Comic book fans have been awaiting for the release of the film Joker, a long anticipated film by Warner Bros, starring three-time Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix as the eponymous villain best known as the iconic antagonist of the Batman comics. This R-rated iteration of the comic book villain is set to be released in theaters nationwide this Friday. While the early reception of this film has been mostly positive with critics, it has also been a subject of controversy concerning its violence, and what do you know, the question about the link between media violence and real-life tragedy has resurfaced.

Numerous reports have come out about undercover New York police officers of various locations to serve as security guards for theaters showing the film over fears of possible acts of violence, despite no credible threats. The fear of mass shootings at multiplexes was first brought to light after 2012 Aurora shooting when a man opened fire in a movie theater during the showing of Dark Knight Rises.

The film provides as an origin story of the Joker who starts off as Arthur Fleck, a comedian who faces rejection and humiliation by the public which drives him into a state of insanity and turns to a life of crime. Many people have raised concern of the film's possible influence of viewers, a fear drawing parallels to the theory known as cultivation analysis which theorizes how television media affects the people's thoughts on social reality.

Similarly to video games, movies are no strangers of accusations of glorifying violence and having fingers pointed at them for the cause of violent incidents, dating back to the early 70s during the release of Stanley Kubrick's controversial film A Clockwork Orange. Rather than examining the psychological status of the perpetrators of violence, the public continues to run with the idea that Hollywood should be held accountable for the content they are creating and releasing into the minds of people, particularly children.

First off, Joker is Rated R, which should serve as an early sign that the film is not appropriate for children. Yet, that has not stopped the Parent's Television Council from issuing complaints about the film's violence and the negative effects it has on children's health, and this is not mention the fact these parents haven't even seen the film yet. So they are promoting the idea that if children witness violence in movies, the best idea is for the parents to blame Hollywood rather than take responsibility and monitor what their children are watching.

As a parent, you are responsible what kind of content your children consume. When Hollywood makes an R-rated movie, it is meant for people ages 17 and up. It is not fair to put blame on Hollywood for the content they produce to cover up your failure to protect your children from content you deem "inappropriate". It is your job is raise your children, not the media. If a person becomes influence by a movie to commit violent acts, chances are that person is not mentally stable should not be subjected to movies with violence. But is not right for the film industry to be held accountable for the acts of violence committed by a small minority of individuals.

When it comes to violence, sex, and drugs, Hollywood's only responsibility is to bid a warning to parents by issuing an MPAA rating and it should serve as a fair statement to help you decide whether the film is appropriate for your kids or not. If that's enough, there are other websites such as Common Sense Media, Kids-In-Mind, and Screen It that go into vivid detail on the film's content. You have your resources, all you have to do is use them. But it's not the film industry's job is raise your kids for you.