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Batman: The Killing Joke poster

Batman: The Killing Joke

Movie 2016 77 min Animation, Crime, Drama, Action, Thriller Last reviewed 12 Sep 2026
Official Rating MA 15+ ClearAge 16+ Quality ★★☆☆☆

Why our age differs

Official is MA15+. We say 16+ because a woman is sexually assaulted and there is a sex scene. The tone is cruel, not a standard superhero cartoon

What we flagged

View all categories

Scores are 0–5: 0 means none.

Violence
Strong
Sex
Moderate
Frightening
Strong
Language
Moderate

Our take

This is not a kids Batman cartoon. There is a sex scene, then a woman is shot and sexually assaulted so a villain can break her father. You see enough to understand it. We will not describe the pictures. Fights are ugly, and you will hear the s-word, hell, damn, and the b-word. Watch with a parent. Not for anyone under 16

Uplifting themes

Someone still tries to reach a lost person. The film does not make that easy The hero wants to stop the pain. He also makes choices many parents will dislike

Story (may spoil tone)

As Batman hunts for the escaped Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime attacks the Gordon family to prove a diabolical point mirroring his own fall into madness.

What we flagged

Scores are 0–5: 0 means none.

View all categories

Violence
Strong
Sex
Moderate
Frightening
Strong
Language
Moderate

Details

Violence Strong A woman is shot. Later there is beating and cruel carnival violence

A woman is shot. Later there is beating and cruel carnival violence

Language Moderate You will hear the s-word, hell, damn, the b-word, and the a-word

You will hear the s-word, hell, damn, the b-word, and the a-word

Sex / nudity Moderate There is an animated sex scene and blunt talk about sex

There is an animated sex scene and blunt talk about sex

Frightening Strong The mood is mean and nightmarish. It is meant to leave you shaken

The mood is mean and nightmarish. It is meant to leave you shaken

Sexual violence Moderate A woman is sexually assaulted to hurt her family. You see the aftermath…

A woman is sexually assaulted to hurt her family. You see the aftermath, not a how-to

Gore / death / weapons Moderate A gunshot wound and later injuries. Ugly, not endless gore

A gunshot wound and later injuries. Ugly, not endless gore

Dangerous behaviour Mild Guns and beatings. The film shows the harm. It is not a stunt show

Guns and beatings. The film shows the harm. It is not a stunt show

Mental health Mild A villain's broken mind is the story. It is bleak, not a help guide

A villain's broken mind is the story. It is bleak, not a help guide

Grief / bereavement Mild A family is left shattered, and a past death is told. Heavy and sad

A family is left shattered, and a past death is told. Heavy and sad

Talk after watching

  • The film uses a woman's pain to make a point. How did that sit with you?
  • When a story is this dark, how do you decide if it is worth watching?