Readers of The Guardian weigh in on Joker: Madness Shared

‘Daring, subversive, melancholic’

I thought that this was a daring, subversive, melancholic and thought provoking film. Phillips’ decision to avoid simply churning out a repeat of the first film is admirable and Joaquin Phoenix adds more layers to the character of Arthur Fleck. Lady Gaga was captivating as Harley Quinn and together the two leads offer a compelling portrait of loneliness, yearning and human frailty. Once again, Hildur Guðnadóttir’s masterful score adds gravitas and underlines the despair at play. It’s certainly not a perfect film, but its ambition should be applauded and I’m really surprised by the coverage it has received. I’m sure it will come to be seen in a more positive light. David Markham, 37, Sheffield

‘Dire’

Dire. Two hours, 18 minutes of my life (and my husband’s) that I will never get back (plus associated grumbling time post leaving the cinema). Where to begin? The first film ended with the justification for Joker’s impending life of crime, and the second film simply didn’t follow on from that, it was so far removed from the classiest of comic book films. Joker’s character didn’t develop in any way, if anything, he became dull, insipid even. Harley Quinn was two dimensional at best, a manipulative boyband fan at worst. Lady Gaga’s voice is stunning, and so sadly Joaquin Phoenix’s voice seemed weak in comparison. I cannot recall any original songs, so it was poor karaoke. Harvey Dent was barely out of school. The violence of the prison guards was pointless. As an avid cinema goer, this is the most disappointing and the laziest film I have witnessed. Lou Browne, 48, Burton on Trent

‘Lacks a decent plot’

I loved the first film for its alternative take on superhero movies. Folie à Deux simply lacks a decent plot. The performances are top notch but to no avail. Lady Gaga is cast but not trusted. Let’s shoe horn in fantasy scenes to embellish her role. Those pointless scenes removed would have made for a much more cohesive film. It is not a car crash but not a patch on The Joker, wasting two outstanding actors. Eugene Martin, 66, Derry

‘Felt more like an epilogue’

It felt more like an epilogue to the first movie than a sequel and it didn’t have the obvious build up to a grand moment, but even so I enjoyed it for its boldness. It was a brave move to do something different to what was expected and I think that was the point. The plot somewhat mirrored the reality. If you reject what is expected of you, people will turn on you. Yes, I too would’ve liked to have seen Joker 2 be Arthur’s rise to power, and Joker 3 having him die at the hands of Batman, but this was a solid movie – and it did not feel like a musical. Gary, 42, Ipswich

‘A waste of Brendan Gleeson’

I can see what Todd Phillips was trying to do with the story. Unfortunately making it a musical and successfully pulling off that arc takes a much more subtle and creative touch that simply isn’t there. On top of that was the complete waste of Brendan Gleeson. Phil, Limerick, Ireland

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‘How could so little happen in such a long film?’

When I told my friends that I was going to see Joker 2, their response was “isn’t that supposed to be kind of disturbing?” (They know I’m a sensitive soul.) Upon leaving the cinema, I sent them a message saying that the only disturbing thing about the film was how badly it was written. I left the cinema thinking maybe I just hadn’t understood the film, as it felt like I had missed something – how could so little happen in such a long film? Lydia Richardson, 22, Paris, France

‘A deeply eccentric labour of love’

I thought this was a deeply eccentric labour of love, well worth seeing. I liked the musical elements. Gaga is good and Phoenix’s voice worked well, but found it overlong. The Two Face origin story did suggest a third shot by Philips. Now that it’s been such a flop, that seems unlikely. A good-bad movie, but, hey, at least it wasn’t set in the Multiverse. I saw three 140-minute films that week. This was a lot better than Megalopolis but nowhere near as original or as much fun as The Substance. David Belbin, 66, Nottingham

‘I could have directed it better’

It was a missed opportunity to really dive into a complicated love affair. It had so much potential with such a great cast and all the subplots, mental health issues, and so on, but that was all washed over and replaced with songs and scenes that added no value. They shouldn’t have messed with the format from the previous Joker. I could have directed it better! Ellie, Oxfordshire

‘Gaga is spectacular, Phoenix incredible’

As a standalone film, I think this would have been a pretty interesting concept. Gaga is spectacular, Phoenix incredible. Going in with expectations so high after the first movie just set me up for disappointment, this film having been made so completely differently. The actors weren’t given the material they deserved. I wanted to love it, wanted it to be so much more than it was. Sadly, it was all style and no substance. Kirsty, Tyne and Wear