Joker 2 REVIEW - Joker: Folie à Deux DESTROYS Joker
Summary
TLDRThe video script offers a critical review of 'Joker 2,' exploring how the sequel undoes much of the impact of the original film. The reviewer praises the performances, especially Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, but criticizes the musical elements and the character regression of Arthur Fleck. The film is described as frustrating, with musical scenes disrupting its momentum, and a plot that feels apologetic for its predecessor. The review suggests that 'Joker 2' risks alienating its audience and may tarnish the legacy of the first film, questioning the need for a sequel at all.
Takeaways
- 🎬 The movie *Joker* was initially controversial due to fears it might incite violence, but it ended up being a major success, grossing over $1 billion despite challenges like its R rating and lack of release in China.
- 💰 *Joker* received mixed critical reviews but was well-received by audiences, even winning Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix.
- 🃏 The sequel, *Joker: Folie à Deux*, focuses again on Arthur Fleck, but its musical format is a major shift, which detracts from the movie's impact.
- 🎶 The musical elements of *Joker 2* are the weakest part, turning the movie into a 'musical court drama' that often feels out of place.
- 🤔 Arthur Fleck’s character in *Joker 2* feels like a regression, undoing the development from the first film and reverting him back to a 'pathetic' character.
- 🎭 Lady Gaga does a solid job portraying Harley Quinn, but her character feels underutilized, and the narrative doesn't explore her relationship with Arthur deeply enough.
- 😕 The unreliable narrator aspect from the first movie is present but less effective, leaving some scenes confusing and not as interesting as in the original.
- 💡 The movie feels frustrating because every time it seems like it’s building momentum, it’s interrupted by musical scenes that halt the progress.
- 📉 *Joker 2* seems like a financial risk with high expectations, but early ticket sales are underwhelming, compared to other flops like *Indiana Jones* and *The Flash*.
- 🙅♂️ The reviewer feels *Joker 2* wasn’t necessary and suggests it may have been made for financial reasons rather than artistic ones, potentially ruining the legacy of the original *Joker*.
Q & A
What was the initial concern raised by corporate media regarding the release of the first *Joker* movie?
-Corporate media raised concerns that the first *Joker* movie could incite incel violence, suggesting it might lead to real-world security issues.
How did the controversy surrounding the *Joker* movie affect its success?
-The controversy surrounding the *Joker* movie helped propel it to success, as it gained significant attention and eventually earned over a billion dollars at the box office.
What were some challenges the first *Joker* movie faced before its release?
-Some challenges included being rated R, not being released in China, and receiving a 49% rating from corporate critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
How was *Joker* received by audiences and critics despite initial controversies?
-*Joker* was well-received by audiences, winning Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix, even though corporate critics were initially skeptical.
What is the general tone of the review for *Joker: Folie à Deux* (Joker 2) in this transcript?
-The review for *Joker: Folie à Deux* is largely negative, describing it as frustrating, disappointing, and unnecessary, with a particular critique of its musical elements.
What is the reviewer's opinion on the musical elements in *Joker 2*?
-The reviewer believes the musical elements were the worst part of *Joker 2*, frustrating the film's pace and diminishing the overall quality.
How is Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Harley Quinn received in the review?
-Lady Gaga's portrayal of Harley Quinn is seen positively; she is described as doing a good job portraying Harley as an obsessed fan of the Joker. However, the reviewer feels she was underutilized.
What criticism does the reviewer have about the character development of Arthur Fleck in *Joker 2*?
-The reviewer criticizes that Arthur Fleck's character is essentially reset, undoing his development from the first film, which they refer to as 'character assassination through character reversion.'
What does the reviewer speculate about Todd Phillips’ intentions with *Joker 2*?
-The reviewer speculates that Todd Phillips may have made *Joker 2* reluctantly, possibly trolling Warner Brothers by making a musical with a large budget after being offered more money than the first film.
What is the reviewer's ultimate verdict on *Joker 2*?
-The reviewer concludes that *Joker 2* is a bad movie, suggesting it may ruin the original for viewers due to its nihilistic and pointless nature, and argues that it was an unnecessary sequel.
Outlines
🎬 The Unexpected Success of Joker
The video opens by discussing the release of the movie 'Joker' five years ago. Initially, no one expected much from the film, which was an origin story for a Batman villain who never needed one. Despite a controversial media narrative predicting that the movie would incite incel violence, 'Joker' defied expectations and became a success. The corporate media's scare tactics didn't materialize, and the film grossed over a billion dollars. It overcame challenges like being rated R, not releasing in China, and receiving mixed critical reviews. Ultimately, the movie won several Academy Awards, including Joaquin Phoenix's Best Actor award. The video's host praises 'Joker' as a slow-burn film with an open ending that was meant to provoke endless debate.
