JOKER 2 Folie a Deux Review | EMBARRASSINGLY AWFUL!

Summary

In this video, Snarky J reviews the film 'Joker: Folie à Deux,' which she finds to be a disappointing sequel to the original 'Joker.' She had low expectations going in, disliking the idea of a musical and the casting of Lady Gaga. Despite praising Joaquin Phoenix's performance and Todd Phillips' cinematography, she criticizes the plot, musical interruptions, and Gaga's portrayal of Harley Quinn. The review ends with a strong disapproval of the film's direction, particularly its forced connection to the Batman universe. Snarky J gives the film a 3/10 rating.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The reviewer loved the first *Joker* movie but found the sequel extremely disappointing.
• 🗓️ The video was recorded on Tuesday, October 1st, after an early screening of *Joker: Folie à Deux*.
• 🎭 The reviewer had low expectations for the sequel due to concerns about Lady Gaga’s casting and the film being a musical.
• 😞 The reviewer gave the movie a 3 out of 10, calling it a waste of time and criticizing its lack of purpose.
• 🎶 The musical aspects of the film were viewed as jarring and disruptive to the plot, and Lady Gaga’s performance as Harley Quinn was found underwhelming.
• 🎥 Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Arthur Fleck was praised for its depth and complexity, and Todd Phillips’ cinematography was also highlighted as a strength.
• 🤦‍♂️ The reviewer criticized the casting and portrayal of Harvey Dent, calling it miscast and out of character.
• 🃏 The ending, which hints at Arthur Fleck dying while a new Joker is born, was seen as predictable and unsatisfying.
• 🖼️ Despite the film’s artistic elements, such as strong set design and lighting, the reviewer believed the movie should never have been made.
• 💬 Overall, the sequel was deemed unnecessary, failing to add value to the first movie and trying too hard to connect to the Batman universe.

Q & A

What are the reviewer's overall thoughts on *Joker: Folie à Deux*?

The reviewer found *Joker: Folie à Deux* to be a disappointing sequel, giving it a rating of 3 out of 10. They felt the movie was unnecessary, poorly executed, and detracted from the original film’s legacy.

Why did the reviewer think the sequel was unnecessary?

The reviewer believed that the first *Joker* film was a standalone artistic study of mental illness and didn’t require a sequel. They felt the sequel was made purely because the first film was financially successful, earning over a billion dollars.

How does the reviewer feel about the musical elements in the film?

The reviewer strongly disliked the musical elements of the film, finding them to be out of place and interruptive to the plot. They felt the musical numbers distracted from the story and were not seamlessly integrated into the film.

What was the reviewer’s opinion on Lady Gaga’s casting and performance as Harley Quinn?

The reviewer criticized Lady Gaga’s performance as Harley Quinn, saying it was one-note and lacking in depth. While they acknowledged Gaga's impressive vocal talents, they felt her acting was not up to par and that she was miscast.

What aspects of the film did the reviewer praise?

The reviewer praised Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as Arthur Fleck, calling him a consistently incredible actor. They also highlighted the film’s cinematography and set design, particularly the lighting and artistic visuals.

Why did the reviewer feel Lady Gaga’s singing detracted from the film?

Although the reviewer acknowledged Lady Gaga’s vocal talent, they felt her musical performances were interruptions to the film’s plot. These moments felt forced and detracted from the overall storytelling.

How did the reviewer feel about Harvey Dent’s portrayal in the film?

The reviewer disliked Harvey Dent’s portrayal, feeling the casting choice was poor and that the character came across as sleazy and smarmy. They expected a more traditional version of Harvey Dent as Gotham's Golden Boy rather than the one depicted.

What does the reviewer think about the ending of *Joker: Folie à Deux*?

The reviewer thought the ending was disappointing and predictable. They felt the film's final moments, where Arthur Fleck is killed by another inmate who assumes the Joker identity, was a cheap plot device.

Did the reviewer feel *Joker: Folie à Deux* should be connected to the Batman universe?

No, the reviewer felt the film struggled with whether it wanted to be connected to the Batman universe or not. They criticized its attempts to separate itself from Gotham while also including elements like Harvey Dent and Joker’s transformation.

Why did the reviewer think the sequel hurt the legacy of the first *Joker* film?

