The worst comic book adaptation of all time is, of course, the villain, the Joker
“Folie a Deux”: A Success Story about the DC Comics Joker’s Explanation for the Low-Financial-Gamma-Energy Cinematic Universe
There is a sadness in the sequel. The director has made it clear to reporters in the last couple of weeks that he is not interested in making a new movie about the comic book character.
Similarly, some critics have suggested that it was the film’s intention all along to defy the genre’s expectations and fanfare surrounding. The title “Folie à Deux” means “madness of two” in French — not only a nod to Fleck and Lee’s relationship, but the twisted bond between Joker and moviegoers. For that, some have hailed the film as “brilliant.”
NPR’s in-house film critic, Bob Mondello, gave the sequel more of a mixed review, stating that it did not deepen our understanding of the characters, but praised its stunning visuals and commended the film for taking risks.
The film critics and comic book fans felt the sequel deviated too far from the original film and were not entertained by the musical direction. Others simply felt the plot was “wafer-thin” and underwhelming, including the highly-anticipated love story of Fleck and Lee. Some people wanted Gaga’s talents to be used more.
The box office was $10 million behind projections but it still hit the top spot. It brought in over $82 million in international box office for a grand total of $121 million. Still, the original Joker made more than $96 million in its domestic opening weekend and went on to become one of the highest-grossing R-rated movies of all time.
PostTrak rated the Warner Bros. movie a half star out of five, according to Deadline. It was pegged at a low percentage on the Tomatometer.
CinemaScore, which polls moviegoers during a film’s opening night, gave the sequel a D — which is considered the lowest CinemaScore ever given to a studio comic book movie. Before Joker, it was Fantastic Four (2015) that held the bottom mark with a C-minus.
The villain of the DC Comics is disliked by many people. But even he might not have been ready for the cold reception his sequel received on opening weekend.
After the success of the first chapter, it was expected that the film would again feature the return of Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, as well as the addition of Lady Gaga to the cast. It received mixed reviews from film reviewers after its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The movie brought in less than expected at the box office after it was released in the US, leading to a chorus of discontent.