Gotham’s clown prince of crime is back in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the follow-up to the 2019 film that featured Oscar-winning work from Joaquin Phoenix.

While that film was a one-man show with Phoenix deserving the Oscar for his work, this sequel manages to bring a few more elements to the table – a dynamic supporting performance from Lady Gaga and some fantastic creative decisions, even if a few maybe don’t quite hit the mark.

This “Joker” picks up where the original left off with Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) in Arkham awaiting trial for multiple murders. Fleck is still a loner who clearly has some mental issues – a ticking time bomb who can explode again at any moment.

Fleck is ridiculed by the Arkham staff and his attorney (Catherine Keener) whose defense is to paint him as the victim with multiple personalities who snapped. Fleck seems to be content with meekly accepting his fate and the consequences of his actions, until he meets a mental patient named Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga).

Quinzel is obsessed with Fleck’s crimes – to the point that she encourages him to find that psychotic edge again and fight the system that she believes is holding him back.

Once again, director Todd Phillips has co-written the film with Scott Silver, and once again the duo have strayed from the conventional comic book film. This is a movie that dares to be something different than the original. If the original was a descent into madness, this installment is perhaps an even sharper examination of mental illness.

Phillips really puts the audience in Fleck’s head this time – using the framework of several musical numbers set to standards. The musical numbers don’t always work, but there are some really high points – especially ones that involve Lady Gaga comfortably in her element.

It’s part of a very strong performance by Lady Gaga, a solid addition who plays off Phoenix’s introverted Fleck. Their chemistry works and provides the strength of this “Joker.”

The sequel doesn’t quite hit the high mark of the final act of the original – a showdown between Phoenix and Robert DeNiro that was as fascinating as any film in the last 10-15 years – but it is still a pretty solid build that stays true to the characters.

As a whole, “Joker: Folie à Deux” is a little more uneven than the original, but unlike last week’s “Megalopolis,” the creative swings hit more than they miss, making this a sequel that manages to stand on its own as a solid experience.

If You Go
“Joker: Folie à Deux”
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Rating: R for some strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality and brief full nudity
Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow)
Grade: B