I had never desired to leave a theater in the middle of a film until watching “Joker: Folie à Deux” in a nearly empty AMC theater on Saturday.  

Released on Oct. 4, Todd Phillips’ “Joker: Folie à Deux” follows Arthur Fleck and the consequences of the six murders he committed in the previous movie. Framed around Fleck’s impending court case, the movie could have been a dissection of the American justice system and its neglect of mental health. 

Instead, it was a musical that did not want to admit it was a musical and currently stands with a 30% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

There are performances in this film that are genuinely well-performed. Joaquin Phoenix reprising his Oscar-winning role as Fleck is a highlight of the film. Phoenix subtly portrays a man struggling between a diagnosis of multiple-personality disorder and a persona celebrated by the people of Gotham. 

A redeeming scene is Fleck being forced to face the fallout of his violence during the court case. Whatever justification Fleck has for his actions is ripped away when a former friend and coworker Gary Puddles, beautifully performed by Leigh Gill, breaks down on the stand as he testifies about the fear he now lives with after witnessing one of Fleck’s brutal murders. 

Phoenix expertly portrays Fleck’s utter confusion at the horrific impact his actions had on someone he actually liked. Instead of taking accountability for the harm he caused, he attempts to explain it away like a child caught breaking a toy, illustrating his complete detachment from reality. 

Another strength is the film’s condemnation of state-sanctioned mental health facilities. Arkham Asylum feels like a brutally realistic depiction of an underfunded and abusive mental hospital. Brendan Gleeson shines as Jackie Sullivan, a corrupt guard who forms an attachment to Fleck, dancing between pity and abuse in every interaction. 

It’s a shame that these elements were not explored more thoroughly. 

It’s a greater shame that the musical elements of the movie were so poorly executed that audible sighs were heard in the theater anytime a number would begin. 

The artistic choice to reflect Fleck and Lady Gaga’s Lee Quinzel falling madly in love through multiple musical numbers would have been a fun one, had they not been so long and frequent. Despite their beautiful voices, the scenes dragged on for far too long. But, this could be said for the entirety of the movie. 

I am all for long movies if the film can justify the length. “Folie à Deux” did not. 

Centering on the court case left the movie stagnant, cutting the audience off from any world outside of the asylum or the courtroom. While the colorful musical scenes take up what felt like a majority of the movie, they offer little distraction from the glaring pacing issues. 

I can only describe the nearly three-hour run time experience as similar to watching a turtle race with no established end in sight. The movie dances from scene to scene, setting up very little stakes for the audience.  

Gaga’s portrayal of Harley Quinn is interesting. Instead of unpacking the complicated backstory of the iconic comic book character, the film decides to portray “Lee” as another one of Fleck’s abusers. It feels like a poor choice to flip the dynamic, considering the context of the abusive relationship of Quinn and Joker in the source material.

This film’s Harley Quinn left me feeling like I had watched an extended music video for Gaga’s new album. This is not necessarily a problem, as I am a fan of Gaga and her music, but a jarring choice nonetheless.

Unfortunately, the movie does not do enough with the impact created by its predecessor or the themes it set up. It drags on through colorful but bland musical numbers to a melodramatic court proceeding where almost nothing happens besides a shocking ending that left me with whiplash and a feeling of complete disappointment. 

Thank goodness there are no more high-budget sequels to beloved properties this year, right?