I just saw it and I haven’t been this bored in a long, long time. It’s not a character study, it’s not effective social commentary, it’s not a legal drama, it’s just a lot of nothing. There was definitely a more thought provoking way to critique figure-head worship and serial killer fangirls…this wasn’t it.
I dont understand how Todd Philipps flopped so hard. He had the opportunity of a lifetime. Lady Gaga as Harley could have been a landmark moment in pop culture.
To be fair, the first one was mega overrated imo. It had no real story and the (weird) discussion around it made it feel more important or intelligent than it really was
I just seen it and will see it again tomorrow i really don't think people calling this bad are watching the same movie it was no where near a bad movie
@@jfhaze I think the Gaga fans are disappointed that there's so little of her in the actual movie after the teasers and trailers promoted the hell out of her role making it seem she's the co-lead to Joaquin.
@@_Just_Another_Guy before I watched it I heard that they cut alot of her scenes but she's still in it alot they made it seem like she only had a few scenes she's all through the movie
I just have to get this off my chest, Lady Gaga is always mentioned as the highlight of whatever film she is in; but her ability to choose a viable script is very questionable.
You don’t know that the script wasn’t longer and cut in post, look at Thor love and thunder they cut out 40 minutes of Christian bail after and he didn’t know
She’s starred in three movies… ASIB universally acclaimed and HoG mixed at worst lol. If you care HoG was very different, including a voice over from Gaga throughout, and the movie was changed a lot during post.
@@terrymcginnis01he went full irreverent with his artistic choices, a la Napoleon, alienating both the niche built in audience by not staying true to the essence of the “character”, and the general audience which didn’t care about the subversion to begin with and ended up bored or frustrated. Both of these films come across as unnecessary ‘fck you’s’, without the heft to back it up
It’s a shame for Gaga cuz she’s been incredible in what should be sure fire hits (Gucci, Joker) where on paper it has so much potential only for her to be ultimately undermined by the director
This was one of the movies I was actually going to see in a movie theater, but after hearing it's a slap in the face to the fans and a character assassination I hope they lose millions.
I don’t think the movie is good But it is not a character assassination nor a slap in the face to fans. I loved the first one even on rewatches. This one just loses the plot.
“I felt like he was going to sleep as a defense mechanism. I did that during Madame Web.” - Grace I had to stop the video, because I couldn’t stop laughing. Omg! Grace! You are hilarious. 😂🤣😂
Remember when everyone was saying that joker 2 will be the superior R rated comic book film of 2024...How the tables have turned lol P.S while Todd made an award nominee film, Dennis is a better more experienced director, I have more faith in him with dune
As BTT’s feature Dune head, I’m gonna say it’s okay to like Paul during his early years when he frees the Fremen and takes down the Empire, but the irony of him becoming a tyrant himself gives the series such depth, and allows the audience to realize the Bene Gesserit weren’t all that wrong in trying to stop/control Paul.
Several people walked out at my showing. About the music, I’d rather them writing all new songs specifically to fit the story of this movie alone rather than covers because I feel the songs are out of place.
Yeah, that could have been a really interesting approach to a sequel, giving real insight into the characters mental state. When I first heard it was a "juke-box musical" months ago I knew it was a bad sign of things to come.
If they had done a 90 minute court room movie WITHOUT any singing, it would have been a lot better. The scene where he cross examined Gary Puddles was really well done.
That was the most poignant scene of this sequel. He also had the best scene of the first movie, when he was locked in the apartment after Joker killed the other clown.
@@shubhangbahadur7112 LMAO! Did Thanos win a Oscar for it or something? They are both comic book movies sure but they are not the same. I doubt Gaga will win an Oscar but Thanos doesn't deliver what Harley could've deliver. It's like comparing Gal Gadot and Angela Bassett.