😕 Joker 2: A Frustrating Sequel
The second paragraph dives into 'Joker: Folie à Deux,' the sequel to 'Joker,' and reveals the host's disappointment. The sequel answers questions left from the first film but suffers from a critical flaw: it didn't need to be made. Although the movie is well-directed and acted, and the score is praised, the decision to make it a musical doesn't sit well with the host. The musical elements disrupt the film's flow, turning it into a musical courtroom drama. The protagonist, Arthur Fleck, spends much of the film in Arkham Asylum, strategizing his defense with his lawyer. Lady Gaga plays Harley Quinn, but her character is underutilized, despite a solid performance. The film feels like a retread of the first, with Arthur’s character regressing rather than evolving.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Joker
💡Incel violence
💡Corporate media
💡Rotten Tomatoes
💡Arthur Fleck
💡Lady Gaga / Harley Quinn
💡Musical scenes
💡Unreliable narrator
💡Warner Brothers
💡Character deconstruction
Highlights
Joker was controversial due to the media's concern about incel violence, but these concerns never materialized.
Despite being an R-rated film and not being released in China, Joker earned over a billion dollars at the box office.
The film won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix.
Joker was considered a one-off film, but its success led to a sequel, Joker 2, which the reviewer finds unnecessary.
Joker 2 is a musical, and this element detracts from the film, making it less enjoyable according to the review.
Arthur Fleck's character in Joker 2 is regressed, undoing much of the character development from the first film.
The unreliable narrator theme from the first film is present in Joker 2 but isn't executed as effectively.
Lady Gaga plays Harley Quinn as a fan girl obsessed with the Joker, with a good performance, though her character is underused.
Joker 2 turns into a musical courtroom drama, which stalls the film's progression and impact.
The musical sequences, especially those not in Arthur’s head, feel forced and interrupt the film's flow.
Joker 2 deconstructs Arthur Fleck's character by reverting him to his pathetic, pre-Joker state.
The reviewer believes Todd Phillips may have been reluctant to make a sequel but accepted due to the large budget offered.
Joker 2’s budget was $145 million more than its predecessor, and early ticket sales were underwhelming.
The ending of Joker 2 is divisive, and Todd Phillips knew it would split the audience.
The reviewer argues that Joker 2 ruins the original film by turning it into the nihilistic story critics feared it would be.
Transcripts
nero.com greetings you over 1 million
Helens in the 40% who haven't subscribed
yet 5 years ago in the before times
prior to the horrid government response
to co prior to the Summer of Love prior
to the Hollywood strikes and shutdown a
little film drop called Joker a movie
absolutely nobody asked for which is
essentially a solo origin story of a
Batman villain who's never had one or
needed one and if you recall prior to
the film's release it was quite
controversial and this had everything to
do with the corporate access media who
was trying to will something into
existence by gaslighting the world and
pushing the narrative that this film
would somehow lead to incel violence
security concerns surrounding the new
Joker movie the FBI the LAPD among those
taking action concerned that the new
Joker movie could be used as an excuse
for a mass authorities are taking every
precaution to keep movie goers safe in
New York police were on high alert at a
special screening at the Lincoln Center
on Wednesday night there was also
heighten security here in La when in
Truth at the time the only violence that
was happening in movie theaters was for
Frozen 2 interestingly enough that's the
same corporate media just a few months
later that was saying all the actual
violence was mostly peaceful but thanks
to the controversy it propelled a pretty
damn good movie that we didn't know we
needed Joker into the stratosphere
earning over a billion dollars at the
box office despite having some things
going against it including it being a
rated R film it wasn't released in China
and the top corporate critics
particularly on Rotten Tomatoes giving
it a 49% quick reminder these are the
corporate clowns who are constantly
pushing the narrative that the audience
lacks media literacy these days when
they clearly showed their misperceived
political bias and Joker went on to win
Academy Awards including a well-deserved
best actor award for Wen Phoenix and on
top of that DC along with Warner
Brothers that was still reeling from the
SN ocalypse finally got a win they
captured lightning in a bottle it's a
shame Warner Brothers is America's
dumbest company and didn't make that
much money off it no one can argue that
a lot of people like the Joker including
yours truly as a one-off as in
elseworlds it was a slow burn that led
to an open ending that was meant to be
debated till the end of time until now
because Joker F Adu which I'm going to
call Joker to for the rest of this video
answers a lot of those questions
definitively and now that I've seen it
and answers another big question did
Joker need a sequel no which sucks
because I know along with a lot of other
people I was looking forward to this one
and it's not to say it isn't well made
it's well shot well directed well acted
the score is good mind you I said the
score and not the musical bits because
yes it's a musical of sorts and that's
the worst part in it I won't go as far
as to say Joker 2 would have been good
without the musical scenes but it would
have been better it essentially turns
into a musical Court drama now the first
