Not many characters in cinematic history have left a mark as lasting as the Joker. As the face of a chaotic villain in Gotham City, this city-wide famous clown has been portrayed in countless forms, in “The Joker”. The movie that everyone knew and loved announced that “The Joker: Folie à Deux” would be coming out.
Now, both movies explore different perspectives; offering mental health, unique commentaries on society, and the human condition. While the ‘Joker’ (2019) introduced us to an origin story rooted in realism, the new film builds upon this base, introducing twists and theatrical depth. It follows the same plot, but introduces musical features.
Firstly, the acting of Arthur Fleck, also known as the Joker in context, was deep, and meaningful. He had to portray a very mentally-ill man which is triggering in a sense. In the 2019 movie, the theme centers around the idea of Arthur’s so-called “crazy-ness”.
Although Joaquin Phoenix played Arthur in both movies, his acting in the first one was just incomparable. His remarkable performance was significantly stronger in his first movie than the second.
A main factor to the success of the first movie was foreshadowing. It creates suspense and builds cohesion, something the second movie was lacking. Although in both movies foreshadowing was present, the directors did a better job at making it more meaningful in the first movie.
Yet, “The Joker: Folie à Deux” still had many unexpected twists and turns. A new important character, Lee, played by Lady Gaga was introduced. She impacts Arthur in many ways that neither him, nor anyone else expected. She shed broader light on the struggle people have with alter-egos, and letting fantasies get in the way of real life. Lee encouraged Arthur that he was the Joker. This took a toll and created a series of uncontrolled actions which was essential for the movie. By definition, Folie à Deux means delusion or mental illness shared by two people in close association. The title of the film was clever, as it represented exactly what it meant.
Although the first movie focuses more on how Arthur feels, the second focuses on how others feel about him. A connection is made and faces raw emotions. As mental health plays a big role in society, many people can feel a sort of connection to the movie.
Now, let’s talk about the biggest change, the music. In both films, the deep, gory sound effects had always had an impact, making it more interesting, and intense. Although this positively impacted both films, the musical songs did not help in the new movie. The Joker is not supposed to be joyful and cheery, as it exhibits topics including assault, psychosis, and murder. Cheerful and Broadway-like songs are not appropriate in the different scenes.
Overall, both movies were great and suspenseful, but nothing compares to the award winning “Joker”. The movie will be a prime staple for many years to come, while “The Joker: Folie à Deux”, not so much.