TBH this was the first time, in a long time that i walked out of a movie so disappointed. I was trying so hard throughout the movie to like it and at the end i just couldnt. Kinda bummed me out 😢
Here’s my take, because I feel like Arthur at the end of the first movie when he says “You wouldn’t get it”: Joker Folie à Deux offers a necessary corrective to the first film’s unintended glorification of Arthur Fleck, a mentally ill man, who, in the wake of the original, became a “literally me” icon. Where the first movie saw Fleck propped up as a symbol of rebellion and misunderstood genius, Joker Folie à Deux works hard to emphasize the reality of his mental illness, illustrating that his journey should not be celebrated but deeply pitied. Through the character of Harley Quinn, the film makes a sharp critique of those who see themselves in Fleck’s Joker persona. Harley embodies the toxic mindset of those who latch onto the Joker’s superficial image without acknowledging the brokenness beneath. Her affection is not for the man himself but for the myth he represents-a fitting metaphor for the audiences who idolize figures like Joker, Walter White, or Homelander, confusing their chaos for strength. The film portrays these “literally me” types as often privileged and removed from the real struggles of mental illness, which Arthur exemplifies. The difference between Arthur’s true pain and their imagined one is stark-Arthur’s trauma is real, and their identification is hollow. The film’s narrative, I believe, condemns the celebration of broken characters, highlighting how dangerous it is to glorify people like Arthur. It suggests that had Arthur remained grounded, rejecting the fantasy of the Joker persona, he may have had a chance at redemption. But by buying into the conditional love of Harley (and, by extension, the toxic adoration of those who idolize him), he ensures his own downfall. The musical elements in the film heighten this point, serving as a metaphor for the fantasy world in which Joker exists-where he’s celebrated, even loved, for his violence. When Arthur finally stops singing by the film’s conclusion, it represents his rejection of that fantasy, an acceptance of the reality of who he is-a broken, mortal man, not someone to be mythologized or worshipped. In its controversial final scene, Joker Folie à Deux reminds us that Arthur Fleck, for all his inner turmoil, is still human. His legend can be dismantled, and ultimately, he can be torn down like anyone else. This film calls for an end to the unhealthy glorification of characters like him, urging us to see the pain behind the mask, rather than celebrating the mask itself.
Creators need to stop trying to micro manage their audience perception of their work. There seems to be a narcissistic streak in creators this last decade, who are incensed by audience glorification of characters they wanted them to hate and not getting their vision, then coming back and writing sequels that seek to pull those characters down from the pedestal their portrayal placed them on. Audience buy into the fantasy and those that love the joke make memes of it in social media. But people get it. The Joker is not a hero. The audience knows this, they are just having fun with the fantasy of it all. Creators then become angry because they think the emotional reaction the audience is portraying on social media is not what it should be. So then they come to hate the audience and the character and seek to force the perception they want. Neil Druckman did the same thing to his character Joel in the Last of Us, with his sequel.
Yep, it's giving me Matrix Resurrection vibes with the WB probably saying they were going to make a sequel with or without the director(s) of the previous film(s). Edit: And yet they shevled Batgirl. 🤔
Imagine if The Joker got arrested after the first film and a crazed fan Harley Quinn runs into the cop car and helps Arthur escape. He then meets a bunch of mentally disturbed people that want to be led by him. He then starts to attack the elite using Joker look alikes. Todd could have went so many places with this.
Imo the joker operates at a large scale too. He's a chaotic mastermind who can tango with Batman. He isn't Travis Bryant or Freddie Quell from 'The Master'. This awards bait restraint just doesn't fit the character.
This dismantling and tearing apart of Joker/Arthur actually reminds me so much of how the House of the Dragon writers handled Daemon in S2. Especially after admitting to being so confused and put off by all the love he got in S1.
I've just watched the movie at home (I wouldn't spend money on a ticket after the awful reviews) and it's pretty clear what happened: Todd Phillips just wanted to make an awful movie on purpose so he wouldn't have to continue making future DC movies. I only wonder how no Warner Bros. executive saw Todd's plan of completely imploding the Joker franchise during filming 😂😂
@@KEDARUNIVERSE but he created the first one and... Thinking about... It's kinda iconic that since he doesn't wanna continue making Joker movies, he just imploded the character with this one so no other director can continue what he started 🤣🤣
@@WellingtonOliveira_well_author that’s my whole point if he didn’t want to make another joker he simply wouldn’t. Have just cause he made the first one doesn’t mean he’s instantly locked onto the franchise plenty of films have had different directors take on for them
The movie didnt need a sequel which is the problem. Its the same with Archie Bunker or Vegeta. You arent supposed to like them. Yet that's the problem like Engineer from Prometheus seeing humans or even Dune main character in the books.
The biggest part of the video belongs to Gaga’s Harleen.. I’m deeply disappointed in a way no one can imagine, we waited two years for this, to get nothing. I started to believe they used her for marketing and that’s all, promoting a movie with scenes that didn’t make the final cut is insane to me, like why ? I hope Gaga gets to work with a director who can give her justice.
The difference though is dune messiah explains what people didn't get in the first book, paul was always meant to be the bad guy of the story. I feel Denis, adapted that well in dune part 2, his arc didn't feel like a heroic one in that film, it felt like he did make an effort to make the audience feel the darkness that was consuming paul. So I think dune messiah should follow on with that, and it'll be ok.
