The review embargo for Todd Phillips' Joker: Folie À Deux lifted earlier this month shortly after the movie's world premier at the Venice Film Festival, but more critics have been weighing in with their thoughts on the DC Comics sequel today following a new round of press screenings.
The first Joker was widely praised by fans and recognized by several major awards bodies (including the Oscars), so it can be easy to forget that critics were far from won over upon its release. While some hailed the disturbing crime drama as a masterpiece, others felt that it was little more than a depressing slog that "ripped off" Martin Scorsese's earlier work.
Reactions to the sequel have been similarly mixed, but after settling at 63% (a similar score to its predecessor) on Rotten Tomatoes for the past couple of weeks, the film has now slipped down to a "Rotten" 56% on the aggregator.
Have a read through some of the latest reactions/reviews - not all of which are negative - at the links below.
“Joker: Folie À Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him."
From acclaimed writer/director/producer Todd Phillips comes Joker: Folie À Deux, the much-anticipated follow-up to 2019’s Academy Award-winning Joker, which earned more than $1 billion at the global box office and remains the (second) highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.
The new film stars Joaquin Phoenix once again in his Oscar-winning dual role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, opposite Oscar winner Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born). The film also stars Oscar nominees Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Catherine Keener (Get Out, Capote), alongside Zazie Beetz, reprising her role from Joker.
The movie is rated R for “some strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality, and brief full nudity.”
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