The reviewer believed that the sequel undermined the original *Joker* film by turning what was an artistic exploration of mental illness into a chaotic mix of plotlines and musical numbers. They felt this shift in tone and purpose hurt the overall impact of the *Joker* character.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Disappointment in the Joker Sequel

The narrator begins by expressing their deep disappointment in the Joker sequel, which they feel tarnishes the legacy of the original film. Despite enjoying the first movie as an artistic exploration of mental illness, they had low expectations for the sequel due to three main concerns: making an unnecessary follow-up, casting Lady Gaga, and turning it into a musical. These concerns were confirmed as they found the sequel to be poorly made, rating it a 3/10. The film's focus on profits rather than storytelling and its awkward blending of genres contribute to its downfall, with constant musical interludes disrupting an already weak plot.

05:00

🎭 Plot Weaknesses and Musical Intrusions

The reviewer delves into the structural flaws of the movie, feeling that it fails to commit fully to either its plot or musical elements. The plot, revolving around Arthur Fleck’s aftermath, is underdeveloped and often interrupted by jarring musical sequences featuring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Despite liking some set pieces, the reviewer finds the musical elements to be intrusive and distracting. While praising Gaga's singing abilities, they criticize her acting as Harley Quinn, describing her performance as flat and one-note, especially when compared to Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Arthur Fleck.

10:01

📽️ The Redeeming Qualities: Joaquin Phoenix and Cinematography

Despite their strong dislike of the movie, the reviewer acknowledges two standout aspects: Joaquin Phoenix's continued brilliant performance as Arthur Fleck and Todd Phillips' stunning cinematography. Phoenix’s acting evokes both frustration and sympathy for his character, while the cinematography elevates the film visually. The lighting and set designs effectively contrast between Gotham's dark atmosphere and the bright, surreal musical moments. However, the reviewer argues these strengths are not enough to redeem the movie, emphasizing that it should never have been made.

💥 Spoiler Alert: The Odd Dynamic and Harvey Dent

In the spoiler section, the reviewer discusses the film's odd portrayal of Harley Quinn and Arthur Fleck’s relationship, as well as the baffling inclusion of Harvey Dent. They criticize the film’s decision to depict Harley as more of a high-school-level obsession rather than a manipulative and psychotic character. The inclusion of Harvey Dent, Gotham’s DA, feels out of place, with his portrayal coming off as sleazy rather than the complex ‘Golden Boy’ figure of Gotham. The reviewer expresses frustration with the film's attempts to distance itself from the larger Batman universe while still trying to reference it.

🔪 A Cheap Twist Ending

The review continues with a breakdown of the film’s ending, which they find predictable and underwhelming. Arthur Fleck is killed by a fellow inmate at Arkham, who then begins to transform into the 'real' Joker by cutting his mouth open in the style of Heath Ledger's Joker. The reviewer criticizes this as a lazy and forced way to connect the film to the broader Joker lore, feeling it undermines the psychological depth of the first movie. This ending solidifies their belief that the film was a cheap attempt at nostalgia without meaningful storytelling.

🙄 Overall Disappointment and Final Thoughts

The final paragraph encapsulates the reviewer’s overall dissatisfaction with the film, stating that very few elements worked. Even their mother, who isn’t a big fan of comic films, felt confused by the ending. The constant eye-rolling and frustration throughout the film made it a chore to sit through. In their view, the movie should have been left as a standalone, and attempts to tie it into the Batman universe fell flat. The only redeeming qualities—Phoenix’s performance and the artistic choices in cinematography—were not enough to save the sequel from being an unnecessary and poorly executed follow-up.

Keywords

💡Joker: Folie à Deux

This is the sequel to the 2019 film 'Joker,' directed by Todd Phillips. In this video, the reviewer expresses disappointment with the film, stating that it fails to live up to the original. 'Folie à Deux' refers to a shared madness, which is central to the theme, as the film introduces Harley Quinn, who shares in Arthur Fleck's mental state. However, the reviewer criticizes the execution of this theme, particularly Lady Gaga's performance.

💡Arthur Fleck

Arthur Fleck is the central character in both Joker films, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix. He is a mentally ill man whose descent into madness is the focus of the narrative. The reviewer praises Phoenix’s performance but criticizes how the sequel develops Fleck’s story, feeling it loses the power of the first film's portrayal of mental illness.

💡Harley Quinn (Harleen Quinzel)

Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga, is a central figure in this sequel. Known in the Batman universe as Joker's love interest and partner-in-crime, her relationship with Arthur Fleck is explored here. The reviewer finds her portrayal and the writing for the character lacking, describing it as one-dimensional and unconvincing compared to previous interpretations.

