Venice 2024: ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Takes Arthur to Court docket, And That’s It?
by Alex Billington September 4, 2024
“Hey Fleck, you got a joke for us today?” The second has come. Everybody’s favourite Clown Prince of Crime in Gotham Metropolis is again on the massive display. After 5 years of ready, the sequel is lastly right here. Lastly prepared to dazzle us with some track & dance. Joker: Folie à Deux, once more directed by Todd Phillips, is premiering on the 2024 Venice Movie Pageant – the exact same place the place Joker premiered again in 2019 and ended up successful the Golden Lion (here is my assessment from again then). How will the story proceed? The place will Arthur go subsequent? Properly, it seems he is going to courtroom. Once more – since that is the second time he is been in courtroom for the occasions of the primary Joker film. Sadly, this time they do maintain again. There will not be many provocative concepts on this sequel, it is primarily a direct follow-up to the primary film, primarily commenting on & responding to the criticisms of and occasions inside that story. This sequel feels nearer to The Matrix Resurrections than the rest, regardless of being a wonderful musical following the DC Comics villains the Joker and Harley Quinn as they discover their approach out of Arkham. So possibly we by no means actually did want a sequel to the primary film in spite of everything?
Properly no less than there’s loads to discuss with Joker: Folie à Deux. As soon as once more, I love the filmmaking. Just a few of the musical numbers are so fantastic and lavish that I felt them in my chest, my coronary heart beating sooner watching the scenes on the display. Joaquin Phoenix returns once more as Arthur Fleck, also referred to as “Joker”, although when this begins he is locked up on the Arkham State Hospital jail. The guards there deal with all the violent criminals terribly, however what can they do. Every thing modifications for Arthur when he catches a glimpse of a lady named Lee, as performed by Woman Gaga aka Stefani Germanotta, quick for Harleen Quinzel (or Harley Quinn, in fact). However this film isn’t about her origin story, it is not her story in any respect. They shortly fall in love and get intro hassle however then Arthur’s trial begins. His lawyer has requested for a retrial to get him moved to a special jail with higher medical doctors by utilizing the excuse he is insane and has cut up personalities. It is Joker that killed the individuals within the first film, not Arthur Fleck, or so she claims. What do you consider? The remainder of the film is just about a courtroom room thriller with a couple of twists concerning his case, however not a lot else occurs. By the top my most pervading thought: what, that is it? That is half a film. The place’s the remainder?
The one phrase that retains coming to thoughts once I consider how to try to describe Joker: Folie à Deux is: irritating. I like the primary Joker film, I believe it is a wholly good, edgy, moralistically complicated story of a misunderstood man who’s abused by everybody else in society. He acts out, goes too far and kills a couple of individuals, inadvertently beginning a motion the place different individuals who have additionally been mistreated by society are impressed by his Joker persona. However does Arthur Fleck actually perceive this motion? Does he perceive what is going on on on the market? Co-written by Scott Silver & Todd Phillips, directed once more by Todd Phillips, Joker 2 performs out nearly completely as a response to the ridiculous criticisms of the primary film. It spends most of its runtime, together with the complete courtroom room drama, cleverly explaining away the thought of the Joker as the harmful unhealthy man, and as an alternative permits his character to passively be what everyone seems to be reacting to – as an alternative of him being the one performing out. The Joker would not try this a lot on this film, he is not nefarious, he is not some crime kingpin, he barely touches anybody. He falls in love with Harley, however he is depressed in jail and that is it. He would not even appear to perceive himself of the distinction between Arthur & Joker both. Or does he?
What’s so irritating about this sequel is that after spending all this time correcting what was unsuitable concerning the irrational response to the primary film as a part of the narrative, it has nothing extra to say, nothing new to add, nothing else happening. Which is unusual… One thing appears off in right here – had been they afraid of pushing it additional? Simply when it begins getting good, simply once you suppose okay now it is time for the Joker to return out into Gotham and begin a brand new revolution, it ends. It is over – as if they do not need to provoke once more. There is not any probability to do something extra or proceed the storyline with recent, new concepts. At occasions it appears to reference a scary considered social media in up to date society – followers may be so totally obsessive about an thought of somebody they admire that they’ll flip towards that particular person and get very indignant once they do not stay true to no matter it’s these followers deem is their correct identification. The idea of “the Joker” has now taken on a lifetime of its personal and unfold past Arthur. Which is, once more, one thing the primary film introduces and was already a part of the dialog after that film got here out. Joker 2 even makes reference to this very similar to the best way The Matrix Resurrections references the unique Matrix movie as a part of its philosophical narrative.
One factor that Joker: Folie à Deux actually does get proper is how this model of The Joker (separate from the comedian e book character) isn’t actually a foul man – he is a mirror for society. Within the first film, and persevering with on this sequel, Arthur Fleck is an anti-hero who, despite the fact that he does some unhealthy issues, isn’t completely a villain as a result of he’s a personality who’s able to lifting up the curtain and exhibiting humanity the reality about how horrible and evil and disgusting most individuals are. On this sequel, that concept is pushed even additional as Arthur turns into a mirror for everybody else. They suppose he is a foul man and should make him out to be one, when actually everybody who interacts with them is simply revealing their true selves. And it turns on the market’s a variety of horrible individuals on the market, even when they don’t seem to be murderers like Arthur is, they’re simply as terrible and but they get away with it. All the supporting characters, from Woman Gaga as Harley to Brendan Gleeson as a jail guard to Catherine Keener as his lawyer to his fellow inmates that admire him, are all expressing their very own deep, darkish true selves by wanting up to Arthur. Whereas this can be a fascinating idea, it is the beginning of 1 theme that by no means performs out correctly within the third act. It by no means progresses into the extra impactful narrative prefer it ought to.
Regardless of my disappointment with this sequel, there may be nonetheless a lot to admire and revel in anyway. Phoenix is extraordinary once more as Arthur, exploring much more complicated sides of his identification. Gaga is phenomenal as Harley Quinn, certainly one of her best performances but. The 2 of them breaking out into track collectively is well my favourite a part of the film. The set design, the cinematography, the manufacturing high quality, the feel and appear of the entire film, is as soon as once more distinctive and thrilling to get misplaced inside. I am glad this Gotham stands other than the opposite DC motion pictures. The rating by Hildur Guðnadóttir continues to be mesmerizing and eerie in equal measure. And whereas I is probably not as happy with this film as I hoped, it’s definitely making a dialog. I’ve been enthusiastic about it, discussing it, analyzing it, and trying to make sense it for hours for the reason that Venice press screening early within the morning. Even when most of my evaluation is “why didn’t it go further, why does it stop so short?” no less than there’s one thing to focus on; no less than it is not immediately forgettable or lackluster. The love story between Joker and Harley can also be invigorating, but additionally nonetheless undercooked, by no means explored correctly like most of this sequel. It is as if they honestly are afraid of inflicting a destructive response once more.
On the finish of all of it, the strongest lesson from Joker: Folie à Deux is that followers and followers may be essentially the most harmful. They will break the principles, they’ll flip into the violent mob that’s uncontrollable, they are often unstoppable. It isn’t Joker’s fault if this occurs. It is merely a mirrored image of the reality of humanity, merely a mirrored image of how darkish many individuals are inside. And that is simply as scary as something the Joker has ever achieved.
Alex’s Venice 2024 Ranking: 6.5 out of 10Observe Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing
