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The UK’s Most Complained Film Last Year Was Joker

Movies July, 10, 2025

Few are the silver screen gems that manage to hit the hearts of souls around the world. Their content and act go miles ahead to create the waves of charm and grace. The lights of fame nurture their golden marks in the pages of history. One of these exemplary acts is Joker. The 2019 film buried down all the records of its predecessors for a fresh start in the world of blockbusters.

Joker drove the viewers crazy with its power-packed content. The audacious portrayal of the ‘Clown Prince of Crime’ by Joaquin Phoenix stole the show around the world. It became the first R-rated movie to take on the $1 million mark across the globe. Its proud director Todd Phillips bathed in glee to kiss the tokens of achievement and fame. The movie draws its roots from the flunked life of a comedian named Arthur Fleck. The sense of failure loomed larger to take on his mental health, forcing him to unleash the wave of violence in Gotham city.

However, the movie is not all about the shining stars. The big hit thrived with the blots of extreme violence that led the censor boards across the world to fix its rating for adult viewing. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) set the age rating to 15 for this film. Despite that, the premieres and shows witnessed a huge rush of viewers longing to catch the powerful act.

But the other side of the story has emerged from the covers. According to reports, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has received complaints totaling to 149 for the year 2019. The number is quite less than that featured for 2018 films. Out of 149, 20 are against Joker for its age rating- 15. It has made the film as the U.K.’s most complained about film of 2019.

The viewers did not feel it right for the viewership of souls aged 15. The nerve-wreaking violence in the film takes things too high for the budding souls. They thought that BBFC should have set the age floor at 18 for the film.

However, BBFC has another view of the matter. They have defended their move to fix the floor at 15.

Taking on the matter, they said, “Several stated that we should have classified the film 18 because of violence and the film’s tone. A small number felt that the film should be banned. There are scenes of strong violence in the film that include stabbings and shootings, with accompanying bloody injury detail. They do not, however, dwell on the infliction of pain or injury in a manner that requires an 18”.

Apart from Joker, the other films to feature on that dark ground were ‘The Favourite’ and ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’.

The former knitted the brows with its extensive use of sensitive language and excessive pressing on seductive scenes. Other won the opprobrium for its reliance on violence to weave the storyline before the viewers.

Thus, not all big hits spawn their eulogy and glory. Some go the other way around to meet the brickbat across the world.

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