By Todd Philips’ “Joker: Folie a Deux” had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and the reaction has been wild and varied, to say the least.
The film received a twelve-minute standing ovation following the premiere and has dominated the talk from Venice today in a way other films in recent days have not, helped along by both Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix being in attendance and doing press.
But what about the film itself? That’s where things get more complicated. Reviews overall are mixed, but also divisive – some highly praising it, some loathing it.
On Rotten Tomatoes it has currently racked up 39 reviews of which 17 are negative. Though a score hasn’t been published yet, that ratio translates to a 57% RT score – weaker than the 69% (7.3/10) of the first film.
Metacritic isn’t so hesitant, with the film garnering a decidedly mixed 54/100 – though the first film wasn’t much better at 59/100. In other words, however you feel about the first you’ll probably feel the same about the second. Here’s a sampling of review quotes:
“It’s a sad, pensive, and impressively odd motion picture that uses the theatricality of movie musicals to undermine its hero’s ambitions instead of elevating them.” – William Bibbiani, The Wrap
“Gaga is a compelling live-wire presence, splitting the difference between affinity and obsession, while endearingly giving Arthur a shot… Their musical numbers, both duets and solos, have a vitality that the more often dour film desperately need.” – David Rooney, THR
“As sweet and beguiling a musical romance as it’s possible to have between two murderous psychopaths. Its kooky approach won’t suit all stripes of comic-book fan, but it finds a strange, tragic hopefulness all of its own.” – John Nugent, Empire
“Folie à Deux can’t quite match its predecessor for dizzying impact. But it matches it for horrible tinderbox tension: it’s a film you feel might burst into flames at any given moment” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph
“Where the original Joker remains a stunning exception — that rare blockbuster with emotional shading, grownup themes and a genuine sense of grandeur — this sequel fails to stay on the beat.” – Tim Grierson, Screen
“Folie à Deux simply tap dances in place for the majority of its listless runtime, stringing together a series of underwhelming musical numbers that are either too on the nose… or too vaguely related to its characters to express anything at all.” – David Ehrlich, Indiewire
“Depending on how you look at it, this demythologising exercise is either daring or it’s irritatingly smug, but it’s definitely not much fun.” – Nicholas Barber, BBC
“‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ may be ambitious and superficially outrageous, but at heart it’s an overly cautious sequel. Phillips has made a movie in which Arthur really is just poor Arthur; he does nothing wrong and isn’t going to threaten anyone’s moral sensibilities” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“Joker: Folie a Deux” is slated to open in cinemas October 4th.
The post The “Joker: Folie a Deux” Reviews Are In appeared first on Dark Horizons.
