Joker: Folie à Deuxends the 5 year wait to see where Arthur Fleck’s story takes him afterJoker(2019). Now that the duology is out for audiences worldwide to experience, critics and fans alike have their own takes on which of the two is the superior movie based on rewatchability and impressions.
Joker(2019) andJoker: Folie à Deux(2024) both offer unique viewing experiences, and there are many factors to consider when it comes to discussing which is the better movie. Whether it’s performance, story, music, visuals, or else, debating ifJoker(2019) is better thanJoker: Folie à Deuxisn’tso simple for this Elseworld.
Heavy spoilers ahead for Joker: Folie à Deux
Personal Performances
Joaquin Phoenix’s Isolating Role as Arthur Fleck is Chilling, As is Lady Gaga’s Lee
Joker(2019) focuses purelyon Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck. While there are some notable performances from Robert De Niro’s Murray Franklin and Zazie Beetz’s Sophie Dumond, the majority of the runtime centered around Joaquin Phoenix makes for a captivating and haunting experience to watch a man’s descent into madness.
When it comes toJoker: Folie à Deux, the madness of two is the primary focus, and Lady Gaga steals every scene she’s in as Lee. Other great actors take hold of their scenes, like Brendan Gleeson as Jackie Sullivan and Steve Coogan as Paddy Meyers. However, despite the great performances here, they don’t provide the same sense of isolated excitement and dread as Joaquin pulls off inJoker(2019).
Musical Connections and Original Score
WhileJoker(2019) had 11 Academy Award nominations, the one that it truly deserved to win, and did win, was the best original score by the talented Hildur Guðnadóttir. The use of the cello was so isolating and haunting that it went beyond captivating, and there wassomething truly angelic in its miseryand depiction of mental illness.
Hlidur Guonadottir returns to scoreJoker: Folie à Deux, but her music this time takes a backseat to the musical elements with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga’s singing. Seeing Phoenix and Gaga’s musical talent entwined is great and fits the thematic display of their shared love and madness, but there was something so enchanting with Hildur’sAcademy Award-winningscore fromJoker(2019).
Striking Visuals
Cinematography is Important to Captivating Viewers
One of the most important pieces when it comes to a movie isn’t just in the soundtrack, the story, and the performances, but in the visuals. The cinematography forJoker(2019) remains impressionable even years after its release. From the weary dread on Arthur’s face to the flicker of hope in his bathroom dance after his first murder, and thetriumphant birth of the Jokeron those spiraling stairs,Joker(2019) has some great visuals worthy of the best cinematography.
Joker: Folie à Deuxalso takes the cinematography to new degrees, with its claustrophobic and isolating depiction of Arthur’s loneliness and depression in Arkham, to the sprawling musical set pieces that showcase his love for Lee. Both movies do great with their visuals, butJoker(2019) does it best with its set dressing to an uncaring garbage-soaked Gotham City.
Engaging Themes and Subject Matter
Triggering Themes Around Mental Illness and Abuse Are Key to Both Movies
There’s an important layer of meaning inJoker(2019) with its many themes of loneliness and abuse, and how the most broken people can become the most dangerous after cries for help are ignored and rejected until violence becomes the only answer. Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness is striking, haunting, and a stark reminder of the importance of mental health, and its violent subject matter captivated audiences back in 2019 as it does now.
Joker: Folie à Deuxtakes a more direct approach to its subject matter, and does away with the concoction of themes and ideas present in the first movie. While Arthur is still a broken shell of a man, he discovers confidence through love and music, which are all stripped from him through a variety of corruption. Whether it’s the justice system, the courts, or the guards at Arkham, corrupt systems in place beat Arthur down into unending defeat, leaving for a bleaker more miserable watch.
Inspiration and Originality
Joker (2019)’s Direct Scorsese Inspirations Aid Its Story
It’s easy to see the inspirations forJoker(2019) that made it so successful. While the movie can stand on its own, it’s doubtful that its story and themes would be possible without Martin Scorsese’s work onTaxi Driver(1976) andThe King of Comedy(1982). Both movies directly inspire Arthur Fleck’s life and story, while standing as an origin for a Joker,not the Joker.
Joker: Folie à Deuxtakes a more original approach to a sequel with its love of courtroom dramas and musical aspects, and that works to a degree to make something more unique and striking. However, the reliance on Scorsese’s movies for the first film certainly aids a more engaging and entertaining piece, even if the originality ofFolie à Deuxdeserves more credit.
Audience Satisfaction
Joker: Folie a Deux Might Disastisfy Audiences Who Enjoy Arthur Fleck’s Story
The ending ofJoker(2019) leaves the movie in a good place to keep audiences satisfied. Enough questions were answered, while still leaving room for questions on the floor that would remain interesting to talk about. Was Arthur the real Joker, or was this one of many multiple-choice origin stories? Regardless of the answer, Arthur had embraced his madness, and hisdance through Arkhamwith bloody footprints as Frank Sinatra’sThat’s Lifeplays is truly a memorable, dangerous, and exciting ending.
When it comes to the ending ofJoker: Folie à Deux, there’s a more miserable defeat for Arthur Fleck. The movie wastes no screentime in showcasing that Arthur is a loser who will always lose, and having the film end on Lady Gaga’s somber take onThat’s Lifewhile Arthur Fleck bleeds out in the quiet halls of Arkham contrasts the first movie, evokes a level of sadness that might leave some dissatisfied and miserable.
Winner: Joker (2019)
Joker (2019) Offers a More Personal Tragedy
While it’s up to personal taste whether audiences would rather watchJoker(2019) orJoker: Folie à Deux, there are a few factors in place that makeJoker(2019) a more coherent and rewatchable experience. It’s an isolating movie, one that doesn’t exactly evoke a strong sense of joy, but one that is truly captivating in its performances, themes, and music.
Joker(2019) does a great job with the material and subject matter so that even those who have no interest in DC Comics can watch the movie as a character study. Whether Arthur Fleck is the real Joker or just a man abused by a broken system, there’s much to talk about when it comes to his character andthis gritty Gotham City.
