Joker 2: Critics slam sequel as disappointing and lackluster

"Joker: Folie à Deux" was one of the most anticipated film sequels in recent years. With Todd Phillips in the director's chair, Joaquin Phoenix as the main villain, and Lady Gaga in a new, unconventional role, isn't that a recipe for a 10/10 masterpiece? Well, not necessarily.

The massacre concluded, Gotham City burned, and the prison gates closed behind a terrifyingly smiling Joker. This is how "Joker" ended, the breakthrough film of the 2019 Venice Film Festival, which was showered with awards. The movie received two Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role for Joaquin Phoenix's dazzling performance and Best Original Score for the inimitable Hildur Guðnadóttir.

Director Todd Phillips initially had no plans for a sequel. However, the film was such a gigantic artistic and commercial success that a decision was made to create "Joker 2" with the subtitle "Folie à Deux" (French for "madness for two"). Phillips opted for a musical approach and cast Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. He returned to the Venice Festival, where he had celebrated his success five years earlier, but the response was different this time.

Critics who watched "Joker 2" in Venice accuse Todd Phillips' film of focusing too much on recalling events from the first part, failing to develop its own identity. The weak script does not allow Lady Gaga and Phoenix to fully showcase their potential.

"You’d think being liberated from the comics meant "Joker: Folie à Deux" could blaze its own path, but the sequel—less musical, more rote courtroom drama—is slavishly tethered to the first film, and doesn’t pursue its many ideas. Not great!," expresses Siddhant Adlakha from ign.com.

David Rooney from "The Hollywood Reporter" offers a more optimistic view. According to him, "Joker 2" is an extremely gloomy film. Still, scenes with the Gaga-Phoenix duo bring a lot of freshness: "Gaga is a compelling live-wire presence, splitting the difference between affinity and obsession, while endearingly giving Arthur a shot of joy," asserts the reviewer.

David Ehrlich from IndieWire delivered a scathing critique of "Joker 2." He describes the film as "bad on purpose," labeling it a "boring sequel that does everything in its power not to amuse you," and calling the screening "a form of collective punishment." Ehrlich accuses the director of wasting the star-studded cast's potential. He also laments that Lady Gaga's role becomes insignificant, merely recalling events from the 2019 film.

Peter Bradshaw from "The Guardian" is equally harsh in his assessment. He calls the movie out to be "oppressively, claustrophobically and repetitively becalmed in that oddly unreal Gotham-universe jail" and describes it as loud, tedious, and boring. According to Bradshaw, the sequel adds nothing new, giving the impression of being empty.

Nicholas Barber from the BBC describes "Joker 2" as "gloomy, disappointing, and unnecessary." In a similarly negative tone, Owen Gleiberman from "Variety" opines that "Joker: Folie à Deux" is a "clunky and earthbound musical sequel."

The film averages mixed ratings on platforms collecting viewers' opinions. On IMDb, it has an average rating of 6.1 out of 10. Meanwhile, on Rotten Tomatoes, 60 percent of the reviews are positive—the "Joker 2" premieres on October 4.