Why did they do that to the audience who went and supported the first one which was rated R and made over a Billion Dollars? What a strange business move or just plain bitter for some reason. Great job Todd. No wonder the biggest killer of men between 23 and 46 is self deletion. I don't blame men for getting angry when they are made to look and be, totally useless. He is a man himself , Well i think he is. He should know better. Never crap allover your audience. His career is basically now DUST.😒
Difference is the first two are already hinting at Paul’s descent, especially with the final shot of Chani. The building blocks are there. Phillips just has no understanding of his toy box
The problem with the Joker 2 is that Phillips has strayed from the source material. SPOILERS for Dune 3 ///// / / /Denis, if he follows the source material, should be fine to tear down Paul Atredies. That is what Dune is all about. And if Denis and Timmy C can pull it off and make us believe Paul’s descent, then Oscars all round.
Grace a lot of the things you talked about I actually wrote about in my applications to film graduate programs so this makes me feel I’m on the right track :)
Only reason I would say for others to see this movie is because of the acting its really outstanding but other than that the plot is straight wack and has so many plot holes that make no sense at all definitely won’t rewatch this for another few years
The first thing is all about Arthur being liberated and feeling free. I will never forget when he stood up on that police car, painting on his smile and for the first time really standing upright and like he was proud of himself.
why would this movie try to argue joker was a split personality AND that he is stunted mentally with a child's mind? especially since the alter ego is joker, not a child. this is why people who nothing about dpd should leave it out of their stories, cause often times its a plot contrivance or trope that is illogical or not needed.
Hated this movie. Kept wishing people to finish their conversations but instead they started singing. The Joker never appeared and the ending just didnt make any sense It was a waste of time and I regret watching this movie
The fact that the first movie built this incredible character only to turn around and tear him down makes this movie completely useless. I wish I had never seen it, because it in some ways ruins the first movie. If it's a continued story like a comic, then the whole thing was a waste of time. Seeing Arthur turning into Joker then turning away from all of the things the Joker afforded him (namely his power to deal with abuse, irrelevance) made it almost as if nothing had ever happened because Arthur was rendered not only irrelevant at the end of Joker 2 but killed. So the journey was for absolutely nothing. Also the only music sequence that worked in my opinion was Phoenix singing in the courtroom because of how it was handled and his genius in knowing the character. It was the only music number that truly worked. The rest were a bad attempt at showing Arthur's breaks in reality. They failed at those attempts, at least in my opinion.
Grace can you or any body in these comments explain to me how the first Joker movie is good for disenfranchised people ? I saw it and while I was sympathetic to Arthur’s struggles and the abuse he received, I think that it justifies his actions of trying to kill people just because they made him feel bad. Like how is that a good thing ? I don’t get it , is there something I’m missing here ? How can it be okay to justify violence of any type. The world is already in shambles as it is. I really don’t understand your position in defending the first film and Arthur so much.
The musical numbers should’ve echoed that liberated feeling which Arthur felt in the end of the first film. The scene where he looks up to the sky and the guards umbrellas changes into colours was a sign of that. He’s liberated so he sees the world as a colourful party. I think they should’ve had a dance number with the guards swirling around the umbrellas and stomping around the puddles just like Singin in the Rain. That’s the sort of musical numbers the film should’ve had and already had the groundwork for. Also imagine if Arthur was retelling the first film to Lee as the monologue montage from La La Land and with an original song. It could’ve been so spectacular!!
Maybe his follow up should've just been a music video. It would've been amusing, and not carry the disappointment of this sad excuse for a feature length film.
Do you agree with any of the problems Grace had with the movie? Also can you give a score comparison to Joker 1 if you have seen both? I am still debating whether to see Joker 2.
The original made me want to re-watch the superior Scorsese movies it was a homage to. I think Joker connected to an audience who had never seen those older movies, or never read classic DC Comics Joker. This isn't "The Joker": his real name is Jack not Arthur 😀 Arthur gets to be a version of the Joker only twice before being killed off... Awful musical too! #notMyJoker
As someone who suffers from severe mental illness. I often find myself distancing my outbursts with what I consider to be my true self! Having seen the film I think that is what Todd Phillips was trying to do here!
As someone who also suffers from severe mental illness to the point I have a demon living within me, I kindly don't give a phuck. He destroyed the Joker because he resented it. Nothing more nothing less.
This movie is a complete travesty. Every time the singing started it took me out of the movie. Then when the story came back I was focused, then ... more singing! They should have called it JOKER: THE MUSICAL and I wouldn't have wasted my time watching this boondoggle. It now falls into that category of "I watched that movie once ... once!" (the running joke from Johnny Dangerously)
I really enjoyed the not musical parts of the film actually. A lot of the scenes affected me and have stayed with me. And I think Lee killing Arthur would have been a more fitting ending and thematically more powerful.