half of the film we follow Arthur Fleck
as he does his his time in Arkham after
being charged with five of the six
murders he committed in the first film
and after a promising opening animated
sequence set to the song Me and My
Shadow just like its predecessor it
looked like we were headed towards a
slow burn that ended up fizzling out and
don't worry there won't be any spoilers
while Keen Phoenix does a fantastic job
with what he has given while playing
Arthur Fleck who for the vast majority
of this film is incarcerated while
trying to strategize his defense with
his lawyer played by Katherine Keener
who is really trying to push with Arthur
and the prosecution that the Joker is a
separate personality within Arthur Fleck
while in Arkham he meets Lee quinzel who
at one point is called Harley played by
Lady Gaga now there were some rumors
that Joker 2 would be from Harley
Quinn's perspective but that is not the
case this is an Arthur Fleck film that
being said Lady Gaga did a good job
playing Harley Quinn as she was meant to
be portrayed a fan girl who is obsessed
with the Joker and the rest of the cast
isn't too shabby either Brendon Gleason
as a slightly rapy Arkham guard Harvey D
in it and there's a great scene with
little Gary from the first film so if
all this was good what went wrong well
everything else I like Todd Phillips as
a director and I understand what he was
trying to do and I even respect trying
to do something a little different but
everything he did to build up Arthur
Fleck into the Joker is completely
undone while the presence of the Joker
is still there we're right back to
pathetic Arthur Fleck the unreliable
narrator is still in jok or two
sometimes it's obvious sometimes it's
subtle but most of the time I just
didn't care because it wasn't as good as
it was with Sophie in the first film for
example with Lady gagas Lee quenzel
there are times where she is
acknowledged by characters in the film
and there are other times where it's
questionable and it's up to you to
figure that out if you want to see it
because those interesting moments are
far and few between again while the
access media said the Joker would lead
to incel violence I can definitively say
Joker 2 will lead to narcolepsy that
will occasionally and abruptly be
interrupted with musical scenes that at
their very worst are frustrating and at
their very best are mid the ones that
aren't in Arthur's head are performed in
a muted way kind of like this I'm here
with my dad so I'm here now I found you
Daddy guess what I love you I love you I
love
you wow that was weird you know I just
realized that that could be the scene
between Arthur and Thomas Wayne from the
ER anyway the musical bits that are in
Arthur's head are better but the only
memorable thing about them is the sets
and now that I come to think of it the
best word to properly describe Joker 2
is frustrating and it's not just because
every time this film feels like it's
starting to go somewhere they break into
the song and stop it dead in its tracks
when they could have used that time to
do more with Lady Gaga Harley Quinn and
this is kind of a surprise cuz I would
argue she's underused in this no the
single most frustrating thing is the
complete deconstruction of Arthur Fleck
because essentially it's just Arthur
facing the consequences of his actions
playing The Joker it's character
assassination through character
reversion Arthur Fleck is right back
where he was at the beginning of the
first movie and I understand that's the
entire point of the film and I also
understand it didn't work for me at all
this brings us to the predictable ending
that they gave away pretty early on
something Todd Phillips himself knew
would divide fans and I think he's right
people will be talking about this one
unfortunately for Warner Brothers not as
many as they'd like because it looks
like Joker 2's early ticket sales are
right on par with Indiana Jones and the
dial of denter in the flash oof and
considering the budget for Joker 2 was
exactly $145 million more than its
predecessor things aren't looking good
and if Warner Brothers is holding out
for Word of Mouth well the soldout fan
iMac screening I was in yesterday was
dead silent when the movie ended Joker 2
comes off as if it's apologetic for its
predecessor it's almost a troll and for
all I know it is now if it's Todd
Phillips trolling Warner Brothers
respect I can see him telling Warner
Brothers I don't want to do a sequel
unless you give me a $200 million budget
and I'm going to make it a musical oh oh
sh you're giving me the money of course
the access media is spinning it to troll
the audience well if that's the case
bold move Warner Brothers trolling the
people who supported the Joker while the
access media was attacking you
ultimately it's just a bad movie and I
think it's probably because Todd
Phillips had never planned to make it
but was given so much money he couldn't
say no but keep in mind if you decide to
watch it there's a very good chance that
it will completely ruin the original for
you just chalk this up as another lesson
Hollywood won't learn no we don't need a
sequel or a prequel to everything we do
not need an origin to every hero or
villain we do not need to know the time
and place Martha and Thomas Wayne
conceived Bruce unfortunately the Joker
too made the Joker into the story we
were concerned about in the first place
a nihilistic pointless and meaningless
peripheral Batman story set in the world
of Batman without Batman nero.com
if you like what you heard please like
share and subscribe if you didn't like
what you heard I thank you for listening
this long I will see you in the next
video
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)