Joker: Folie à Deux, a sequel to the 2019 film from director Todd Phillips and Warner Bros. Pictures that turns what was originally a psychological thriller into a partial musical, featuring Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, may be divisive among viewers, according to reviews for the film that have been shared by critics a month ahead of its U.S. release (October 4). Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson has called the movie “pointless,” echoing the thoughts of some who believe it should never have been made, while others have been more optimistic, calling Phillips’ latest project an ambitious one that features “compelling” musical numbers.
Top critics are saying:
- “It’s startlingly dull, a pointless procedural that seems to disdain its audience.” (Vanity Fair)
- “Joker: Folie à Deux may be ambitious and superficially outrageous, but in a basic way it’s an overly cautious sequel.” (Variety)
- “Messy, lifeless, derivative and exactly what you’d expect from a film that simply doesn’t want, or need, to exist.” (Times UK)
- “Despite its fascinating and complex main character, the film is ultimately dull and plodding, taking us nowhere, slowly.” (London Evening Standard)
- “Folie à Deux simply tap dances in place for the majority of its listless runtime, stringing together a series of underwhelming musical numbers that are either too on the nose… or too vaguely related to its characters to express anything at all.” (IndieWire)
A trailer for the new film:
Warner Bros. Pictures on its Joker sequel:
From acclaimed writer/director/producer Todd Phillips comes “Joker: Folie À Deux,” the much-anticipated follow-up to 2019’s Academy Award-winning “Joker,” which earned more than $1 billion at the global box office and remains the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. The new film stars Joaquin Phoenix once again in his Oscar-winning dual role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, opposite Oscar winner Lady Gaga (“A Star Is Born”).
“Joker: Folie À Deux” finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.