*Courtesy Of Warner Bros. / DC Studios.*

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

The ‘Joker’ sequel that has been 5 years in the making has premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.

Synopsis: Failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital. Upon his release, the two of them embark on a doomed romantic misadventure.

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ (2024) is directed by Todd Phillips (who helmed the first film) from a screenplay co-written by Scott Silver. Returning cast includes Joaquin Phoenix as the title role and Zazie Beetz. New additions include Lady Gaga as Lee Quinzel, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Harry Lawtey as Harvey Dent.

Let’s dive in:

‘Joker’ (2019) was a surprise hit at the box office, drawing in over $1 billion. The film also garnered attention from the Academy at the 92nd Academy Awards, earnings 11 nominations, the most of any film at the ceremony of that year, and won Best Actor (Phoenix) and Best Original Score (Hildur Guðnadóttir).

In the sequel, Arthur Fleck has been locked up at Arkham awaiting trial for his horrific crimes in the first film. In fact, he’s been there for some time. Most of the film either takes place at Arkham Asylum or the court room, with a taste of the outside world toward the end. It’s in the prison that Arthur finds himself moping along without thought or purpose until he meets Lee Quinzel (Gaga), Phillips’ version of Harley Quinn.

It’s in these locations that Arthur’s fantasy musical numbers come to fruition, imagining the person that he believes himself to be. Arthur’s inner music was teased in the first film multiple times, and on full display during the now-iconic staircase dance sequence.

The musical numbers are certainly interesting, but nowhere near the sinister elements you’d expect from the Joker/Harley Quinn characters, and it somewhat feels redundant without purpose. Not to mention the musical sequences end up damaging the film’s overall tone and pace. However, Lady Gaga absolutely delivers a masterclass in vocal belting while Phoenix offers slightly more contorted and nuanced renditions.

Considering this is a comic book movie musical (the first of its kind), it was expected that director Todd Phillips would go crazy with musical numbers that terrify rather than drag out. They don’t further the plot, but they’re sure pretty to look at.

Phillips keeps the grim neo-noir aesthetic of 1970s/80s Gotham from the first film. This is aided to a massive degree by returning cinematographer Lawrence Sher, that proves yet again why he’s a master of color poetry and framing. The grand wide shots certainly deliver on spectacle, elevating the musical numbers.

To no surprise, every technical aspect of this film from production design to wardrobe is phenomenal.

Another returning member from the first film is composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for ‘Joker’ (2019). Her musical compositions do the job yet again, with haunting renditions of her past work with new tracks that serve as ambience during intimate moments between Fleck and Quinzel.

Joaquin Phoenix is of course brilliant as Arthur Fleck/Joker — zero surprise there. The major fault with his character comes from the writing stage, as after watching the sequel, we still know the same amount of information about Fleck that the first film gave us. The sequel never reveals anything new or exciting about the character, nor does he learn much in the process. Arthur is thinly laid out and poorly structured.

Gaga’s Lee Quinzel falls on the same page as receives very little attention to detail and flat development. However, as an audience member, you can never quite tell what’s going on inside Lee’s head, and you’re begging to know more. That’s the mark of a great actress. In fact, this film would’ve worked better if it focused on Lee Quinzel in her own story, manipulating Arthur Fleck as a vice of freedom.

The film is narratively flat but has an incredible visual palette that just might be worth the price of admission.

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ releases on October 4, 2024.

Our score: ★★★
(out of 5 stars)