Guasón 2: Folie à Deux

Before watching the movie, I avoided reading reviews or watching trailers because I had incredibly high expectations. With stars like Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, I was hoping for an intense and profound portrayal of the Joker-a character known for his dark, complex, and psychopathic nature.

While Phoenix and Gaga give solid performances, the film falls flat in delivering the story we all wanted. Instead of diving deep into the Joker's twisted psyche, we're given an odd mix of musical numbers and dance sequences that feel out of place, often popping up every few minutes without any real purpose. The Joker's torment, his darkness, and his complexity-all of that is missing.

What makes it worse is that we all know this isn't the *real* Joker from the comics or earlier films. But even with that freedom, the movie wastes the potential to explore the more psychological, chaotic side of the character. Instead, we're left with a shallow version of what could've been a gripping dive into madness.

The supporting characters, like Harley Quinn (played by Gaga), are equally underserved. Instead of playing into their notorious, toxic dynamic, her character feels one-dimensional, with little depth to their connection. The lack of meaningful interaction between the Joker and figures like Murray Franklin or even Arkham inmates drains the story of any tension or intrigue.

It's a real shame because, with the right direction, this could've easily been one of the best films of the year. Instead, it's a disappointment. Save yourself the time and money-this one doesn't live up to the hype.

If Joker 2 was meant to expand on the tortured psyche of Arthur Fleck, it succeeded only in expanding my boredom. What made the first film so intriguing-the slow descent into madness-was replaced with a frantic, disjointed attempt to outdo its predecessor without any real sense of direction. Fleck's evolution (or lack thereof) feels more like a series of erratic, isolated scenes than a cohesive narrative.

The film struggles to find its tone, oscillating between forced social commentary and a carnival of absurdity, leaving neither thought-provoking nor entertaining moments to cling to. It's as if the filmmakers believed that more chaos automatically equals more depth, but instead, it comes off as empty spectacle with none of the philosophical grit that made the original resonate. The character development was shallow, almost as if they hoped we wouldn't notice the lack of story under the avalanche of neon-lit chaos and ominous laughs.

Joaquin Phoenix, ever the committed actor, did his best, but even his performance couldn't save a script that feels more like a checklist of provocations than an actual journey. Joker 2 is a poor imitation of its own predecessor, like trying to laugh at the same joke twice-only this time, it falls flat, and you're left wondering why you ever found it funny in the first place.

Verdict? Skip this punchline.

The sequel to "Joker" promised a lot, but the final result fell short of expectations, also a bad movie. The ambitious choice to transform the film into a musical, although bold, was not interesting.

The story does not add anything truly new or original. The relationship between Joker and Harley Quinn, although central to the plot, fails to convince, lacking that emotional depth that could have made it memorable.

Joaquin Phoenix confirms his talent, but his interpretation is also a bit repetitive compared to the first film. Lady Gaga, in the role of Harley Quinn, offers a solid performance, but the character seems crushed by the dominant figure of the Joker.

Ultimately, "Joker: Folie à Deux" is a film that leaves a sense of incompleteness, I did not like it. A bad film overall.

I absolutely loved the first Joker movie directed by Todd Phillips, but I have to say, what the hell were they thinking when they decided to go into the sequel. Unlike the first film, this movie has practically no story, but rather a series of strange delusional vignettes that were thrown together along with musical numbers that got old very fast and made the run time way longer than needed for how unentertaining it actually was. Joaquin Phoenix delivers a decent performance, but it's nowhere near as good as he was in the first film. I kept waiting in anticipation thinking this must be building towards some big moment that unfortunately never arrives, and instead was left with nothing but disappointment as the movie ends on a worse note than it began.

I was on the fence when I watched the trailer, but now having seen it I kind of wish I wouldn't have. If you're a fan of the first movie, it's a pretty big toss up whether you'll like this one or not, but I wouldn't recommend it.

The story falls flat due to weak writing. While a few scenes are dramatically well-executed, they fail to captivate the audience, making the movie feel tedious from the start. The progression in both writing and direction is lacking, raising the question of whether a sequel was necessary in the first place.

Joaquin Phoenix once again delivers a remarkable performance, but it is difficult to fully appreciate or enjoy it given the film's flaws.

Lady Gaga's portrayal of Harley Quinn is underwhelming.

Even Todd Phillips' competent direction does little to elevate the movie.

I don't recommend watching this film. Instead, revisit the original "Joker."