On paper, Todd Phillips’s Joker did not sound appealing. A movie on the origin story of arguably the greatest villain in comics, and one that did not feature his bat-themed nemesis was already going to rub people the wrong way. What we got in 2019, the first R-rated film to make a billion dollars in the box office, had a polarizing reaction from certain comic book fans that loved the power fantasy of its protagonist/antagonist, while the detractors felt it paints a sympathetic angle towards its titular figure who committed acts of violence.
In fact, Phillips and his co-writer Scott Silver found that balance of showing society did Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck wrong, but doesn’t show sympathy towards someone who gives into villainy that ultimately consumes the streets of 1980s Gotham City. What felt like the cinematic equivalent of an Elseworlds story, considering the multiple cinematic versions of the Batman mythos in recent years, it seems that Phillips wasn’t quite done with his presentation of the Joker.
Set two years after the events of its predecessor, Joker: Folie à Deux shows Arthur Fleck in custody at Arkham State Hospital awaiting trial as his lawyer (Catherine Keener) plans to argue that Arthur has dissociative identity disorder and that his “Joker” personality is responsible for the crimes. As he awaits the trail, Arthur meets another patient, Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga), who expresses her admiration for the Joker’s crimes and personality. As a romance blooms between, there will be musical numbers and a trial that will shake up the city itself.
With the amount of Joker content there has been across multiple media in recent years, the character of Harley Quinn is more popular now than when she was first conceived in 1992. Created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for Batman: The Animated Series as a henchwoman for the Joker, Harley Quinn went through her own evolution over the years with Margot Robbie playing the character in three DC films where she pretty much stole the show, while we currently have four seasons of an adult animated series about her. Much like how this year’s Batman: Caped Crusader, which had its own Harley Quinn, Joker: Folie à Deux tests how far you can bend a character before they break.
The 90s cartoon and subsequent media had presented the relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn as one of tragedy and abuse through the perspective of the latter. In Joker: Folie à Deux, Lady Gaga’s Lee is an enabler who encourages Arthur to embrace the persona of the Joker since that is the fantasy that certain Gothamites idealize. Gaga is great here, showcasing such sexual chemistry with her co-star, as well as some fantastic musical numbers, including a whole rift on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. However, despite Gaga’s magnetic presence, she isn’t really the focus as much as her co-lead.
Returning to the role that bagged him an Oscar, Phoenix remains a brilliant force of nature that is defined by his skinny physique and laughing disorder. As the first film was told entirely told through the perspective of Arthur, whose mindset blurred between reality and fantasy – still a recurring theme here with the addition of songs – this sequel could have opened the door for more interpretations from other characters. Although there some returning faces from the first film like Leigh Gill, reprising as Arthur’s work colleague Gary for one scene that is truly heartbreaking, Phillips is more focused on Arthur and his struggles, whilst trying to make a different beast than his previous outing.
From comic books like The Killing Joke to the films of Martin Scorsese like The King of Comedy, the obvious influences gave Joker a clear goal about what it wanted to achieve. In the case of Folie à Deux – which immediately sets itself apart by opening with an animated segment – is a weird mash-up of genres, ranging from the gritty asylum movie, the courtroom drama, and most notably the colorful musical. While there is some great stuff within the tackling of these genres, it doesn’t always succeed when they all come together.
Whereas the first Joker attracted certain hyper-masculine audience members that think a dark and serious comic book movie is inherently good – probably the same people that love the majority of Zack Snyder’s films – they will not be pleased with this sequel’s contrasting nature, and just because of the singing. There is a greater case than before of being sympathetic towards Arthur, and the film attempts by stripping away the power fantasy with the Joker persona really being a facade. DC fans will continue to be divided over Todd Phillips’ rather contradictory approach towards the Batman mythos, as with both his films, he is telling a story of A Joker, not THE Joker.
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