The Joke is on You: A review of the disturbing and disastrous “Joker: Folie à Deux” movie

When I watched “Joker” for the first time a few weeks ago, I found that it’s an absolute masterpiece. From Joaquin Phoenix’s dramatic portrayal of a disturbed Arthur Fleck, better known as “The Joker,” to the more realistic interpretation of the classic Hollywood villain — it was captivating.

Sitting in the theater I couldn’t wait for the “Joker: Folie à Deux” — the musical sequel to “Joker,” released on Oct. 4 — to start. However, after watching the two-hour and 18-minute movie, my excitement turned into disbelief. My mind could hardly comprehend the disappointment I felt after watching the failed R-rated musical.

The movie had a promising beginning, with Fleck detained in The Arkham State Hospital in Gotham City after murdering six people, a detail from the end of the previous film. It showed how Fleck went through his mundane day-to-day life and portrayed him as an underdog in the large hospital. Fleck was made fun of not only by the other patients but also by the guards. The dark scenery of the hospital and the new mysteriousness of Fleck, helped differentiate the sequel from the previous movie.

After introducing Fleck in his new environment, we met Lee Quinzel, played by Lady Gaga, a patient at the same asylum whose obsession with Fleck is quickly revealed. While Gaga did an amazing job of portraying the mentally ill Quinzel, I almost dissolved into laughter in the silent theater when Quinzel and Fleck broke into song in the asylum hallways.

Musical outbursts became a common theme as the two fell in love after only days of knowing each other and sang old show tunes like “If My Friends Could See Me Now” from the 1966 Broadway show Sweet Charity. It was bizarre how the film could go from violence and illness to happy karaoke within minutes.

I quickly became annoyed at the constant back-and-forth between the duets, combined with the seriousness of the mental disorders present between both characters. Although I knew singing would be involved in the movie, I was expecting less of a musical and more of a small dramatic music element. The jolly songs that Fleck and Quinzel often sang together were unnecessary, and I found insensitive to the topics being portrayed.

His lawyer, played by Catherine Keener, was the only level-headed influence in his life and tried to get Fleck to realize that the only way he could avoid the death penalty was to be declared mentally unfit for trial. At times, she was the only character that truly cared for Fleck instead of Joker.

Towards the end of the movie, it felt as though everything and nothing had happened at the same time. With Fleck going between insane and sane, constant musical numbers and Quinzel’s undeveloped character, I was truly confused by the plot of the movie.

Although seemingly impossible, the end of the film baffled me even more when Fleck began to rant to the jury about his killings of six people and confessed that a separate identity didn’t influence him to go on a murderous rampage throughout Gotham.

Once the film finally ended, I couldn’t believe that the infamous Joker was portrayed in such a lackluster manner, especially after watching the incredible first film. Not only was “Joker: Folie à Deux” a complete waste of a good cast, but it was also a complete waste of my time.