One of the most anticipated films of 2024, Joker: Folie à Deux, premiered at the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday (September 4). The screening was attended by his lead cast, Joaquin Phoenix (The Joker), and his partner in crime, Lady Gaga (Harley Quinn). From its poster release to the set of trailers dropped by the makers, expectations from the DC film are sky-high. Critics who were lucky enough to attend the film's screening at the festival have already shared their views. ‘Joker – Folie À Deux’ Trailer: Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker Does His Iconic Laugh and Kisses Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn Amidst Rebellion in Gotham City (Watch Video).

Critics have shared mixed opinions regarding the Joaquin Phoenix starrer, with the majority of reviews criticizing how the film spends most of its time exploring the backstory of the supervillain. However, the reviews have also praised the movie, calling it a "psychologically complex tale." As critics share their reviews, gain some insight before watching the Joker perform his antics in theatres.

IGN: "The worst thing about Joker: Folie à Deux is its unfulfilled potential. It begins with the promise of a novel approach to the Joker and Harley Quinn, placing them in a world where the opposite of cruelty is musical romance. Unfortunately, the DC sequel gets bogged down by a lengthy courtroom saga, which not only keeps the dazzling Lady Gaga away from the spotlight, but centers the movie entirely around its own predecessor, without doing or saying anything new."

BBC: "It's a disappointing film — but I suspect that's exactly what it's meant to be. What Phillips appears to be doing is responding to the way Fleck was received by fans of 2019's Joker. To me, he always came across as a passive unfortunate who stirred up riots more or less by accident, but some viewers saw him as a revolutionary Robin Hood, striking a blow for the dispossessed."

Watch the Trailer of ‘Joker: Folie À Deux’ Below

Independent: "Joker: Folie à Deux – premiering in competition at the Venice Film Festival – is just as bleak and formally daring as its predecessor. The darkness at the core of the film is underlined by its very brutal ending, which rejects comic book conventions in favour of psychological depth. Phoenix’s performance remains powerful and stirring, too. The genius of it is that we can’t help but care for Arthur despite his neediness and derangement. Even during the film’s most apocalyptic and violent moments, we’re always aware that, underneath Joker’s gaudy warpaint lurks little, feeble Arthur. Against the odds, this ingenious and deeply unsettling film even turns into a bit of a weepie by the final reel."

NME: "Premiering at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, Todd Phillips’ eagerly anticipated sequel to 2019’s Joker takes a decidedly unexpected swing. Rather than do the obvious and give audiences The Further Adventures Of The Clown Prince Of Crime, doubling down on Bat-references, Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver have instead delivered a surprisingly moving, psychologically complex tale that is part prison movie, part courtroom drama and all musical. In short, Phillips and Silver have delivered the last thing anyone expected: a socially responsible Joker movie that finds an intriguing way to explore the consequences (both on and offscreen) of the first film." ‘Joker – Folie À Deux’ Trailer Reactions: Fans Can’t Wait for Arthur Flex and Harley Quinn’s Romance To Bloom in the DC Film, Say ‘Phoneix and Gaga Are About To Eat This Shit Up!’. 

Now that you know what the critics think about the DC film, you can decide whether it is worth watching in the theatres near you. Directed by Todd Philips, the movie is a sequel to the hit 2019 film, Joker featuring Joquin Phoenix in the iconic role for the very first time.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 04, 2024 11:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).