James Gunn tries his hand at a new Superman movie, and because of my love for the filmmaker, I went into this film cautiously optimistic, even though there hasn’t been a good Superman adaption since Smallville, no offense to Henry Cavill who did an amazing job with what he had to work with. And as I have said many times before, audiences are experiencing superhero fatigue, but I am happy to say this film blew me away. Gunn has revitalized the genre, especially for DC, and given us a Superman we can truly look up to.
Luckily for everyone, this is not an origin story. The film begins with him as an established superhero in Metropolis for 3 years, while, as many of us know, also working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent. He is already dating Lois Lane and Lex Luthor is on a mission to destroy him. This is not a retelling of what we have seen a hundred times before, instead this story addresses real world issues, struggling with your identity and acceptance in world you’re not from, and, showing a vulnerable and humorous side to the man of steel, we haven’t seen before. Read full review here.
Audiences seemed to have mixed feelings about the songs performed in Joker Folie a Deux. This might have to do with the fact that the original film was not a musical and the unexpected addition to the serious drama feels a little out of place. The original film was not even meant to have a sequel, but maybe having Lady Gaga sign on to play the iconic Harley Quinn, was a musical opportunity that director Todd Phillips couldn’t pass up. But just because Gaga’s voice is incredible doesn’t mean that’s enough to make this film worth the watch.
Joker: Folie a Deux follows Arthur Fleck while in Arkham and awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, he not only stumbles upon true love with Harley Quinn, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him. It’s upsetting to say that this film is probably not at all what fans will be expecting. Gaga fans should be warned from the start, she is severely underutilized. However, what we do see of her and Joaquin Phoenix is still incredible. The problem is not the performances, it’s the material these actors were given. The lack of substance and purpose, makes the sequel struggle to find the energy and emotion it’s so desperately seeking.
The musical numbers are fine, but they bog down the story and never really push it forward. And at a runtime of nearly 2 and half hours, it’s likely audiences will get anxious. However, visually Phillips succeeds in bold, striking theatrics. But sadly, any good in this movie is going to be overshadowed by the bad. The first Joker was critically acclaimed for its realistic portrayal of a Batman villain with mental health issues who we understood and sometimes empathized with. It was so good, Pheonix won his first Oscar for it. So, to go from that film to this somewhat random musical is an unfortunate miss.
Joker Folie a Deux will likely not be everyone’s cup of tea and moviegoers should set low expectations for the plot but have fair expectations for the vocals and performances by Pheonix and Gaga. If you’re fan of the Batman universe, or even more so a fan of The Joker, you’ll still be curious and want to form your own opinion.
“Joker: Folie a Deux” opens in theaters October 4, 2024.
This week I review “The Flash”. DC has been struggling for years to make a great superhero movie. There have been very few hits, but early reactions are saying “The Flash” might satisfy fans in more ways than one. It stars Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton and Sasha Calle. Seems like they locked down a great cast, but did DC get this one right?
This week I review DC’s “Shazam! Fury of the Gods”. The film stars Zachary Levi as a young teen who can transform to an adult superhero. The first film was hit, but is this sequel a miss? Watch my full review to find out!
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is currently playing in theaters.
“The Batman” is finally here! I review the highly anticipated thriller and lets you know if Robert Pattinson earns the new title as the caped crusader. I also review and recommend the award winning series, “Ted Lasso”. Check out my full reviews in the video below!
“The Batman” opens in theaters March 4, 2022 and “Ted Lasso” is currently streaming on Apple TV+. For more reviews like this one, watch ICTN. For more information on ICTN, visit http://ictn.tv
