Warner Bros.’ $200 million “Joker: Folie a Deux” could be a disaster no one saw coming.
On Rotten Tomatoes, critics have given it a lowly 39%, with most Top Critics eviscerating Todd Phillips’ sequel to his hit movie. They say it’s dull and directionless.
Only Lady Gaga has survived, with critics saying her musical moments enliven the proceedings.
In the end, Gaga’s soundtrack may be the only success story here.
Joaquin Phoenix stars as the incarcerated, crazy Arthur Fleck.
Associated Press: Phillips has followed his very anti-hero take on the Joker with an a very anti-sequel. It combines prison drama, courthouse thriller and musical, and yet turns out remarkably inert given how combustible the original was.
Newsday: A listless, depressing “musical” that seems to hate its characters, and itself.
Vanity Fair: It’s startlingly dull, a pointless procedural that seems to disdain its audience.
Warner Bros. rolled the dice big time on this one. Now they’ll have to count on fans who don’t care about reviews. Preview shows tonight are very sold out, so the critics might not make a difference.
