Joker 2 First Reviews Are Absolute Mayhem

"Joker" is one of the darker comic movies out there, not to mention one of the more polarizing ones. The Clown Prince of Crime's first solo outing foregoes the crowd-pleasing thrills of superhero flicks in favor of a serious character study about Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) and his disturbing descent into madness. So, when it was confirmed that "Joker 2" was going to be more controversial as a result of mixing mayhem with musical elements, fans were intrigued to see what director Todd Phillips came up with. "Joker: Folie à Deux" has finally premiered at the 81st Venice Film Festival, and — as most of us expected — it's divided critics.

"Joker: Folie à Deux" sees the titular villain and Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) fall in love through their mutual love of music and wickedness, giving us a twisted romance for the ages. Meanwhile, in Gotham, the Clown Prince's followers hatch a plan to free him from Arkham State Hospital so that he can continue his reign of terror in the city. That's an intriguing premise, and some critics believe that the film lives up to the hype. As Matthew Turner of NME wrote, "[Phillips has] delivered the last thing anyone expected: a socially responsible Joker movie that finds an intriguing way to explore the consequences (both on and offscreen) of the first film." That said, "Joker 2" was always going to attract a few naysayers, and some reviewers don't recommend it at all.

Regardless of your views on the first movie, many fans opine that Joaquin Phoenix ranks among the best on-screen Jokers. He doesn't disappoint in this outing either, and David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter believes that he has great on-screen chemistry with his main co-star. "[Lady] Gaga is a compelling live-wire presence, splitting the difference between affinity and obsession, while endearingly giving Arthur a shot of joy ... Their musical numbers, both duets and solos, have a vitality that the more often dour film desperately needs."

Empire writer John Nugent also praised the chemistry between Phoenix and Gaga, noting that they manage to add some sentimentality to their characters' bad romance. "As sweet and beguiling a musical romance as it's possible to have between two murderous psychopaths. Its kooky approach won't suit all stripes of comic-book fan, but it finds a strange, tragic hopefulness all of its own."

"Joker: Folie à Deux" also explores some of the social issues that informed the first film, with some critics praising the sequel for doing so in a compelling way. Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent described it as a shocking and unsettling depiction of urban life in modern America — a world where cities are on the verge of chaos at all times. That description makes "Joker 2" sound quite exciting, but don't jump to conclusions until you've read the opposing viewpoints.

The decision to make "Joker 2" a jukebox musical suggests that it's one of those left field sequels that swings for the fences and takes risks. However, some critics argue that it's quite tame and doesn't go as far as it should. "Joker: Folie à Deux may be ambitious and superficially outrageous, but in a basic way it's an overly cautious sequel," Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote.

Similarly, The Times critic Kevin Maher believes that "Joker 2" is a slog that doesn't do much to break free from its predecessor, or other movies, for that matter. "Phillips and co. smashed back into the self-contained world, shook all the contents out onto the carpet and... had another go. The result? Messy, lifeless, derivative and exactly what you'd expect from a film that simply doesn't want, or need, to exist."

Alison Willmore of Vulture blamed the film's sluggish qualities on the writing, stating that Arthur Fleck is the least interesting part of the story. The reviewer also argues that Gaga's talents are wasted by making her play second fiddle to such an uninspired character. Despite this, Willmore praised Joaquin Phoenix for putting his all into playing such a tormented villain, even though he didn't have great material to work with.

To learn more about this franchise, check out the untold truth of Joaquin Phoenix's "Joker" film.