💡Musical

The decision to make 'Joker: Folie à Deux' a musical is a major point of contention for the reviewer. They express strong dislike for the musical numbers, feeling they disrupt the flow of the film and are poorly integrated into the plot. This unconventional choice is seen as a distraction from the core narrative, which deals with mental illness and crime.

💡Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga plays Harley Quinn in this film, and while the reviewer acknowledges her singing talent, they heavily criticize her acting. The reviewer argues that Gaga's performance feels amateurish compared to Joaquin Phoenix’s, and that her involvement in the film was largely to showcase her vocal ability, which detracts from the character and overall plot.

💡Cinematography

Cinematography refers to the visual style and techniques used to film the movie. The reviewer highlights the cinematography as one of the few redeeming aspects of the movie, praising Todd Phillips for his artistic visuals, lighting, and set design. These elements contrast with the film’s other shortcomings, creating a visually compelling but narratively weak experience.

💡Mental Illness

Mental illness is a core theme in both Joker films, with the first film being a character study on Arthur Fleck’s deteriorating mental state. The reviewer notes that while the first film handled this subject with depth, the sequel’s attempt to revisit this theme feels unnecessary and poorly executed, undermining the original’s message.

💡Todd Phillips

Todd Phillips is the director of both Joker films. While the reviewer commends Phillips for his skill in crafting strong visual elements, they criticize his overall direction in this sequel, particularly his choice to blend musical elements with a psychological drama, which they feel dilutes the impact of the story.

💡Box Office Success

The reviewer argues that the only reason 'Joker: Folie à Deux' was made is due to the box office success of the first film, which earned over a billion dollars. They criticize this as a poor motivation for creating a sequel, which they feel adds nothing new or valuable to the original story.

💡Harvey Dent

Harvey Dent, also known as Two-Face in the Batman universe, is another character introduced in the sequel. The reviewer criticizes the portrayal of Dent, feeling that the casting and writing did not do justice to the character. They describe this version of Dent as 'smarmy' and not fitting with the iconic figure fans know from the Batman lore.

Highlights

The reviewer loved the first 'Joker' but found the sequel disappointing, rating it 3 out of 10.

The main criticism is that the sequel felt unnecessary and was only made due to the financial success of the first film.

The reviewer disapproved of the decision to make 'Joker: Folie à Deux' a musical, finding the musical numbers distracting and out of place.

Lady Gaga's casting as Harley Quinn was a major point of contention; while her vocals were praised, her acting was described as 'one note' and lacking the depth needed for the character.

The plot felt thin and lacked development, with much of the film feeling like interruptions rather than a cohesive narrative.

Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Arthur Fleck was highly praised, with the reviewer noting his dedication to the character.

The cinematography was a standout element of the film, with the reviewer highlighting the set pieces, lighting, and mood as positive aspects.

The dynamic between Arthur Fleck and Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn felt forced and unconvincing, described as 'high school teen drama.'

The reviewer found the portrayal of Harvey Dent as a smarmy, unlikable District Attorney disappointing and poorly cast.

The film's attempt to connect back to the Batman universe was poorly executed, leaving the reviewer confused and frustrated.

The ending, where Arthur Fleck is killed and another inmate becomes the Joker, was seen as cheap and predictable, undermining the film's value.

The reviewer expressed disappointment that the sequel did not leave the original 'Joker' as a standalone film, which they felt would have been more impactful.

Lady Gaga’s vocals were praised, despite the musical aspect being considered out of place in the film’s context.

The film tries too hard to blend musical elements with the dark tone of Gotham, which ultimately detracted from the experience.

Despite a few redeeming qualities like Phoenix’s performance and the cinematography, the reviewer felt the movie should have never been made.

