'Joker 2' is 'startlingly dull' and Lady Gaga is 'drastically underused,' critics say

The clown prince of crime is getting clowned on in early reviews for "Joker: Folie à Deux."

The highly anticipated "Joker" sequel premiered Wednesday at the Venice Film Festival, but the first critical reactions are quite mixed. The film currently holds a 60% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, down from the original's 69% score. Rotten Tomatoes ratings typically decline as more reviews are added closer to a film's release.

Joaquin Phoenix returns as Arthur Fleck in "Joker: Folie à Deux," in which the character is put on trial for his crimes committed in the original 2019 film. Lady Gaga is introduced as Harley Quinn, the Joker's love interest who was previously played on screen by Margot Robbie. The movie incorporates musical elements, with the Joker and Harley sometimes breaking into song.

But negative reviews argued the musical numbers are underwhelming and Gaga's talents are not well-utilized.

Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Gaga is "drastically underused" in the film, said Owen Gleiberman at Variety, who described the sequel as "rather clunky" and "overly cautious" in apparent reaction to the controversy over whether the original sent a dangerous message that could lead to real-world violence.

IndieWire's David Ehrlich noted that Gaga is relegated to the sidelines for "most of the story in favor of endless trial scenes that literally relitigate the events of the previous film." Ehrlich described the movie as an "excruciatingly — perhaps even deliberately — boring sequel that does everything in its power not to amuse you," also panning the "underwhelming" musical numbers.

Joaquin Phoenixon 'complicated' weight loss for 'Joker' sequel: 'I probably shouldn't do this again'

Vanity Fair's Richard Lawson said the film is "startlingly dull" and a "pointless procedural that seems to disdain its audience," noting it feels "cramped" because it takes place almost entirely in the asylum and the courthouse. Lawson also agreed with the consensus that Gaga is "woefully underused" and said director Todd Phillips "wrings nearly every ounce of life out of these moments of song."

At Vulture, Alison Willmore wrote that the "punishing" film seems "perversely dedicated to eliminating as much pleasure as possible from its song and dance numbers" and is a "waste of (Gaga's) presence."

IGN's Siddhant Adlakha also said the movie is "not a very interesting" courtroom drama and "too often insists on returning to familiar territory," adding that it's "merely an extension of the first film's plot in the most plodding and literal fashion" and "never quite allows its musical elements to bloom." He gave the film a 5 out of 10 score.

New 'Joker 2' movietrailer shows Joaquin Phoenix's return, Lady Gaga's debut in sequel

The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney was mixed in his review, arguing that while the film is "narratively a little thin and at times dull," Gaga is a "compelling live-wire presence," and "in the handful of scenes where fantasy liberates her in full-throated glory, the movie soars right along with her." Rooney disagreed with the idea that Gaga is underused, arguing that "any more of her probably risked tipping 'Folie à Deux' into a Harley Quinn origin story."

Other critics were far more positive, though, with Bill Bria writing for Slashfilm that "Folie à Deux" is "the most compelling comic book movie of the year," and Gaga is a "revelation," delivering a performance that brings Harley Quinn to life "in a way she never has before."

The Wrap's William Bibbiani also wrote that the film is "impressively odd," "genuinely a little daring," and the "most interesting film about Arthur Fleck," while Deadline's Pete Hammond said it's "brilliant."

Discussing Film's Ben Rolph also said the sequel "does an exceptional job at following up with an imaginative comic book film unlike any other," while Screen Rant's Alex Harrison said it's better than the original because it "has more coherent things to say about fan culture than it or its predecessor does about mental illness" and is also "far less derivative."

Despite the mixed critical reactions, "Joker: Folie à Deux" received an 11-minute standing ovation at its Venice premiere, according to Variety. The original "Joker" won the Golden Lion at Venice in 2019 and went on to earn 11 Academy Award nominations, the most of any film that year. Phoenix won the Oscar for best actor. "Joker" also grossed more than $1 billion at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history at the time. That record was later broken by this year's "Deadpool & Wolverine."

Audiences won't have to wait long to see "Joker: Folie à Deux" for themselves, as the film hits theaters on Oct. 4.