I must see this movie. High hopes for it. I set the bar high because Joaquin Phoenix has impressed me. So I hope the sequel doesn't disappoint me.
I loved the first one. No complaints. But I am not surprised at all that everyone doesn't feel the same way. I can empathize with people who prefer the Joker to be depicted in a way that is more in keeping with the iconic character that a different author imagined him to be. I also think that many people watched some or all of the first Joker movie and discovered that they just weren't interested in exploring how another author imagines the Joker's origin story.
And let's face it, even if Joaquin Phoenix were to make a movie in which he portrays the Joker at a much later point in the character's life, Joaquin Phoenix's Joker is never going to be Heath Ledger's Joker. The fans will never forget "The Dark Knight". That's a hard act to follow. Luckily for me, I am flexible. I will be pleased to see another rendition of Joaquin Phoenix's version of the psychopath.