Joker: Folie à Deux - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Upfront and to the point: I thoroughly enjoyed Todd Phillips's Joker: Folie à Deux, the direct follow-up to his 2019 take on the psychopath comic book villain that became a surprise global sensation. Admittedly, this madness for two is not at the same level or quite as good as the first movie. There are a few problematic issues with certain aspects of the story. However, my focus here is purely on WHY I like it. The ingeniously twisted sequel is the logical continuation of where the last film left off, and it is quite the wild ride challenging expectations and cranking the subversion up to eleven. While Phillips and Scott Silver's script revisits familiar waters, the sequel is a hard detour from the glorified "class hero" origins of its predecessor and dives right into a whirlpool of chaos and insanity. It's a dazzlingly fresh turnabout on the audience that slowly peels back the layers of our cultural obsession with turning criminals into celebrities.

The courtroom drama thriller draped in the garb of a jukebox musical intentionally and openly defies our expectations by reframing — both literally and figuratively — Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) struggle and reign as a cultural icon into a pathetic, tragic stooge of a cruel, ruthlessly indifferent system. With all of Gotham keenly watching, a broken, defeated antihero trapped in the quagmire of mental illness and societal negligence is simply a pawn exploited and manipulated for everyone else's gain, from his defense lawyer Maryanne Stewart (Catherine Keener) to the newly elected Harvey Dent (Harry Lawtey). Above all,  Lee "Harley" Quinzel (Lady Gaga), from the outset, exhibits an eagerness to capitalize on Fleck's nihilistic trajectory for her benefit, suggesting that she could be the orchestrator of the ensuing chaotic fiasco. 

Harley's presence, a slumming societal well-to-do, further complicates and distorts the plot, acting as both a catalyst and mirror to Joker's distorted reality. Arguably, this can feel like a hard slap to the face of those who idolize Joker. But this story is about removing those idolized layers to expose the vulnerable, downtrodden man underneath the makeup. Working closely with cinematographer Lawrence Sher, Phillips employs the popular use of alternating aspect ratios to reflect their madness — a visual metaphor for his fragmented psyche while hinting at her true intentions. The filthy, desaturated orange-teal palette in a 2.20:1 window captures the bleak, grim hopelessness of Fleck's reality, which also sees Harley actively egging him into succumbing to his Joker persona. But the show-tune-like musical numbers open into a 1.90:1 frame as a vivid, technicolor explosion of whimsical fantasies, potent reminders of Fleck's tumultuous mental illness, and sad glimpses into his desire for happiness and recognition. 

While many disparage this controversial sequel, I thoroughly enjoyed the film for subverting expectations, genuinely surprising me, and nailing its central theme in spectacularly bold fashion. Essentially, it exposes society's sensationalized portrayals of criminals often overshadow the atrocities committed, frequently ignoring the consequences. The raw truth of Fleck’s heinous acts is almost forgotten amidst the fascination with his Joker image. It's a daring, uncompromising commentary on our cultural obsession with outlaw glorification, bringing to mind the likes of O.J. Simpson, the Menendez brothers, Jeffrey Dahmer, etc., and currently, Luigi Mangione and Kyle Rittenhouse. In one pivotal, haunting moment, Fleck in Joker makeup starkly reminds us of his violent past, laying bare the pervasive nature of this phenomenon — the public glossing over heinous actions in favor of the mythos that surrounds such romanticized, idolized figures like The Joker. 

And Harley's quip about ruining the illusion serves as the film's final — unfunny yet no less ironic — punchline, challenging audiences to reckon with the consequences of turning villains into larger-than-life pop-culture figures. The ending may irk those clambering for a more neatly tied conclusion or in a satisfying bow of fan service, but Phillips and company remain true to the raw, brutal truth of their characters. It is the only undeniably logical outcome while also encouraging interpretation rather than outright acceptance. Joker: Folie à Deux may not be what fans wanted, but it is the story needed, messy and uncomfortable as it may be — a poignant critique of society's treatment of mental illness and the commodification of infamy.

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray
Warner Home Video brings Todd Phillips's Joker: Folie à Deux to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a single-disc package with a Digital Copy code, granting users access to the movie in 4K Dolby Vision with Dolby Atmos audio. The triple-layered UHD100 disc is housed inside the usual black keepcase with a flat-matte slipcover. At startup, viewers are taken directly to a static screen with the usual selection along the bottom and music playing in the background.

The musical thriller debuts on 4K Ultra HD with a magnificent, demo-quality HEVC H.265 encode that delivers an absolute visual feast for the eyes and alternating aspect ratios that switch between 2.20:1 and 1.90:1 frames to reflect Fleck's mental state at the moment. 

The Dolby Vision HDR presentation boasts a rich, sumptuous palette. The orange-teal cinematography adds a jaw-dropping energy and vibrant pop to the musical segments. Facial complexions appear natural and accurate to the creative choices while revealing every pore, tiny wrinkle and minor blemish in the cast. The contrast and brightness balance are on point, supplying brilliant, spot-on whites and inky midnight blacks throughout, providing each frame with a three-dimensional feel and a lovely cinematic quality. Crisp, radiant specular highlights are nuanced but have a tight glow that never engulfs the finer details, and shadow delineation maintains excellent visibility within the darkest corners. The native 4K transfer showcases razor-sharp details throughout, exposing every minute feature in the stage design, costumes and the smallest little object decorating the background. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 98/100)

Complementing the stunning visuals is an equally brilliant, reference-quality Dolby Atmos soundtrack that awesomely pulls viewers into this dark, twisted world. From the shouts of off-screen characters and the sudden clamor of crowds to the noise of busy city streets and the jukebox musical numbers, the height channels are effectively and flawlessly employed throughout, generating an immersive hemispheric soundfield. Likewise, imaging is consistently broad and spacious with outstanding channel balance and smooth, convincing movement while exhibiting superb definition and fidelity in the midrange, delivering every note with precision and depth. All the while, vocals are remarkably clean and precise with excellent intonation in the performances, and a robust, oft-commanding low-end delivers a great sense of presence and a few couch-shaking moments. The object-based mix is a great treat, delivering an epic sound that should be cranked up! (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 96/100)

The heavily-divisive sequel arrives on 4K Ultra HD with a decent selection of bonuses.

• Everything Must Go (HD, 44 min)
• Can I Have a Cigarette?
• Finding Lee
• A Hundred Films in One
• King of Nothing
• The Character of Music (HD, 8 min)
• Crafted with Class (HD, 7 min)
• Colors of Madness (HD, 6 min)
• Live! with Joker (HD, 5 min)

Unpopular opinion: I thoroughly enjoyed Todd Phillips's Joker: Folie à Deux and think it is a good direct follow-up to the director's 2019 take on the comic book villain. It is the only undeniably logical outcome of the previous events, much to the chagrin of fans, and I love that Phillips and company subvert expectations, genuinely surprised me and nailed their central theme in spectacularly bold fashion. The heavily divisive, box-office flop breaks free on 4K Ultra HD with a gorgeous, demo-worthy Dolby Vision HDR presentation and a reference-quality Dolby Atmos soundtrack. With a decent collection of supplements to enjoy, this UHD edition is Highly Recommended. 

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