Joker. One of the best comic book movies of this century with multiple Oscar nominations. A story of a feeble man, named Arthur Fleck, who lives a traumatic life in the depths of Gotham City. After many struggles, he eventually snaps. The audience follows him through his tragic story, with an element of empathy towards the main character and his struggles. Eventually, the movie shows the duality of man, reflecting a monster inside of Arthur. He does horrific things; in the name of “justice” for the unfairness he has received from the world his whole life.
The first movie develops these ideas and themes almost perfectly. The movie makes you feel sympathy for Arthur, even after doing these horrific things. It outlines his negative relationship with his sick mother, his need for a father figure, his mental illness, and how people made fun of his work as a clown. This all culminates in one of the best scenes in modern cinematic history: the stair scene. This scene is a metaphorical representation of him letting go and being free. The audience feels triumphant along with him, and you truly feel that he is the protagonist. The story of a man who eventually “breaks” laid out the reasons for why he is the way he is, and it is presented in an amazing way with an engaging story from start to finish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl5zk46i0Bs (stair scene in Joker)
Joker: Folie à Deux explores the rare psychological syndrome “folie à deux,” where two or more people share the same delusional beliefs, especially when isolated from the outside world, something the film emphasizes through the toxic relationship between Arthur and Harley Quinn. The title, meaning “madness shared by two,” highlights how their shared instability worsens as they feed off each other’s delusions. Director Todd Phillips made the film a musical to allow Arthur to express himself
when words fail, and the musical sequences reflect Arthur’s inner delusions, with music playing only in his head. While Phillips intended the characters’ singing to feel raw and imperfect,Lady Gaga (as Harley) still delivers phenomenal vocal performances throughout the film.
Remember the stair scene in the first movie? Well, the second movie ruins it. Everything triumphant about the scene is taken away through the revelations the second movie has. You find out that the Joker isn’t this split personality that takes on its own form but is a refection of Arthur’s twisted mind. This ruins the first movie because the Joker being a split personality is what makes the first movie so great. He “becomes” the Joker throughout the movie. At the end of the second, it is almost like he just decides to quit being the Joker by saying he was never the Joker and that he is sorry for all his actions throughout the two movies. Also, the movie, in terms of setting, is very boring. They had a vision for the setting I am sure, but that does not make it any less dull or boring. Most scenes are set in the same three locations: Arkham Asylum, Gotham Courthouse, the stairs from the first movie. Another grievance of ours is a question. Did the first movie need a sequel? No. The ending was up to interpretation and its story wasperfectly capped off.
Even though a sequel was not needed, there were still positive parts of the movie. Firstly, the acting was as good if not better than the first movie. Joaquin Phoenix proves that he is still one of the best actors of our generation, providing so much emotion and a gateway into Arthur’s mind. Secondly, just like the first movie, the visuals are amazing. The wide shots of Gotham are visually stunning. However, the use of color is what stands out. Color Theory is very prevalent in the film to show Arthur’s delusions and to reflect his mood. The use of stage elements in the musical scenes also stands out. The great visuals and superb acting are the 
few bright spots of this otherwise disappointing film.
The need for a sequel or not is a common theme between most critics of this movie, not just us. For a matter of fact, Rotten Tomatoes user, “We’ll Bring The P” says, “Joker: Folie à Deux is a sequel where we were left feeling “what was the point?” afterward.” His critique is one voiced by many. The reasons why not outweigh the reasons why this movie exists. Even with some moments of greatness, it still falls flat on its face. What a joke.
