What a shame that Joker: madness for twofilm by Todd Phillips with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga does not keep the promises made in the first part!
Leaving the 92nd Academy Awards with the statuette for best actor in his pocket for his interpretation of Arthur Fleck, aka Joker, Joaquin Phoenix had much to be proud of. The sworn enemy of Batman, a mythical evil character from DC Comics, lends itself wonderfully to a psychological study, Jack Nicholson in the Batman by Tim Burton and Heath Ledger in The Black Knight by Christopher Nolan having amply proven it.
• Also read: “Joker: Folie à Deux”: “Over time, Joaquin and I became our characters” – Lady Gaga
• Also read: Lady Gaga launches “Harlequin”, a surprise album inspired by her character from the film “Joker: Folie à Deux”
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY WARNER BROS.
Joker: madness for two therefore has the avowed and obvious aim of continuing the study of this man, a sad clown, now locked up in Arkham Asylum. There he meets Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga who is no match for Margot Robbie, the perfect incarnation of this fascinating character) with whom he maintains a romantic relationship while his trial for the murders committed takes place.
From this minimalist screenplay written by Scott Silver and Todd Phillips – the same tandem as for Jokerthe director manages to make a 138-minute feature film whose main characteristic is that it tells nothing.
Without the slightest emotion or the slightest chemistry, Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga follow a series of scenes, visibly intended to be visually striking and perfect, but in which the soul is desperately absent and which prevents the spectator from plunging into this universe, however so rich .
Director Todd Phillips with the two stars of “Joker: Folie à Deux”, Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix, at the premiere in Los Angeles on September 30.
MEGA/IF
The production made much of the musical scenes, emphasizing their necessity and inventiveness. Indeed, the inventiveness is there. Rather than completing or supporting the point (because there is no shortage of theatrical dialogue), the songs and dance numbers are an incursion into the psyche of the Joker and the future Harley Quinn by diverting pieces of the popular culture. Successful, although less dazzling than those, brilliant, of Moulin Rouge by Baz Luhrmann, they are probably the only element worth paying attention to.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Joker: madness for two tries to seduce moviegoers from October 4.
