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Why are fans leaving Joker: Folie à Deux? Gaga and Phoenix Get “Terrible” Rotten Tomatoes | Hollywood

Joker: Folie à Deux has arrived in theaters, but the hype surrounding the film is far from what fans expected. What happened? Despite a star-studded cast including Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Joker was met with a disappointing response, with fans and critics alike expressing their disapproval. Early screenings grossed half of what the original Joker grossed in 2019, and fans stormed out angry and clearly offended. What went wrong?

Joker: Folie à Deux will be in theaters on October 4, 2024.(@jokermovie/X)

Joker: Folie à Deux debuts with “disappointing” Rotten Tomatoes

Currently sitting at a dismal 34% from critics and 39% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has sparked a wave of negative reactions. The film's departure from the dark tone of the original and the inclusion of a musical element seem to have alienated audiences, despite a romantic note that promised to be a breath of fresh air. IndieWire even called it “blockbuster filmmaking as a form of collective punishment.”

Joker: Folie à Deux is making fans laugh for all the wrong reasons, as the highly anticipated sequel left audiences more confused than entertained. Instead of the chaos they were craving, viewers feel like the film has lurched into madness without sticking its landing. The musical numbers struck a bitter note, and the change in tone left the audience scratching their heads, wondering if the point of the plot was lost in the shuffle. Fans hoping for Arthur Fleck's wild ride to continue were instead faced with a fragmented narrative and a Joker seemingly stuck in reverse gear.

The film mixes a love story with Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn, a prison drama and a court battle, but doesn't stick to the usual crazy, action-packed story. While Phillips' choices may be cool because they're different, it's hard to blame audiences for feeling let down and expecting a fun film rather than one that feels more like a mystery to solve solve applies.

The ending surprises the audience but leaves room for discussion

While we don't want to go into spoilers, at the end of “Joker: Folie à Deux” Arthur Fleck is confronted with the consequences of his actions, but the film takes an unexpected turn and shifts the focus away from him in a way Viewers question everything. Without giving too much away, the ending turns our opinion about Arthur's role and what the Joker really is on its head.

Some fans are baffled by the film's ending, but others think that Folie à Deux is a deeper film that really needs to be watched more than once to get the full picture. Critics thought the film would divide people, and it seemed like they were right. But fans who like it say that this breakup was intentional, and one person said the ending was like a reference to how crazy we are about violence and stuff like that for fun.

“#JokerFolieADeux was made to make a statement: people love sensationalism and don't really care about mental illness. That's what this movie is about and it has a strong message,” defended one fan. “After watching Joker #JokerFolieADeux, I can say that this is exactly what Todd and the cast wanted. An outrage about the film because it completely destroys the fantasy that the first film created. “Joker is not an alpha male hero, he's just a man struggling to find his way in life,” another added.

Despite receiving an 11-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, “Joker: Folie à Deux” struggled to get critics and fans on board. The film mixes a love story with Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn, a prison drama and a court battle, but doesn't stick to the usual crazy, action-packed story. Director Todd Phillips took a real risk by choosing to show Arthur Fleck's nervous breakdown rather than his journey to becoming a villain.