Transcripts

you know for as much as I loved the

first Joker the sequel is so bad that it

might completely ruin the legacy of

everything that happened in the first

one hi y'all snarky J cosplay here at

the time of this video's recording it is

Tuesday October 1st and last night I had

the pleasure of attending an early

screening of Joker fol Adu now if you've

seen me talk about this movie on this

channel before you already know that my

expectations for this film were pretty

low why well despite really enjoying the

first Joker film as a movie and not

particularly as a joker origin story I

was of the opinion that one making a

sequel to a movie that is basically an

artistic study on mental illness was

completely unnecessary two bringing Lady

Gaga into said sequel was a terrible

mistake because I am not a huge fan of

her acting skills and three and perhaps

worst of all was the fact that they

stressed that this would be a musical I

don't like musical and I didn't think

making the sequel to Joker a musical was

going to be very good and for as low as

those expectations were for as gently

optimistic as I wanted to be this movie

was absolutely atrocious before I get

into the spoiler-free review segment of

this video I'll let you guys know my

rating which is a three out of 10

unfortunately for Joker it feels like a

movie that is a complete waste of time

first and foremost from the very

beginning it feels like a movie that

should have never happened and it's

incredibly clear from the beginning that

the only reason this sequel even

happened is because the first one made

over a billion dollars I don't always

think box office earnings should justify

a sequel but that's where we're at now

this film almost feels like two films in

one the synopsis would tell you that

this is the aftermath of the prior movie

including Arthur Fleck contending with

what he's done other characters now

coming in like Lady Gaga's Lee otherwise

known as Harley Harley quinzel this

movie unfortunately does two things and

it does neither particularly well on the

one hand we follow the actual plot which

often feels lacking it doesn't feel like

it's giving you enough and when it does

feel like it's giving you enough they

immediately cut away into the other

thing that this movie wants to be which

is a big band really odd artsy musical I

am not a fan of musicals the only

Musical that I have ever liked is La La

Land and unfortunately even we really do

get some great set pieces in this film

the musical aspects feel incredibly out

of place and more often than not they

actually serve as interruptions to the

plot it never feels like it's perfectly

woven in like anytime somebody starts

singing it literally just feels like

they're interrupting and detracting from

a plot that you're desperately trying to

get into for 2 hours but they just won't

let you cuz Lady Gaga has to sing and on

the subject of Lady Gaga I know she has

a tremendous fan base and I am of the

opinion that she is a tremendously

talented individual however it's

incredibly evident from every single

part of this movie that the only reason

she got cast is because of her

admittedly incredible singing voice she

gives phenomenal vocals despite the fact

that I didn't like the music in this

film and I felt it was a constant

Interruption and source of Torment for

me Lady Gaga's vocals are phenomenal her

performan is Harley however not great I

don't like what they did with the script

for this char director and I think Lady

Gaga's performance as her is incredibly

one note I honestly felt more like I was

watching an Oscar winning actor versus

somebody who had just been plucked from

a High School production of dear Evan

Hansen or something I just felt like

Lady Gaga did not have the acting chops

to work alongside haing Phoenix I will

say the two reasons why this movie

doesn't get a one out of 10 for me are

the fact that haing Phoenix is a

consistently incredible actor I love his

performance as Arthur Fleck Arthur Fleck

is an odd choice for Joker to begin with

but haing Phoenix delivers on it

incredibly his performance and

dedication to the Character Are obvious

and he really delivers the kind of

performance that you almost feel

yourself having to tango with throughout

the entire movie because at some points

you want to smack him over the head for

being a prick and at another point you

genuinely feel terrible for him and that

to me goes to show you the kind of actor

that Hing Phoenix is on another note the

other thing that I really loved about

this movie I mentioned there were great

set pieces earlier and there really are

phenomenal set pieces and once again

following up on what he did in Joker 1

Todd Phillips really brings the

cinematography in this film to a whole

new level I feel like we're living in an

era where a lot of films look washed out

I don't know if that's because we've

moved obviously from film to digital but

it also just feels like cinematography

is a lost art and that is not the case

with this movie The Lighting is great

the set pieces are phenomenal they

really set the mood and the tone

especially when you can consider that

we're going from these big band musical

pieces at some point to these dark and

dreary Gotham type things at other

points it really just paints a picture

whether the picture is worth seeing or

not is up to you but I will say that

Todd Phillips puts in a lot of work in

the cinematography in this again the

only two things that I will hype up with

this movie haing Phoenix's performance

and the cinematography everything else

about this movie screams this should not

have been made you should not waste your

money on this I won't tell you to watch

it or not to watch it I always feel that

everybody should make their own opinion

