As an avid fan of the superhero genre, there’s arguably no character more well-known than the Joker. And because of the Joker’s reputation in the Batman and DC Universe, there are high expectations of the actors who choose to portray this complex and interesting villain. We’ve seen performances from the late Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson, Jared Leto and now, the award-winning portrayal by Joaquin Phoenix, which saw him win an Oscar for the role in 2020. Last week, the sequel to Todd Phillips’s Joker landed in cinemas.

I really wanted to like this film. So much. I thought Phoenix’s performance in the first film was brilliant and thoroughly deserving of the awards he went on to win that year. And with Lady Gaga taking on the role of Harley Quinn (another character with a significant reputation) and the news that this follow up film would be a musical, the expectations for the sequel were high. Expectations that were sadly missed within the first 30 minutes of the film.

Joker: Folie À Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalised at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but he also finds the music that’s always been inside him. The film itself is mostly set within the boundaries of Arthur’s prison cell and a courtroom, which is a factor that confines and restricts the story. It lacks much of a real plot or narrative, it’s too self-serious and even the musical elements of the film felt a little too flat and subdued for what are supposed to be two exaggerated and theatrical characters.

However, the biggest disappointment was how Lady Gaga’s brilliant performance was simply lost in Folie À Deux. She already showed audiences how powerful her acting can be in A Star Is Born, and this film was supposed to be the big role that would cement her acting credits and maybe even deliver her an Oscar. But with not much to go on when it came to a narrative, there’s only so much Gaga’s Harley could really do with the material in front of her.

The musical numbers should’ve been bigger, bolder and more creative – to suit the artist’s skills and talents in music – but they too felt restricted and didn’t particularly fit with the narrative playing out for Arthur’s Joker.

Joker: Folie À Deux could’ve been an interesting and nuanced exploration of identity, mental health and relationships, but it was much too long and too incoherent. Lady Gaga still brought elements of emotion and drama to some scenes but the film didn’t allow her to properly flourish in a role that, in my opinion, is perfectly suited for her. She deserved so much better. 

Images: Warner Bros