The first ‘Joker’ movie was iconic in all aspects. It was something fresh with dark philosophical undertones and therefore managed to secure a place in the industry within no time. But it seems the much-awaited sequel of the film failed to live up to the bar set by the first movie.
Recently released ‘Joker: Folie à Deux‘ failed to capture the heart of the audience and critics. Amidst all the negative reviews his film is receiving, director Todd Philips dropped a new lore related to the film. Todd unpacked a new theory about the film’s climax, and it has gotten fans talking.
Director Todd Philips’s Take On The Ending Of ‘Joker: Folie á Deux’
Director Todd Philips opened up about the thought behind the ending of ‘Joker: Folie á Deux’. While talking to Entertainment Weekly, Todd explained that Arthur realized at the end of the movie that he’ll always be Arthur, no matter how much of Joker persona he embodied.
Todd said, “He realized that everything is so corrupt, it’s never going to change, and the only way to fix it is to burn it all down. When those guards kill that kid in the [hospital] he realizes that dressing up in makeup, putting on this thing, it’s not changing anything”.
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The director continued, “In some ways, he’s accepted the fact that he’s always been Arthur Fleck; he’s never been this thing that’s been put upon him, this idea that Gotham people put on him, that he represents. He’s an unwitting icon. This thing was placed on him, and he doesn’t want to live as a fake anymore — he wants to be who he is.”
Significance Of Arthur Fleck’s Confession In The Movie
‘The Joker’ franchise was initially about a person who wanted to change a corrupt society, but it later drew criticism for being sympathetic to a person who murdered six people. Moreover, the Joker’s ways weren’t helping society much.
Now the new ‘Joker‘ film has a controversial take on what happens when society leaves people who need mental help. Arthur, who is in clear need of mental health support, reaches the conclusion in the film that he cannot do anything to change society, but if he continued to do what he is doing, he would surely lose his identity.
In case you missed it: Todd Phillips Declares The End Of Joker Era With ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’
In the film, it becomes gradually clear that Arthur does not live his own life, but rather focuses on fulfilling the needs of society. This turns him into the person that society aspires him to be. Termed a misfit before, Artur now struggles to find his own lost identity.
