Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
It is an unarguable fact that one of Joaquin Phoenix’s best performances to date is none other than that of Joker in his titular blockbuster from 2019. If anything, thanks to that iconic portrayal, the actor even got the sequelJoker: Folie à Deuxgreenlit. This film recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival, but only to a slew of mixed critical reviews.
However, as much as these reviews may have fallen terrifyingly short for a film that is expected to be as massive of a blockbuster as the first one, there’s a very justifiable reason why fans should take these with a pinch of salt. This is because even the deflatingly underperformingBlue Beetleseems to hold a much better rating than Phoenix’s original movie as the character in 2019!
Joaquin Phoenix’sJoker: Folie à DeuxRatings May Not Be That Accurate
At the currently ongoing Venice Film Festival 2024,Folie à Deuxwas premiered, but only to unexpected reviews from critics. Besides the mixed initial critical reactions it received, it currently stands somewhere close to the edge with a 61% rating on theTomatometer– an average derived from the aggregated reviews of 44 critics. And yet, there’s a possibility this rating may not be all that accurate.
This is justified by the comparison of critical reviews for two previous movies from the DC Universe: 2019’sJokerand 2023’sBlue Beetle. As fans already know, the 2019 movie was an absolute masterpiece that not only crossed the $1 billion mark on a $55 million budget – breaking records – but also granted Phoenix his first Oscar. In comparison, the 2023 film fell more than justshort of delivering up to fans’ expectations.
“I’m now 49, I probably shouldn’t do it again”: Joaquin Phoenix Won’t Return to Joker 3 With a Malnourished and Thin Physique That Will Make Him Go Through Miserable Diet
However, when it comes to the reviews of these two wildly differently performing movies at global box offices, the comparison is truly baffling. For one, the 2023 film holds a staggering 78% critical review on Tomatometer along with a 91% rating on the Popcornmeter onRotten Tomatoes, being verified off – which is odd, because the film more than just critically underperformed, barely even recouping its budget.
On the other hand,Joaquin Phoenix‘s 2019 film was met with a much worse critical score as compared to its actual star-studded performance. Not only does it currently hold a 69% score on the Tomatometer, but even the Popcornmeter fell just a bit short to justify its outstandingness as it settled on an 89% score onRotten Tomatoes.
That said, this is indeed a glaringly fishy matter that makesFolie à Deux‘s current score on the Tomatometer questionable for accuracy.
Fans React to RT’s Confusing Reviews on These Two Widly Differently Performing Movies
Of course, after coming to terms with how Rotten Tomatoes seems to be rating two movies that differ extravagantly in terms of their box office performances, even fans are unsure what to believe and what not to. If anything, while some of them are labeling the critical reviewing site as being anything but accurate, others are having some of the most sarcastic reactions to the same.
All in all, here’s how some of the fans are reacting to this situation onX:
That’s it, Crap Tomatoes
To be honest@RottenTomatoeshas become a propaganda machine for the studios to attempt to convince general audiences to pay money to see the crap they release. Most “critics” don’t even post a substantial justification for their ratings.
Loking for RT scores is like asking migrants about bible.
Why am I not surprised?
world has gone completely loco
A film that doesn’t attempt to make a statement is always forgottenJoker 2 gonna be great
We’re living in Idiocracy
To say the least, all of these fan reviews further seem to justify the fact that the reviews those two DC movies have on Rotten Tomatoes are anything but fairly justified. That said, for the upcomingFolie à Deux, fans just might need to go and see the movie for themselves to decide if it’s good enough and worthy of spending 138 minutes of their lives on or not.
“You won’t enjoy this oppressive movie”: DC Fans Get the Worst News For Joker: Folie à Deux as Joaquin Phoenix’s Sequel With Lady Gaga May Face Box Office Disappointment
Joker (2019) and Blue Beetle (2023) are available to be streamed on Hulu while Joker: Folie á Deux will be hitting the theatres on August 18, 2025.
Mahin Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2478
Mahin Sultan is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, where she brings a fresh perspective to entertainment news. Having been in the field for over 3 years now, she has already written more than 2,000 articles across a variety of niches, from entertainment to health and fashion. This diverse experience has allowed her to quickly build a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the industry.