I thought the ending was brilliant. He got killed by the real joker. Only problem is I wish Todd didn’t make it as vaguely as you did, but if you know you know he got killed by the true embodiment of the joker Arthur never was that
Joker FAD revolves around Arthur struggling whether to fully embrace Joker or not. The theme "the echo, the shadow, and me" which he sang on his head before a "visitor" came at the end is very evident throughout the movie. The echo being the musical part, his imaginations, mostly about his moments with Lee. The shadow, well it's pretty obvious, the movie personified this character through the inmate who k-word him, for what? because he probably realized no one wants to deal with Arthur (Me). It's an allegory of scrapping his weak persona to give way to Joker. The shadow (Joker) has a good run on the film until Garry testifies, who reminded him that he's Arthur, not Joker. The realization of Arthur that he should be Joker occurred when Lee dump him. Idk but I enjoyed it.
I appreciate your analysis because I thought similarly then I thought, "Is Todd Phillips trolling his audience, or is he a genius?" While I think these movies, Joker 2 and, for that matter, Megalopolis are just a bit too autour-istic for modern audiences.
I am sorry, but the only person in this production that knew the assignment was Joaquim Phoenix. This movie is proof that Gaga simply cannot act, not without really studying. Now her Harley is one dimensional because most of the dialogues are one dimensional. And nobody is more responsible for this fiasco than Todd Phillips. His choices are hauntingly bad. HORRENDOUS.
I did not mind the musical part. I minded the waste of Harley, the waste of that story, the waste of an ending. Nothing ends up being satisfying about it story wise.
The first move was irresponsible, saying that his trouble life was the reason that become like that is just irresponsible, I don't care that ppl think it gave a light to many abuse ppl, but most of the abused ppl won't stuff like what he did, I don't care the arguments you wanna make for him, I do appreciate the effort to take down that character, cuz in real life we have seen those supposedly "broken men" doing awful stuff and then claiming abuse or violence or that they are misunderstood a criminal is a criminal no matter what. The only thing that was interesting about this movie was Gaga but since she is barely in the movie there is no reason to support it, this goes to show that sometime sequels are not required at all.
Well said. I hate the excuses people make for school shooters. I don't care if they were bullied. Plenty of people get bullied and don't become mass murderers.
@@celdur4635 Most people don't have an original idea to save their life. I think this dude let himself be influenced by the critics. You can't produce art that way.
So philips is an “arthur” in real life but he realized he projected so bad in the first film so he acted like he doesn’t know or relate to that group by projecting it again on the movie… pathetic.
My big disappointment is that there is a stunning sequel to be made to Joker which could’ve been as legendary as the first one or even more. But because of this one, we will never see it 😭😭😭
I see the vision with how fan culture is insane and it sets the expectations of the artist (joker) to keep up the character but ultimately feeling disappointed when the artist can’t do it. And I’m sure that’s why Gaga was intrigued with the movie, being a huge fan of hers she has many faces and people have so many expectations of her. I think it would have been more interesting if Harley did the final act, makes it way more interesting for her to take the role. Having her walk away up the stairs was so anticlimactic. Ultimately him dying makes sense, he was never made to fulfill the role and the shadow lives on. I never believed he could be joker.
I watched the movie,very lackluster. Im more concern for The Batman part 2. Im starting to believe that ever since James Gunn took over DC, he’s making the final decision of the movies. I believe the elseworld DC is gonna with THE BATMAN PART 2.
Lady GaGa was WASTED in this wtf she deserves better than what she was given here. The movie did have GREAT moments just like Grace said and the only reason I went to see this was for GaGa. I also love Harley Quinn and thought we were gonna get an amazing take but instead fall we got was a tease.
So this movie seems like just a total bummer. The first one was already pretty dark, but the whole conceit was that The Joker was triumphant over them. But with this one forgot to have a final act where Arthur wins. This sounds like Breaking Bad, but with Walter White never having any victories. The better title seems to have been "The Joker Falls." But then nobody would go to see that. Hope the Hangover guy enjoyed all the freedom he got from the first joker, cuz he will never get that again. Great insights from Joyce. I always speculated that the first joker movie had a shallow idea of mental illness. Now it is proven.
I Loved Joker 2, and I'm a straight male, loved all the music and I had a feeling the guy who did what He did was giving the stink eye the whole time, to me its a origin story😮😮
Arthur was never the Joker. That's the joke. He just assumed he was and claimed the crimes from the 1st film to cope with his insanity. He's the proverbial unreliable narrator. The "real" Joker kills him at the end to (weakly) full circle the loop.
Wow, I am completely new to your channel - it is very commendable how you have set up an entire presentation for your review, and your passion is very clear! Great review!
The Todd Phillips meta narrative is absurd. Usually directors don’t direct movies they don’t want to be associated with. As if he wanted to endanger his career with this flop. But on a serious note, one doesn’t have to enjoy every single second of a movie for it to be a good movie. I think, for pandering reasons, Grace is throwing the baby out with the bath water.