moments, but overall left me wanting more. A lot more.

Joker: Folie à Deux is cheap. It cost a lot, but it’s cheap. Joker fans are given a movie decided upon by three obnoxious bankers salivating at projected earnings on the subway.