CatherineKeener – Credits Rolling

Todd Phillip’s 2019 version of Joker was so successful, it came as no surprise when a sequel was announced. Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is waiting for trial in Arkham for the crimes he committed. He meets Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga) and the two form a bond unlike any other.

I was so much looking forward to this film. The original was one of the best I have ever seen from DC that I just wanted more. I’m so sad to say that this was just awful. None of it worked and I kept scratching my head in complete disbelief as to what was unfolding in front of me. It’s like Phillips took everything that made the original so great and tore it apart bit by bit until there was nothing left.

While I was initially unsure of the musical aspects, I tried to keep an open mind. Most of these sequences taker place in Arthur’s mind so I can understand why they were implemented. I don’t think it did much to strengthen the plot. It wouldn’t have made much of a difference if they were there or not. At least we know that Phoenix and Gaga can carry a tune.

Speaking of our leads, Phoenix is once again brilliant as our troubled Arthur. You never really know if you’re supposed to be rooting for him. He keeps you fascinated though whether or not he’s himself or Joker. I wanted to like Gaga’s version of Harley, or Lee, as she goes by here, but unfortunately I wasn’t sold. Nothing against her whatsoever as an actress, but I didn’t feel like her character really went anywhere. Luckily the supporting cast of Brendan Gleeson as cop Jackie Sullivan, Catherine Keener as Arthur’s lawyer Maryanne Stewart and Harry Lawtey as lawyer Harvey Dent helped elevate things.

There were a lot of bold choices made throughout. The opening sequence for starters was something I certainly wasn’t expecting. I felt like the courtroom scenes became drawn out and slow and then when the third act came about, it all just kind of jumbled together. There was no flow. I kept waiting for it to all fall into place, but it never did.

I know that everything has a sequel or a reboot these days, but Joker: Folie À Deux is one that never should have happened. It ruined everything it had going for it in the first one and made it into something unrecognizable. Even the acting couldn’t save it. This is probably the worst film I have seen so far this year and that just makes me so sad to say.

Rating: ♥️.5

The Adam Project follows Adam Reed, (Ryan Reynolds) a fighter pilot from 2050 who accidentally crash lands in 2022 instead of 2018 while time traveling and stumbles upon his younger self (Walker Scobell). Together, they team up to find their father Louis (Mark Ruffalo), the creator of time travel and the only person who can stop his partner Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener) from furthering altering the timeline forever.

I was under the impression that Ryan Reynolds was taking a break from acting, yet here we are. While he once again played another version of himself, I have to say that I wasn’t bothered by it this time around. His jokes were all on point. I also really loved the camaraderie he had with Walker Scobell. That young man has such a future ahead of him. He embodied everything about Reynolds and had it down to a T.

Unfortunately some of the other cast were underused. It would have been nice to have more scenes with Adam’s mom Ellie (Jennifer Garner) and his wife Laura (Zoe Saldana). I would have loved to know more about them.

Boasting plenty of CGI, fight scenes and time travel, The Adam Project is a fun film for the whole family to enjoy. It is very much what you see is what you get. It’s not something I will run back to watch anytime soon, but I appreciated it for what it was. The family dynamics added a little something extra that made it worth while.

Rating: ♥♥♥