Notice how in this film, there was no real chaos like the first. I don’t need a criminal mastermind, a Ledger reenactment, for the sequel.
What I did need was Arthur to continue the Joker persona he developed at the first films resolve, yet we don’t see a spec of that guy, he’s not present here.
The chaotic riots of the clown movement weren’t even touched on like the first, intentionally. Thomas Wayne, a runner for Mayor was killed due to those riots and yet it has zero impact, on anything. Let’s make a musical.
Phillips is a genius.
The first movie shows social injustice that throws Arthur into aggressive madness. People love him when he is killing. Thus the "killing joke". Fans in the movie and real-life ones love it. But he is looking for love. Love seems to be around among his fan base. But...
The second movie shows that Arthur has to be Joker, Lee, and others do not care about him to be loved. All they need is entertainment. They are blowing up buildings and setting Gotham on fire. Fans need hallucinated songs, thus Arthur asks Lee to stop singing. But she cares only for the shadow of Arthur. Lee is a rich girl, just like Wayne. The difference is that Wayne and Murray are modern-type establishments, that do not take social problems seriously, and Lee and fandom are contemporary (postmodern) crybabies that live a normal life and like the feeling of Joker, but do not care for justice and real Arthurs ("you can leave it anytime"). There is still no love for Arthur. Because only one clown has high stakes in the movie.
The songs are perfect too. Because they are telling the story. For instance, the mountain narrative is about self-deception and falling for public approval:
"What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some but for everyone
Lord, we don't need another mountain
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross
Enough to last till the end of time
...
We're gonna build a mountain from a little hill
Gonna build me a mountain, least I hope I will
Gonna build a mountain, gonna build it high
I don't know how we're gonna do it, only know we're gonna try
...
When I build that mountain as I will someday
And the Lord sends Gabriel to take me away
Ah, what a fine young son to take my place
I'll leave a son in a heaven on earth
With the good Lord's grace"
Phillips creates a movie that reflects the real-life audience when he breaks the fourth wall and uses irony, post-irony, and meta-irony simultaneously. He has also created the best criticism of rich girls playing socialists since Titaniс.
Concerning "The Joker", the movie says that "everyone can be Joker" because "as an idea you can't be killed". People need Jokers to attack state institutions and burn cars... you know.
People need to learn to see stories, not the illusions they created and came with to the cinema. And the movie is doing that. Most probably feel that and are unhappy.
"There's always a joker in the pack
There's always a lonely clown
The poor laughing fool falls on his back
And everyone laughs when he's down
There's always a funny man in the game
But he's only funny by mistake
And everyone looks at him just the same
They don't see his lonely heart break
They don't care as long as there is a jester, just a fool
As foolish as he can be..."
The joker is me...