Joker 2: Folie a Deux (2024) Movie Review

Joker 2: Folie à Deux (2024) Movie Review

One of the biggest comic book films of the past 10 years, was Todd Phillips 2019 film ‘Joker' exploring the origins of Joker -  Arthur Fleck as he rises to prominence as a public figure, played superbly by Joaquin Pheonix. The film grossed over $1 billion at the global box office off a $55 million budget, receiving 11 Academy Award (Oscar) nominations, with two wins for best performance by an actor in a leading role (Pheonix) and best achievement in music written for motion pictures (Hildur Guonadottir). The film struck a chord with the general populace, with many hailing it as one of the best comic book films of all time. After its monumental success, it was only a matter of time before we got a sequel and in 2024, we finally did with Joker 2: Folie à Deux.

With a much larger budget this time around, Joker 2: Folie à Deux had a reported $200 million budget this time around. The film once again follows Arthur Fleck, after the events of the first film, as he finds himself incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital, he meets the love of his life Harley Quinn (played by Lady Gaga). The film plays out much like the first film, in the sense that a lot of what is happening, is inside Arthur’s head. Whilst not as successful as the previous film, Joker 2: Folie à Deux still found an audience and may very well indeed, become a cult classic in the genre.

Joker 2: Folie à Deux  isn’t as focused as the first film and at times, does become a little muddled, it still has the foundations of the first film, all anchored on Pheonix’s fantastic turn as Arthur once again. He hasn’t missed a step as Arthur, showcasing his mental illness and struggles in a tasteful and respectful manner. He comes across as menacing when he needs to, but mostly unpredictable, which is really when he is at his most unhinged and terrifying. This time around, he is accompanied by Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, who becomes the second actor in a live-action setting, following Margot Robbie of course in Suicide Squad (2016)  and The Suicide Squad (2021). Gaga does a great job here as the character, bringing her own very unique take on the role, with director Todd Phillips allowing Gaga to play to her strengths as a musician and actress, breaking out in song numerous times throughout the film.

Todd Phillips follows-up his oscar nominated directorial effort here, with yet another visually striking film, that plays to many of his strengths as a visual storyteller. Phillips clearly has a love for the weird, as he goes all in on the fantasy sequences. They’re all very strange, delving into the weird and the shattered psyche of Fleck. The sequences are visceral and memorable, with Phillips showing his flare for the weird and I’m a big fan of it. Seeing these sequences come to life, makes me want to see him tackle a musical somewhere down the road, as he clearly has an eye for blending these sequences together.

Whilst not as strong as the first film, Joker 2: Folie à Deux still manages to create a memorable cinema-going experience that maybe one day, will be viewed as a cult-classic. The odd directorial choices and fascinating sequences, really make for a unique experience. Pheonix and Gaga) are both wonderful and the film itself does a fantastic job to highlight their talents. Even if you are a tad bit curious, you need to check this film out. Be sure to secure your copy of Joker 2: Folie à Deux on DVD, Blu-Ray or 4K UHD from Sanity now, you won’t want miss out on it.

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Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here