While one could make an argument for the optimism of Superman, the youth of Spider-Man, or the ambition of Iron Man, it’s pretty cut and dry that the most popular superhero of all time is Batman. He’s a character our popular culture has been drawn to time and time again, and with nine feature films devoted to the Dark Knight, he’s certainly the most prolific. Which is why I decided to revisit each of the previous Batman films and rank them, from worst to best.
Batman is a character who’s given us some of the best superhero movies of all time, and some of the worst, with the tone and approach varying wildly over the last few decades. It’s fascinating to see how the same character can be interpreted so differently, and to be honest, after rewatching all of these movies I could certainly make an argument that each one has merit in one way or another. So without further ado, let’s get down to it.
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13.) Batman & Robin
Batman & Robinis a bad movie. But understanding the history of Batman onscreen, specifically the TV series and the 1966 film, leads one to understand what directorJoel Schumacherwas going for here. And you know what? He kind of pulls it off in a couple of scenes. WhereasBatman Foreverdipped its toes into camp territory,Batman & Robindives in headfirst, wading around in a sea of puns and jokes and gags galore. The problem is, the movie can’t reconcile its cartoony nature with also trying to tell a genuine Batman story, and the whole ensemble is used so poorly that you can see them struggling to find something real to hold onto from scene to scene.
George Clooneyis woefully miscast, failing to deliver both the dry humor and the brooding complexity of Batman/Bruce Wayne,Chris O’Donnellcontinues to wonder what he’s doing in aBatmanmovie at all, andAlicia Silverstonepops up for no reason and makes zero effort to affect any kind of character whatsoever. And then there’sArnold Schwarzenegger, who was famously paid a whopping $25 million for his work as Mr. Freeze, and who received top billing on all marketing materials. He andUma Thurman’s Poison Ivy are actually the most effective in this film, delivering their lines with the utmost camp andreallyputting the shine on as the movie progresses. So scenes in which polar-bear-shoe-clad Mr. Freeze conducts an orchestra of goons in a rendition of “Snow Miser Song”kind ofwork, because Schwarzenegger understands that he’s essentially in a cartoon.
Visually the film feels more akin to a performance ofBatman on Iceat the Ohio State Fair than a theatrically released motion picture, complete with odd lighting choices and massive, over-the-top sets.Batman & Robin’s biggest sin, however, is that it’s dreadfully boring.Akiva Goldsman’s script is lifeless, and the whole thing is a complete miscalculation in trying to evoke the playful spirit of the TV series, with a not-so-subtle focus on advertising the film’s many toys and action figures within the context of the movie.
Can a campyBatmanmovie work in this modern era? I don’t know, but Joel Schumacher’s attempt to inject a fun and kid-friendly atmosphere into the franchise with his secondBatmanfilm was a disastrous failure, stopping the series in its tracks and leading Warner Bros. to seriously rethink its approach to the superhero genre. The one good thing that came fromBatman & Robin—aside from some glorious GIFs—is it led to a complete reinvention of the franchise from the ground up.
12.) Justice League (2017)
Justice Leagueisn’t really a Batman movie, so its inclusion on this list is mainly for completionist’s sake given that it continues the DCEU. And really, Batman doesn’t have all that much to do in the film. Technically he’s the one who assembles the Justice League and makes the decision to reanimate Superman’s corpse with an alien electrical box, but when things kick into high gear Batman is… somewhat useless. He’s just a dude with some tools, which isn’t a great match for the monstrous Steppenwolf.
As a film, the theatrical cut ofJustice Leagueis really bad. It’s woefully boring, and despite the whole “Joss Whedonscenes vs.Zack Snyderscenes” debate, the entire thing feels authorless. Steppenwolf is a simple, uninteresting, one-dimensional villain whose entire “thing” is “I wanna rule the world”; the action is either too kinetic to understand what’s going on or strangely by-the-numbers; and none of these characters seem like they really truly care about anything at all. They say they do, and they act like they do, but it all lacks conviction.
