I have been putting off seeing this movie for a while, especially being a big fan of the 2019 film. However, I made it a personal goal to watch every DC live action film. So I begrudgingly watched it last night. And I have to say, I liked it quite a lot more than I expected. I wasn't even bored throughout any of it. That being said, I can totally see how it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I struggle to understand why everyone thinks it's a flaming dumpster fire. There is a difference between not vibing with something and giving it below a 3/10. Anyways, here are my overall thoughts.
Pros:
-Excellent performance by Joaquin Phoenix as always
-I liked the musical numbers and they were visually interesting. The movie looked great on a technical and filming angle.
-Arthur's struggle between his own personality vs. the Joker was a compelling conflict
-I admire the ambition and oddball nature of the film, I never knew what to expect.
Cons:
-The ending felt a bit rushed and I wish there was a bigger payoff
-I wish they did more with Lee. I liked her character though
-It abandons several ideas from the first movie, but I didn't find it to be necessarily problematic. Your mileage may vary though.
Overall, I would probably give it a 7 or 7.5 out of 10. It's not as strong as the first film, and I am not sure how much replay value it will have in the future, but I think it is way too overhated in my opinion. Like I said, as long as you understand what you are getting yourself into, I thought it was mostly fine... but what do you think about it? I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority opinion here.