Just enjoy it without comparing to previous movie. Enjoy the music of the soul of a man burdened with sorrow and a desire to break free from bounds of Real Insanity of the World surrounding him.
Joker#2 closes the story well.
The Story's sequel gave the required balance to the previous part. It clarified the message well. Now, it feels wholesome and correct. Yet, also realistic with some questions left in the space to ponder and consider.
My understanding of the message is this -
Joker was never the Joker, but a man looking for Love in this world.
His Joker persona or Being was an extreme trauma response to extreme abuse he endured in the social sphere he was living in.
He wanted to bring happiness to others. He received extreme abuse as a response to his actions of finding love from people by making them happy.
By the end of the sequel and final film, Arthur is continuing to get abused from his unhealthy followers as well as mainstream society.
Arthur was never the problem. Society in both of its forms; as mainstream and the Joker-group fans, was the problem. Both sides are at fault. The society took up the Joker persona and created it out of Arthur's actions because of what was going on within their ugly and damaged psyches.
Arthur never wanted to harm anyone. He was pushed to it by mainstream culture. And, the damaged and hurting group who found their expression of their inner hostility in JOKER's actions simply took it up as their champion symbol. Arthur tried riding that wave, but found his goodness and Humanity and accepted his lot of getting abused by mainstream society and was also left alone by his disenchanted followers who continue on their path of madness and violence.
A beautiful commentary on the reality of our society and of society for All Ages, plus on the phenomenon of Love, abuse, and what it means to be truly human in a world which is no longer human.
Joker#2 can serve as an eye opener. It is very well executed considering the immense hype surrounding it. Yet, to pull off a work of art with such humbleness is truly wonderful.