GOTHAM — One of the most anticipated and talked-about movies of 2019 is “Joker.”

The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, tells the origin story of Batman’s greatest nemesis and has been both praised and ridiculed. Before theaters even started running the film, controversy has surrounded it. Over concerns that the movie may incite violence, the New York Police Department has even ramped up security at movie theaters ahead of the premiere.

All of this hype and news are bolstering interest in the movie. This article isn’t to let you know whether the movie is worth seeing, if Phoenix’s performance is Oscar-worthy, or if it’s downright awful; this article is to let you know what you can expect to see in the movie.

Maybe you have no interest in seeing the movie, but you may have some older kids begging you to go. This article lays out the facts about the film's content, without giving away any spoilers, so you can make an educated decision on whether to spend money on a ticket or let your teenager head to the theater with some friends.

Here’s how “Joker” earned its R rating:

Sexuality

“Joker” doesn’t have any sex scenes, and the physical romance aspect of the movie stops at a kiss between two characters.

In the background, however, is where sexual images play a factor. There are a few billboards in the city promoting pornographic films, and there is a notebook that has nude cut-out images of women taped into it. Any time these images are seen, it’s very quick and somewhat obscured, making it hard to see them in detail.

Even though the billboards and images in the notebook are of a sexual nature, none of them are portrayed sexually. It’s hard to explain without seeing the movie, but they just happen to be there and are not used to be sexy. If anything, they are there to confuse and possibly disgust.

These images pop up maybe four times or so throughout the film.

Language

There is a fair amount of adult language in “Joker,” but truthfully there wasn’t as much as I thought there would be. There are a handful of R-rated words sprinkled throughout the film, but it’s not used in regular conversation as it often is in some films. Most of these utterances occur when someone is angry or hurt, and they’re rarely strung together.

Other language pops up throughout the film, as well. The cursing earned an R rating, but it’s tamer than you may have been expecting for this film.

Violence

The violence in “Joker” is interesting because when it happens it can be graphic and jarring, but it’s sparing. A few scenes are leading up to the film’s climax involve violence, but it is not a constant barrage — and that almost makes the violence that does occur seem much more brutal.

The film manages to lull you into a tense state, but it's one where you still feel relatively safe only to be ripped out of that uneasy comfort with a sudden jolt of violence. Then things calm and you’re left waiting for the next surge to make you jump again.

As I mentioned earlier, when the violence does occur it is quite graphic with blood, gore and brutality. Much of the violence seen on film is carried out without remorse, and that is quite unsettling.

Tone

I think most of the other sections on this list earned “Joker” an R rating, but it’s a tamer film in comparison with films like the recent “It: Chapter 2” or the popular “Kingsman” series. However, when it comes to the tone and vibe of the film, "Joker" on another level — one that earned the rating all on its own.

The movie is dark. It goes places and elicits feelings I think many people are not ready for or willing to experience. The film starts on a somber and bleak note, and things just spiral down from there. The movie is an emotional battle and will take a toll. When the credits rolled the theater was absolutely silent; I think that was because people didn't know how to process what had just happened.

In addition to the emotional punch, there is something incredibly disturbing and unique about “Joker.” We know what the Joker ends up being: a maniacal agent of chaos who murders without remorse and doesn’t care what destruction he leaves in his wake. He’s the villain.

This film, however, flips things on its head. While he’s still a monster, you can’t help but empathize with Arthur Fleck and his situation. You know he’s the bad guy, but you suddenly find yourself looking at him like an anti-hero or even the protagonist.

It’s an unsettling feeling and one I think most audiences are not used to.

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Themes

“Joker” deals with a lot of different themes I think are worth mentioning. Poverty, class discrimination, mental illness, racism, bigotry, depression, loneliness, delusional behavior and extreme violence are all major themes in the film.

These issues are shown from different perspectives and could be difficult for some audiences to watch, especially those who deal with these issues or are passionate about one side or the other of them.

Conclusion

“Joker” was not made for young audiences and it wasn’t made for everyone. People will either love or hate this film. I don’t think there will be much middle ground.

Know that it is an emotional, jarring and bleak movie that starts on a dark tone and finds a way to go deeper for the next two hours. “Joker” is an R-rated film and should be treated as such.

“Joker” is rated R for strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images.

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