Joker Foile A Deux Review

For my most anticipated film of the year 'Joker Foile A Deux', it was only fitting that I embark on my biggest solo cinema experience yet. I travelled to London to visit the BFI IMAX cinema, which, in simplest terms, is the biggest screen in The UK and shows films in 70mm film, which in the age of digital projection is incredibly rare. This was an incredibly special trip, as someone who loves cinema and believes it should be experienced on the biggest screen possible to see my most anticipated film in this way, was a joy.

However, going into the film, I had heard mixed reviews, which started when the movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and these reviews shocked me but made me worried that this film would not live up to its predecessor. Although, this film has a lot to live up to with the first film making over a billion dollars at the box office - the first R-rated film to ever achieve this and be awarded with eleven Oscar Nominations including a win for Joaquin Phoneix who reprises his role as Arthur Fleck in the sequel. 

The film follows on from the events of the Joker shooting Murray Franklin in the head live on TV and inciting a riot in Gotham city, he is now in prison and meets Lee Quinzel in a singing therapy class and they bond over their duel insanity - where the phrase Foile A Deux stems from. They quickly fall in love and start to dream together about life outside of Gotham, which cinematically comes in the form of these lavish musical dream sequences. Also, a court case is present where Fleck is being charged with the six murders he committed in the first film and he is still bringing in public admiration for his Joker character. 

As I said this film has received mixed reviews, with the majority of audiencegoers confused about the music element that runs throughout in the dream sequences which showcase Lee and Arthur as their alter ego's Joker and Harley Quinn. Music has always a big part of this world, in the first film he expresses himself through dance in the bathroom after he has killed the three men on the subway and the singing in this film is a natural extension of the music displayed in the first. However, if you are not a musical fan then you will be annoyed by a lot of the scenes as they do break out into song in situations that don't call for it and don't continue the story on further - which is what songs in musicals should do, time shouldn't stop and unfortunately Joker Foile A Duex has moments like this. 

Like the first film, the standout is still the performance of Fleck portrayed brilliantly by Joaquin Phoneix who conveys both loneliness and fragility but insanity and a no-holds-barred energy when portraying Joker. However, this one is a double-hander as Lady
Gaga who plays Lee and Harley Quinn holds her own and provides her own take on the iconic character. She also showcases her vocals and has released her own companion album 'Harlequin' which features songs from the film which all come from the great American songbook such as 'That's Life' and 'Got the world on a string'. 

Overall, I can see where the criticism of this film has come from as even though we are still in the world of Gotham it is a complete departure from the first film. Even though I did enjoy the film and it's performances, the musical sequences as stunning as they are visually they do seem out of place and very staged and as said don't bring forward the story in any way. It is a real shame that this film didn't land as well as the first one, but I always love seeing Joker on the big screen and particularly Phoneix's version which has cemented itself as one of the best comic book performances of all time.