Justice Leagueis not without a few bright spots, however. Wonder Woman continues to be the shining beacon of hope in this DCEU, andEzra Miller’s Flash is at least compelling. ButRay Fisher’s Cyborg is a one-note exposition machine (having had his entire arc cut to bits), and the choice to turnJason Mamoa’s Aquaman into a straight-up dudebro is… a choice I guess.
As forBen Affleck’s Batman, while he stood out inBatman v Superman, here he seems like he’s showing up out of complete and total obligation. Hesayshe feels bad about the whole Superman dying thing, but the film never really digs into it in a way that’s interesting or compelling. And given that there’s a full ensemble to juggle, we don’t get near enough time to follow-up on the issues that made Affleck’s Batman so interesting inBvS.
It’s almost impressively forgettable, and so disappointing. And in contrast to the far superiorZack Snyder’s Justice League, it’s even more frustrating.
11.) Batman Forever
Warner Bros.’ pivot to a more kid-friendlyBatmanmovie by oustingTim Burtonand bringing inJoel Schumacherto direct resulted in a severe visual and tonal shift for the franchise, swapping outMichael KeatonforVal Kilmerand Art Deco production design for something akin to a neon-infused 90s house party. But Warner Bros.’ intention wasn’t to up the franchise creatively—they wanted it to be more family-friendly and, of course, sell more toys. They succeeded wildly asBatman Foreveroutgrossed its predecessor by nearly $100 million, but it also put the franchise on a path towards implosion.
Batman Foreverisn’t a terrible movie, but it’s not a terribly good one either. Coming off the vitality of Keaton inBatman Returns, Kilmer is downright boring as Bruce Wayne/Batman. And while the canted angles and theatricality of the film is a somewhat interesting throwback to the TV series at first, it soon becomes monotonous and eventually incongruous with the film’s “serious” scenes. The addition ofChris O’Donnell’s hotheaded Robin to the team wasn’t a bad idea, but its execution is poor as Robin comes off as more of a nuisance than a sidekick, andNicole Kidmandoes little more than bat her eyelashes in the thankless role of Dr. Chase Meridian.
The film’s saving grace isJim Carrey, whose comedic persona was on the rise at the time ofBatman Forever’s release, and whose maniacal energy is a bolt of lightning to the movie’s ensemble. It’s still a little weird to seeTommy Lee Jonesas Harvey Dent (even weirder when you know he couldn’t stand Carrey on set), but his rapport with Carrey’s Riddler is fine enough, and Carrey’s performance sells the fun of the villains’ ridiculous evil plot.
Schumacher was clearly trying to bring the franchise back to its roots with the camp and “fun” nature of the TV series and 1966 film, but he’s at odds with himself as he also tried to take a serious look at Bruce Wayne’s psyche. The dramatic weight fails to catch when surrounded by such colorful nonsense, but for the film’s intended audience, colorful nonsense was like crack. Full confession: I was kind of obsessed withBatman Foreveras a kid, and I imagine I wasn’t alone. It’s not a very good movie—Batmanor otherwise—but rewatching as an adult, it has its (few) moments. There’s just enough here to make it interesting, and to land it above its sequel, but it pales in comparison to most of theBatmanoeuvre.
10.) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition)
Batman is one of the best aspects ofBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but that’s not necessarily saying much. Credit is due toZack Snyderfor opting to bring a very different kind of live-action Batman to the big screen, andBen Affleckdoes a swell job of inhabiting a grizzled, “over it” Batman who’s given up trying to do the right thing for straight-up murdering bad guys now. The theatrics are a bit over the top and Batman’s dialogue is certainly lacking in gravity, but it’s actually Affleck’s performance as Bruce Wayne that shines brightest in the pic (especially in the longer “Ultimate Edition”). He easily slips into the billionaire playboy role, and even when Wayne is attending to “very serious business”, there’s a charm to Affleck’s performance that’s refreshing.
