Director Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux has premiered in theaters, shocking the world as one of the biggest commercial and critical disappointments of 2024. Given the extraordinary success and impact of the original film, there was little chance it would live up to such incredible expectations. And since not everyone is a fan of musicals, the reception was bound to be divisive. While this sequel has its fair share of flaws, it certainly isn’t worse than Morbius or Madame Web, as some pundits are suggesting.
It goes without saying that Joaquin Phoenix’s and Gaga’s mesmerizing performances are highlights of the film. However, there are many redeeming qualities that make it one of the most distinctive and thought-provoking comic book films in recent years. Since the hate train for this film is still letting out steam, here’s why Joker: Folie à Deux is far from the worst DC movie of all time.
Editor’s note: This article contains heavy spoilers for Joker: Folie á Deux.
The production is impressive
It would be a crime to denounce this sequel without acknowledging all the hard work accomplished by the talent behind the scenes. Like the original Joker, this sequel features beautiful, colorful visuals courtesy of cinematographer Lawrence Sher, as well as an unnerving score from composer Hildur Guðnadóttir. The movie’s glorious visuals and sound are on full display in the imaginary musical sequences featuring Joker and Harley. Another shining example is the extraordinary long take of Arthur escaping the courthouse after a car bomb goes off, which adds to the film’s remarkable visual style.
The filmmakers arguably overdid it with the song and dance sequences, but many of them are still sights to behold, especially considering comic book films rarely do musical numbers. And no matter what people say, there are times when Phoenix sings very well. One would think Arthur could’ve found more success as a nightclub singer than a comedian, but that’s an argument for another article.
Joker: Folie á Deux has something to say about mental health
Folie à Deux continues the first film’s criticism of society’s harsh, unsupportive treatment of the disenfranchised, particularly those struggling with their mental health. This is seen in how the guards at Arkham State Hospital abuse Arthur and all the other prisoners they’re supposed to watch over. Likewise, Harvey Dent and much of Gotham think Arthur should get the death penalty instead of more time in a psychiatric hospital.
Only Arthur’s lawyer, Maryanne, shows compassion to Arthur and tries to get him the help he needs, believing he has dissociative identity disorder (DID). While it is a negative stereotype that mental illness, including DID, leads to violence, Maryanne’s attempts to help Arthur based on her inaccurate diagnosis still display the empathy and support that struggling people need but have been sorely denied.
However, this sequel sends another strong message about how people perceive and obsess over celebrities in real life, particularly criminals. Since Arthur made headlines for the murders he committed, the people around him laud him for his heinous crimes or exploit his infamy for their own personal gain.
Its depiction of toxic celebrity culture is topical
This toxic obsession with Arthur is also displayed in the media, with a TV personality interviewing and judging him for his past crimes with little interest in Arthur as a human being. There is even a TV movie about Joker within the world of the film, which caused Arthur’s former love interest, Sophie, to be harassed by reporters to the point where she had to uproot her life and move out of Gotham.
Such a message proves ever timely in this age when people constantly follow celebrities online and zealously digest sensational, and often exploitative, true crime films and TV shows. Many avid true crime fans have hounded people like Sophie because of their connections to famous crimes, showing how the media profits from people’s suffering. Even Lady Gaga’s Lee is the stalker fan that many real-life celebrities have come across, as she admits herself to Arkham and lies about herself so she can be the Joker’s girlfriend.
It’s a meta character study
What makes Folie à Deux‘s commentary stand out the most is how it deconstructs the Joker as a character. Many audiences were disappointed in how the sequel “undid” the original film after the latter set Arthur up to be the Clown Prince of Crime. However, Arthur flat-out said in the first film that he wasn’t someone who could start a movement. Everyone just took the murders he committed and made him into a messianic figure who was standing up to the corrupt social elite. Arthur only leaned into that image put upon him because he was so desperate for people to like and acknowledge him.
Arthur’s lawyer tries to convince him that Lee and his fanatical supporters only like him for what he did, but he continues to act like Joker for their love and attention, cracking jokes and making a scene in court for their amusement. Arthur’s song and dance numbers actually symbolize how he’s performing an act as Joker and “giving the people what they want.” While Arthur tries to convince himself that the Joker is his true self, the film does a surprising 180 that shows how little they know him.
It was all an act — and that’s the ultimate point of Joker: Folie á Deux
After three guards at Arkham abuse Arthur and murder one of his supporters, he realizes it’s pointless to keep up his fantasy as Joker and that this isn’t the life he wanted. He can’t be the Clown Prince of Crime that his supporters and the audience want him to be. He just wants to be Arthur Fleck, but the world only cares about the Joker. And so, when Arthur gives up on being the Joker and takes responsibility for his crimes, Lee and many of his supporters lose interest in him. The fact that many audiences are reacting to the film like Arthur’s supporters at this point very much validates the film’s message.
Many people feared that Joker would inspire real-world violence like The Dark Knight. Since its premiere in 2019, Phoenix’s clown-faced character has become the symbol used in several political protests. However, this sequel reminds audiences that the Joker, despite his valid points about how flawed society is, isn’t someone who should be idolized for his actions. He’s a villain and a murderer who blames the world for his actions so he can lash out and satisfy his ego.
All in all, Joker: Folie à Deux divided its audience and garnered controversy like its predecessor. But at a time when audiences continue to complain about comic book movies being repetitive and too heavy on fan service, Todd Phillips and his team defied people’s expectations with a memorable deconstruction of one of pop culture’s most infamous figures, once again holding up a mirror to viewers and society as a whole. Arthur Fleck isn’t the villain people want, but he may be the one people deserve.
Joker: Folie à Deux is now playing in theaters.