DC’s latest film, Joker, is a psychological thriller that has been steeped in controversy since long before its release. The movie follows Arthur Fleck, a mentally unstable clown and aspiring comedian, who descends into madness and takes the mantle of the Joker, DC’s most popular comic book villain.

A large part of the film’s criticism stems from its gritty and realistic depiction of the character’s origin. In a time when paranoia surrounding gun violence and mass shootings are at an all-time high, DC’s choice to make its main character an unstable outcast who turns to violence when he sees no other choice has struck a nerve for many. 

The film was criticized for being especially insensitive because the Batman franchise has been associated with a mass shooting before:  An Aurora, Colorado, shooting during a 2012 midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises took the lives of 12 people. 

Nevertheless, despite gaining a large amount of negative attention, Joker has been crushing box office records.

As of late October, the film had grossed $853.8 million and surpassed Deadpool to become the top-grossing R-rated film of all time at the global box office. This says a lot about modern cinema.

Most obviously, it reminds movie fans that superhero movies sell. Ever since the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, movie theaters have been dominated by comic book movies. 

It should come as no surprise that DC’s comic book story had to surpass Marvel’s comic book story in order to become the highest grossing R-rated film. But what is surprising is that Joker is not a typical superhero movie. 

The movie shares no similarities with other blockbuster superhero films, like Deadpool or The Avengers, outside of them all including characters from a comic book. Joker is a dark and realistic story, and aside from a few small references, it has almost nothing to do with the CGI and humor-filled stories that movie fans are used to.

The writing, performances, and score demand to be taken seriously. Joaquin Phoenix gives his all in this film, a rarity in the superhero industry, and many already feel that he deserves recognition from the academy for his role. 

Increasingly, it is being said that modern blockbusters are trending downward in terms of quality. In an era of sequels, reboots, and formulaic superhero stories, many believe that the art of film is being lost in exchange for revenue, but Joker is the perfect movie to prove these assumptions wrong. 

Not only is the film a deviation from the reliable revenue formula that most comic book movies stick to, but it had to fight against the controversy that surrounded it and convince the world to give it a chance. 

The fact that a movie as artistic as Joker can stand on its own and break records says a lot. Cinema is not doomed to be a constant cycle of mindless action flicks looking to make money. There is hope for the modern blockbuster.