but my rating stands at a three out of

10 I cannot give it any more than that I

was often annoyed and at times just not

entertained and I was dying for the

movie to end for pretty much most of it

and that's not what anybody wants to

feel when they're watching a film now

that being said I do want to get into

some spoilers now so if you have not

seen the movie This is the point at

which you turn this video off and come

back after you've seen it there are some

other things with Joker that I thought

were incredibly weird I find the dynamic

created between Arthur Fleck and Lee

quinzel Harley a little odd we already

have a Harley that is crazy all on her

own she really already does have a

degree in Psychology but becomes oddly

obsessed with the fantasy of Joker which

I think is interesting but I don't think

that Lady Gaga delivers that kind of

performance to me it felt very high

school teen drama I didn't feel that I

was watching a woman who could be a

potentially psychotic master manipulator

the one character that was bugging me

the entire time we get Harvey Dent in

this film Harvey Dent is the current da

and he is working on Prosecuting Arthur

Fleck in this movie now being a huge fan

of Batman I've always loved Harvey Den I

think two face is a great villain and I

really love the story of The Golden Boy

hope of Gotham absolutely going to

becoming too fac of course we're not

going to see Harvey Dent become two-c in

this film because this film essentially

pretends that Joker and Harley Quinn now

live in their own world because of

course this takes place before Batman is

a thing anyway the whole point though

the Harvey Dent that we get here is

really smarmy I thought the casting

Choice was atrocious to begin with I

felt this actor did not have the look to

play Harvey Dent but I additionally

really didn't like the attitude now this

could be chocked up to the fact that we

were supposed to be seeing all these

people Through The Eyes of Arthur Fleck

who probably wouldn't like the da

Prosecuting his case however I felt that

we were seeing more of a sleazy smarmy

crime show attorney that we were not

supposed to like I didn't think we were

getting Harvey Dent I don't like that

this movie continues to try and separate

things away from the universe of Gotham

as it has been established was not a fan

of that I don't really have a whole lot

of spoilers to get into because again

the plot in this is basic basically just

that trial right it doesn't really go

anywhere there's not much to be seen

from this film however the one thing

that I really want to talk about is the

ending the film ends with Arthur Fleck

back in Arkham he is told he has a

visitor we might assume that this is

Harley and as he's walking down the

hallway an inmate that we've seen them

focus in on a few times calls him and

tells him a joke and the minute we see

him start to tell this joke we can

already tell he's Disturbed now I want

to point out out that this inmate they

had kind of focused on at several points

throughout the film and they made it

really obvious where they were going

with this I already knew exactly who

this was going to be so he tells some

sort of joke about a psychopath and an

old clown or whatever and Arthur Fleck

is giving this sort of innocent out of

it smile we're not seeing Joker we're

seeing Arthur he's in this white sweater

so they're really doing a good job of

making him look vulnerable and as this

Disturbed inmate tells the joke the

punchline is he gets what he deserves he

pulls out like a shiv or a shank

whatever you want to call it and stabs

Arthur Fleck to death and we see Arthur

Fleck fall to the floor he's bleeding

he's obviously going to die and the

inmate is cackling what is very clearly

his own Joker Laugh and Arthur is what's

in Focus here and we're seeing his eyes

start to sort of glaze over as he's

laying on the floor and behind him we

see this other inmate bring the knife to

his mouth and he's out of focus and in

the background but we can see that he's

slitting his mouth open in the style of

Heath Ledger Joker so it's clear that

we've just seen Arthur Fleck who denied

the existence of Joker dying while The

Joker Is Born behind him and I thought

that that was the cheapest sh on the

planet again I hadn't had this spoiled

for me but I already knew where it was

going to me look this just do you want

to be connected to the Batman Universe

or do you not why is this honest you

know what I really don't even have the

words to me it was so pointless I looked

at my mom who doesn't really get these

things and even she was kind of like

what the it really hurt how hard I

rolled my eyes they rolled into the back

of my head they got stuck for a minute I

had to kind of like shake my head out

and reset there are so few redeeming

qualities to this film and none of them

are related to the film in itself

they're just related to the artistic

choices by Todd Phillips and Hing

Phoenix who is a guaranteed amazing

actor in my opinion Joker fed should

just not have happened at all the first

movie stands alone as a sort of expose

on mental illness you can pretty much

disconnect it entirely from the Batman

Gotham universe and just look at it as

this guy is mentally ill and

occasionally paints himself up like a

clown unfortunately the sequel tries to

reconnect it to the Batman Universe in

ways that are increasingly poorly

executed the musical numbers are

distracting and kind of terrible and not

even Lady Gaga tremendous vocals could

distract from her lackluster performance

again three out of 10 is the best I can

give this movie we should have just left

it at one should have quit while you

were ahead and that's all for me I've

been snarky J thank you so much for

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