First Joker: Folie à Deux reactions call it a "brilliant musical return to a world of madness"

EntertainmentMoviesMusicalsJoker: Folie à DeuxFirst Joker: Folie à Deux reactions call it a “brilliant musical return to a world of madness"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

EntertainmentMoviesMusicalsJoker: Folie à DeuxFirst Joker: Folie à Deux reactions call it a “brilliant musical return to a world of madness"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Joker Folie a Deux

The first reactions forJoker: Folie a Deuxare here – and they are delightfully mixed.

The long-awaited sequel to Todd Phillips' award-winning Joker sees Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) and Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) fall in love and break out of Arkham Asylum – all while singing and dancing. The cast includes Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond, Harry Lawty as Harvey Dent, Steve Coogan as a popular TV personality, and Catherine Keener as Arthur’s defense lawyer.

Deadlinecalled it a “brilliant musical return to a world of madness” adding, “With song, dance, comedy, darkness, animation, drama, violence and more, this is a musical, if it even is a musical, like no other.”

“It’s a great sequel with surprising twists! With added song and dance, Joker’s story struts down a more meditative path that is more restrained. Lady Gaga shines in Joker: Folie a Deux’s musical sequences!” aDiscussingFilm journalist wrote.

“Joker: Folie à Deux is a bold, daring and mesmerizing masterpiece. Joaquin Phoenix continues to amaze as Arthur Fleck while Lady Gaga delivers the best performance of her career thus far as Harley Quinn. Todd Phillips has truly upped the ante in almost every way with this sequel including the musical elements, which are brilliantly executed. Joker: Folie à Deux is the film of the year and will spark a lot of conversation and debate going into award season,“someone tweeted.

“I can confirm: Joker Folie a Deux is a musical, no matter what the filmmakers (or WB) say. It’s also a challenging sequel that adds depth to Arthur Fleck, making him (and his fans) more pathetic, and more interesting, than ever,“TheWrap said.

“Joker: Folie à Deux feels like it’s bad on purpose. A fascinatingly lifeless troll of a movie designed to anger fans and bore everyone else. Its complete waste of Lady Gaga is worse than any of Joker’s crimes,“wrote David Ehrlich of IndieWire.

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Varietywas also unimpressed, calling the sequel, Todd Phillips’ desperate-to-be-darkly-irreverent but actually rather clunky and earthbound musical sequel to “Joker.”

Similarly,IGNwrote, “Despite the best efforts of Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, and an opening hour set in Arkham Asylum, Joker: Folie à Deux wastes its potential as a movie musical, a courtroom drama, and a sequel that has anything meaningful to say about or add to the first Joker.”

Our own reviewcalls the sequel, “art courtroom movie, part behind-bars romance, Folie à Deux is an unconventional musical sequel that fails to hit the high notes.”

Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters on October 4. For more, check out our list of the most excitingupcoming moviesin 2024 and beyond, or skip right to the good stuff with our list ofmovie release dates.

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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

1

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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

1

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

2

Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3

Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5

Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

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Squid Game season 2

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1

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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

2

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Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

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4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

4

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5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

5

Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

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