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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The first reviews of Joker: Folie à Deux split over whether its musical form and refusal to repeat the original film’s Joker spectacle were daring choices or signs of a sequel that had stalled. Critics praised Joaquin Phoenix and the film’s formal risks; others called it overly cautious, tedious, or inert.
What the first reviews said
The film premiered in competition at the 81st Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2024. The early reactions were divided from the outset: Rotten Tomatoes’ first-review roundup paired praise for the film’s ingenuity and risk-taking with criticism that it was an overly cautious sequel. The roundup is a curated selection, not a count of every critic’s view.
![Joker: Folie à Deux [Blu-ray] [2024] [Region Free]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ZuTn1JuJL._SL160_.jpg)
Dorian Parks of Geeks of Color, quoted in that roundup, called it “one of the most unique takes on comic book characters I’ve seen on film…” Variety’s Owen Gleiberman offered the opposing read: “Joker: Folie à Deux may be ambitious and superficially outrageous, but at heart, it’s an overly cautious sequel.”
Why critics disagreed
The musical could feel like reinvention—or a detour
The sequel combines prison drama, a courtroom thriller, and imagined musical numbers. For admirers, that form represented a purposeful departure from the first film’s violent antihero story. For skeptics, the songs and genre shifts interrupted the momentum they expected. Le Monde’s review, published the day after the Venice premiere, also centered on the songs, the trial, and Arthur Fleck’s struggle over identity.
#1 Best Overall
Subverting expectations: bold choice or cautious sequel?
Some critics valued the film for resisting the obvious move of repeating the first Joker’s spectacle. Others saw that resistance as a failure to commit to a fresh direction. The disagreement is less about whether the sequel differs from its predecessor than whether that difference builds a compelling film.
Phoenix’s performance versus the film’s momentum
Reviewers repeatedly praised Phoenix’s physical commitment and screen presence. That approval did not settle their judgment of the movie around him: a performance could be compelling while the story felt static. Associated Press critic Jake Coyle described Phoenix as captivating but argued that the film lacked momentum. His verdict captured the split: “It combines prison drama, courthouse thriller and musical, and yet turns out remarkably inert given how combustible the original was.”
Arthur’s trial and identity
Arthur is imprisoned and awaits trial over the murders from the first film. The sequel uses that trial to question his actions and identity. For some reviewers, this focus gave the story a new subject; for others, examining Arthur without recreating the original’s explosive forward drive left the narrative spinning its wheels.
How the early Rotten Tomatoes figure changed
Associated Press reported on October 6, 2024, that Rotten Tomatoes’ score had shifted from 63% at Venice to 33% by the film’s first weekend in theaters. Those are snapshots reported at two points in time, not the film’s current score. Aggregator percentages change as reviews are added, and the early roundup should not be treated as a complete or statistically representative survey.
Rank #3
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The figures show why timing matters when discussing the first reviews: a percentage captured at the festival did not remain fixed through opening weekend. They do not, on their own, explain why individual critics disagreed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the early split means for viewers
If you are deciding whether the film’s approach sounds appealing, the key question is whether you want a sequel that interrogates Arthur through a trial and musical interludes rather than simply reproducing the first film’s antihero momentum. The early critics who admired its risks and those who found it inert were responding to the same central choices from different expectations.
Rank #4
These are critic reactions from the film’s premiere and opening period, not a substitute for audience responses. The available contemporary reporting does not establish a comparable audience snapshot from the premiere period.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Sources
- Rotten Tomatoes’ first-review roundup, a selection of attributed early reactions.
- Associated Press review and October 6, 2024 reporting on the film and dated Rotten Tomatoes snapshots.
- Le Monde’s September 5, 2024 review of the trial, songs, and Arthur’s identity.
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