The carnage extended to other titles, but ‘The Wild Robot’ and ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ remain strong.
The whole point of making a costly sequel is it can’t be a total disaster. If nothing else, “Joker: Folie à Deux” proved that is not the case.
Well, if studios can accept that sequels and remakes actually aren’t immune from being flops, maybe they will be more open to considering new ideas? I won’t get my hopes up, but it’s a nice thought.
Seems more likely to push them to make even safer financial decisions, like re-releasing the movies that performed well earlier in the year, or pushing out AI video generator content.
“Batman and Robin” has entered the chat.
I can think of a dozen successful science fiction novels that have been in publication as long, or longer than ‘Dune.’ Same thing with mystery series like Kinsey Malone [A is For Alibi] Any of them would have a built in audoence, but the execs will fo with something that’s been tried fifty times before because it’s got a track record.
I for one enjoyed it. I liked that Todd Phillips didn’t try to emulate the first movie and went in a different direction.
Solid performances from Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson and especially Joachin Phoenix.
The story is mostly true to the origins of Harley and Two-Face and fits real well with Joker too.
The only two criticisms I’ve heard are that 1) it is a musical and 2) it is a courtroom drama.
The songs didn’t feel forced to me. They show the main characters’ shared delusion.
The courtroom drama part shows Fleck/Joker’s conflicting personalities.
Feels lonely to like this movie :-(
i went in with my mind somewhat made up… ‘this is a musical, it shall suck’
and i was wrong.
the music isnt front-and-center. its almost ancillary… it is the worst aspect of the movie, but i dont think it ruins it entirely.
I thought the full costume stage singing pieces made sense and the rest were odd but they do work because
Tap for spoiler
The rest did happen during rather stressful or emotional times so would make sense it was his delusion
You liked the movie, so, can you tell me what is the point of the movie?
spoilers
Because, IMO, the Joker was concieved in the first movie as not capable enough to be a character that could have any impact or evolution aside from doing random shit. Which is literally what he does in both movies: complaining and random shit.
Lawyers are shown doing lawyer things.
Then, Harley comes in, and she’s obsessed. She’s a psychiatrist too. Okay, so maybe there’s something interesting in there… We can explore her story, why would she be obsessed with him… She lied! Okay, that is a conflict, I wonder how will it resolve… Oh, no, that’s it. No story for you. She disappears literally like a boolean character. On/off. Okay. But she’s Lady Gaga so let’s make it a musical.
Also, police bad, it seems there’s also no story there.
Then the director realises he created an impossible character, so he kills it with another nonsensical scene and calls it CINEMA.
I don’t know… I can’t defend this movie.
I don’t think there has be a point to a movie, but I can agree with you that compared to Joker, there is not the same level of commentary on society.
spoiler
Lee, the press and most, if not everyone in courtroom, had no interest in Fleck at all. You could almost say that no one cared until he put the mask on. They were there for the freak show.
Despite being off his meds, he eventually realizes that he has become a monster and the moment he decides that he does not want to be the Joker, he stops singing while Lee continues. (Meaning he is out of his delusion, but she still gaga).
I thought that way he was killed off in the end was brilliant and it fits really well with the whole Joker myth. A Joker also (probably) died in Gotham (the show - Admittedly kind of shit) while explaining how he is an idea that can’t be killed. Sort of explains the vagueness of his origin(s).
Hell, this even opens up the possibility that Joker is in fact an immortal, skinwalking trickster demon. I would like that very much.
This storyline sadly won’t go any further probably, but it leaves room for a new Joker being committed to Arkham, meeting Lee who now works there (she’s a psychologist after all) and yadda yadda yadda, the “original” Harley origin could take place. There has been storylines in comics about Harley’s pregnancy as well.
Really enjoyed Joker. Didn’t have any desire for a sequel. I feel like this was kinda destined to fail.
