Joker: Folie A Deux (4K Ultra Steelbook + Blu-ray + Digital)

Without going into spoilers, I was fine with everything up until the ending. For me it made Arthur/Joker’s journey pointless. It neither feels cathartic or earned. Basically he had a miserable life from beginning to end and that’s it. The first film spoke about the Haves and the Have-nots and those who are left forgotten by a system that has dilapidated under its own weight.While Arthur’s actions are not correct, one can understand from his point of view why he did what he did. In addition, sometimes the downtrodden characters in drama and in life are the only ones who know what is really going on. You see this in Shakespeare with the grave digger in Hamlet. He’ll tell you what’s going on in the kingdom. He may not be as artful as Hamlet and Horatio, but he is honest and sobering.So I don’t know why Todd Phillips chose this horrible conclusion to the character’s story, but I have read the original screenplay which was published professionally, and the screenplay clearly states that this is the Joker. In fact, there is a subtitle underneath the word joker on the cover that says “an origin story.” So why change things now when it’s obvious that you had, speaking of Phillips, a definite intention, which you may not have thought was going to resonate as it did, but nevertheless sometimes art has a life of its own, and while he has every right to tell the story and conclude it as he does, nobody can blame anyone for feeling as though he ruined something that should’ve been better left alone. I really feel it should’ve just been a one and done story and that’s just my humble opinion. Thank you.

I remember watching the first movie in college. I loved everything about that movie: how Todd Phillips had his ideas of a New York slum, to Joaquin Phoenix collaborating with Phillips in creating their Joker. One line stuck with me watching the behind the scenes, “…there is music in him..” Of course that quote was describing the breakage point of Arthur Fleck becoming Joker.When the second movie came into light, I stayed away from online reactions, articles, rants etc. I watched the first two reveal trailers and I was excited. I had heard sadly in person that audiences were upset with Joker Folie A Deaux ending up as a musical, and that did not excite me. I kept my cool, recognized my love for Todd’s vision for this character and kept an open mind, “I may not love this film. I don’t like musicals, but I love his work on the first Joker.” I watched beginning to end, opening cartoon to ending credits (not an ending credits scene like marvel). I loved this film. I had no issues with it. I recognized the weirdness and length of the movie, and knew many people would not agree with this film, but that is the mindset I kept for the first movie (except knowing Joker 2 was a musical). I love this movie. I love both movies and I love what these talented individuals created, with the sets, the costumes, visual effects, writing, directing, lighting, the furniture, the vehicles, and yes…even the music. Growing up I never cared for ‘Lady Gaga’ and I never had an interest in listening to her music. She was fantastic in this film. Joaquin Phoenix was fantastic. Every cast member, from new characters to reused characters, I felt the story, the impacts and how tense each character felt towards one another.I know this is a widely unpopular opinion and not many will agree. Give it a chance. If you don’t want to buy it immediately or rent it, wait for a discount. I’m a hypocrite when I say film is art and art is diverse, as a lot of films I have seen I didn’t see as art at all, but failures. This movie, I didn’t see as a failure at all.Thanks for reading 😊

Stay away from this movie! If you like Batman & Harley in the comics or the original animated series. You might like this if don't like Batman or have no understanding of why people fell in love with Harley & the Joker in the animated series. The Joker is such a loved character, there's a reason the Jack Nicholson Jokers from Batman 1989 sold the most merchandise. This movie destroys the character... I will list the worst of the reasons below. So Spoilers below. It will not be exhaustive, I'm just going to list a few of the bigger reasons. None of which has to do it having a few musical scenes.Spoilers:This movie completely undoes the first movie. They made Arthur Fleck weak again so he's nothing like end of first movie. Fleck & Harley rolls have been reversed so she's the one manipulating him.WORST OF ALL: they end it with Arthur Fleck not even being the Joker! Movie ends with Arthur dead and it showing the "real" Joker (we know today) in the background and was inspired by Fleck. So in reality these movies become meaningless as neither are Joker & Harley then.

It's a wild swing from Phillips, who, after showing sympathy the entire first film, now condemns Arthur’s actions. This doesn’t make for an easy sell, especially when musical sequences are added. For what it’s worth, I think they make sense and are a natural continuation of the musical aspects of the first film. Unfortunately, it feels like a 'one foot in, one foot out' approach. Phillips seems to misunderstand that a musical uses its sequences to advance the plot or further develop a character, whereas here, they often grind the film to a halt. The musical numbers don’t even stand out as they should.The courtroom drama aspects mostly work for me, but they feel rushed since much of the film is taken up by other elements. Still, there are bright spots. Phoenix is fantastic once again, and Gaga steps into the role of Lee admirably. Despite the poor execution and lack of focus on her plotline, she does the most she can with it. Visually, it’s as impressive as the first, and Hildur Guðnadóttir absolutely nailed the score. There are a lot of great ideas here, even if the film seems a bit over its head in trying to bring them all together.