Joker Folie à Deux positions itself as a musical; a seemingly leftfield change after the Oscar-nominated first movie that drew a lot from Martin Scorsese it may need been a parody of Taxi Driver. But the person with no authentic concepts is again – Todd Phillips as a substitute lifts liberally from sources like The Shawshank Redemption and the filmography of Jacques Demy to inform the story of Joker submit the demise of discuss present host Murray Franklin, one thing that the entire world noticed televised. Since then, there was a television film made about Joker’s crimes in Gotham – and he’s on the right track for the trial of the century – one thing that was the unique plan for The Darkish Knight Rises had Heath Ledger not sadly handed; extra of the Joker – a courtroom drama, sure, but in addition a musical with Girl Gaga, as a result of why not? And a love story too – the movie tackles so many threads it will probably’t actually tie all of them collectively.
The twin id of Fleck/Joker is explored in a approach that got here collectively on the finish of the primary movie as we deliver the characters from the earlier film again on stage and on trial to look at how their lives have been affected by Fleck’s descent into insanity. Zazie Beetz’ Sophie Dummond tells the story of Fleck’s thoughts, the lies he was advised by his mom, that slowly turned his complete persona in a approach that she didn’t anticipate. The courtroom is aware of that he solely killed 5 folks – they don’t know that they killed his mom, too. Returning to play Gary Puddles is Leigh Gill – who delivers a harrowing efficiency as somebody who’s hunted in concern, who can barely set exterior with out being afraid. Each Sophie and Puddles have had their lives modified without end – and are put underneath the highlight by Harry Lawtey’s charismatic, ruthless Harvey Dent – who needs the demise penalty for Fleck.
The gothic cinematography that haunts Gotham and Arkham Asylum is captured from the very essence of the primary movie. It appears to be like seedy, unhospitable, unwelcoming – the widespread run theme of excellent Batman comics is that they make the town really feel like a personality in its personal proper – however that’s one thing that Folie à Deux struggles with. The town feels prefer it’s on the verge of a tipping level however with the motion within the courtroom or Arkham for a lot of the movie; it by no means feels lived in or alive. The working theme of the followers is that Folie à Deux solid apart the legacy of the primary movie and betrayed it. That might suggest that the primary movie had any legacy to face on in anyway, an inexpensive copycat – very similar to this rushed, hackneyed drama.
A lot has been manufactured from the ‘subversion’ of the twist the place Girl Gaga’s Harley Quinn – or her Lee – is the dominant determine within the Harley/Joker relationship, however there’s no drama right here in any respect. Music is used as a device for the characters to point out who has the higher hand at what explicit level and a approach for the Joker and Lee to specific their relationship, however nothing fairly lands right here – it will probably’t totally commit both approach. It’s half-heartedly a musical as a result of it additionally must be a courtroom drama. It will possibly’t be a courtroom drama as a result of it has to spend time on creating the Joker/Lee and their relationship. It will possibly’t be a romance film as a result of it must be a film concerning the Joker. And it will probably’t be a film concerning the Joker as a result of it must be a courtroom film. And so forth and so forth – the circle repeats itself. There may be one too many examples of an excessive amount of and never sufficient of something – the most effective a part of this film is the company that Girl Gaga’s Harley Quinn has, however Lee isn’t on this film as a lot as you’d hope. For a film marketed round a Joker film with Gaga, not less than give her extra of a outstanding function.
Joaquin Phoenix too, seems like he’s a misguided, weak character right here. He’s not a nasty actor and that has been confirmed time and time once more however he can’t make something about Fleck convincingly plausible; in truth this may simply be his worst efficiency thus far. The efficiency comes as odd whereas everybody round him is half-assed, barely caring – tonally disjointed from the remainder of the movie. Phoenix is awkward and out of key, and every part on the ending simply feels extremely faux. It seems like a copout. It seems like Todd Phillips is attempting to have his cake and eat it too – connect with too many dots within the DC canon for a film that’s supposedly above comedian e book nonsense when its ending felt like essentially the most comedian e book nonsense factor to probably do.
A lot has been labelled Folie à Deux as a film that’s purposely attempting to destroy its personal ambitions, intentionally tank the movie in the identical approach that The Matrix Resurrections was supposedly, attempting to do – in order that WB would by no means get the creators to make one other film for them once more. But that might suggest Phillips is a few form of artistic mastermind and never a hack – and this film needs it was anyplace close to as half as intelligent, courageous, daring, daring or as sensible as The Matrix Resurrections.
