The levels of violence in Dexter or Natural Born Killers

  Compare the levels of violence in Dexter or Natural Born Killers--and the supposed purpose for this visual violence on screen. What do the filmmakers or directors want us  to see in their work? Why are they doing it? Are the filmmakers critiquing violence or just sensationalizing it? Theorize about why Dexter and Mickey/Mallory have become pop culture icons? What are  they fulfilling for their audiences?