I thought that this was a daring, subversive, melancholic and thought provoking film. Phillips' decision to avoid simply churning out a repeat of the first film is admirable and Joaquin Phoenix adds more layers to the character of Arthur Fleck. Lady Gaga was captivating as Harley Quinn and together the two leads offer a compelling portrait of loneliness, yearning and human frailty... it's certainly not a perfect film, but its ambition should be applauded and I'm really surprised by the coverage it has received.
The first film ended with the justification for Joker's impending life of crime, and the second film simply didn't follow on from that, it was so far removed from the classiest of comic book films. Joker's character didn't develop in any way, if anything, he became dull, insipid even. Harley Quinn was two dimensional at best, a manipulative boyband fan at worst.
Folies a Deux simply lacks a decent plot. The performances are top notch but to no avail. Lady Gaga is cast but not trusted. Let's shoe horn in fantasy scenes to embellish her role.
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