Joker Sequel Fails: Critics and Audiences Slam Film

Joker: Madness Between Two Men, a sequel to the 2019 hit, has been released to generally negative reviews from critics and audiences. While the performances of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga were praised, the plot and musical format left most disappointed. At the time of writing, the sequel has a 37% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting general disappointment from viewers and critics. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 46 out of 100 and 5.3 out of 10, also indicating a lukewarm reception.

While some reviewers acknowledge the outstanding performances of the leads, particularly Phoenix and Gaga, many agree that the film itself is bland and uninteresting. The main complaint is the lack of a compelling plot and the poor execution of the musical numbers, which many feel detract from the overall atmosphere rather than add depth to it.

Slant Magazine is highly critical of the film, noting that the film's attempts at subtlety and artfulness are lost in the face of weak direction, mediocre plotting, and an overemphasis on darkness:

"Madness for Two's attempts at subtlety, artfulness, and passion are cruelly stifled by weak direction, mediocre plotting, a gleeful embrace of violence, and a bleak nihilism that makes Zack Snyder's work look like a children's cartoon."

Other publications have also expressed their disappointment with the film. The New York Post writes that the film fails to find a reason to exist:

"For nearly two and a half hours, director Todd Phillips' pathologically unnecessary film repeatedly searches for a potential reason to exist. But as Madness for Two becomes increasingly disturbing, repulsive, and strange over that time, it ultimately fails to find a suitable reason."

The Associated Press notes that the sequel loses momentum and fails to match the success of the original:

"Phillips follows his very anti-hero take on the Joker with something of an anti-sequel. It combines a prison drama, a courtroom thriller, and a musical, and yet it's surprisingly sluggish, especially compared to the explosive original."

Many critics point to the film's excessive darkness and emphasis on violence, which they say makes for a hard and uninviting viewing experience. The San Francisco Chronicle wonders if Todd Phillips was deliberately trying to destroy the very concept of comic book movies with his radical approach to dark aesthetics:

"'Joker: Madness for Two' is a traumatic cinematic experience that so stubbornly wants to be bleak and static that one wonders if director Todd Phillips was planning to burn down the idea of ​​comic book movies."

Other critics point to the chaotic plot and lack of a clear vision from the filmmakers. The Toronto Star notes that the film fails to find its purpose and merely "babbles" incoherently:

"Writer-director Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver clearly had no idea what kind of movie they were trying to make. The original 'Joker' had something to say to the world; 'Madness Together' just babbles and hums to itself."

Interestingly, Todd Phillips himself had previously stated that he had no plans to return to making DC Comics-based films after working on the first 'Joker'. However, he was convinced to make a sequel. Given the negative reaction to the sequel, it is clear that returning to this universe did not bring the expected success.