ButBatman v Supermanisn’t just a Batman movie, and indeed the decision on the part of Snyder and Warner Bros. to flood the film with as much set up for an interconnected DC universe bogs the movie down with convoluted character motivations and way out-there choices (Batman’s “Knightmares” in particular really don’t make much sense within the context ofthismovie, even if they may or may not be foreshadowing for things to come).
There’s also the doom and gloom of it all, as Snyder crafts an absolutely joyless superhero movie despite the fact that he’s dealing with the two most iconic characters in comic book history. Superhero movies don’t need jokes, but they do need to beentertaining.Chris Terrio’s script is too busy throwing in as many philosophical asides as possible while stumbling around for some sort of thematic throughline, but it never coalesces into anything resembling coherence.
The extended Ultimate Edition improves both on a storytelling and character level, but taken as a wholeBatman v Supermanis like someone made a stew out of 37 other different stews. Despite setting up some fascinating arcs and developments (the sequence showing Bruce Wayne’s POV of the Superman/Zod fight is still incredible), Snyder falls short on almost every single one. It builds to a lackluster finale with a hideous CG villain, and we’re left wishing we had seen three separate movies starring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman respectively instead of the jumbled mess that isBvS.
9.) Zack Snyder’s Justice League
WhileZack Snyder’s Justice Leagueis a radically different film than the abysmal 2017 cut, the story arc of Batman is fairly similar. He feels guilty about Superman’s death and is trying desperately to be the glue that holds the titular team together. But the execution in Zack Snyder’s four-hour opus is far more compelling and far more satisfying than the 2017 version of the movie, and we do even get some additional Batman scenes that further dive into the character’s guilt. Snyder’s version also mostly does away with the weird flirtation between Batman and Wonder Woman, which felt out of place in 2017’sJustice League.
But if we’re just judging the movies themselves and not necessarily Batman’s arc,Zack Snyder’s Justice Leagueis still leaps and bounds better than the theatrical version of the film. This is an operatic epic, full of wild ambition that really digs deep into its central characters thanks to its epic runtime.
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Even the chapter delineations make the experience of watchingZack Snyder’s Justice Leaguemore akin to reading a novel than watching a blockbuster movie, and characters like Cyborg and Flash finally get full, rich arcs. It’s unlike any other superhero movie because it is a pure, unfiltered, epically long distillation of Zack Snyder’s vision that could never have been released theatrically. That unique quality doesn’t automatically make this superior to any other superhero movie ever made – it still has plenty of faults inherent to Snyder’s work, and plenty of scenes where more does not equal better – but it does make watching it a singular viewing experience. And in a climate inundated by two-hour smashy smashy superhero blockbusters that all blend together,Zack Snyder’s Justice Leagueis something of a breath of fresh air. Blemishes and all.
Truthfully, the only reason this film is belowThe Dark Knight Riseson this list is because it’s not technically a full-on “Batman movie.”
8.) The Dark Knight Rises
For the first hour or so,The Dark Knight Risesis pretty good. The decision to jump forward in time eight years allows us to see a broken and reclusive Bruce Wayne, having given up the mantle of Batman once and for all. We get to see him spurred out of retirement, we’re introduced to promising newcomers likeAnne Hathaway’s Catwoman andJoseph Gordon-Levitt’s do-gooder cop John Blake, and it’s exciting to see Batman getting back in the saddle. But once Bane’s nonsensical plans become clear and he begins to take over Gotham, the film kind of devolves into a bit of a convoluted mess.
Thissecondtime jump is misguided, as it lets all the air out of the balloon so to speak and we’re left wondering just exactly how the mechanics of a madman holding a city hostage for five months works. And we still don’t really know why Bane is doing all this, which gives little weight to his actions. The big Talia Al Ghul reveal is too little too late—she should’ve been set up as the villainmuchearlier, to give us a sense of emotional stakes—and John Blake’s “twist” name reveal is unnecessary. For someone so interested in carving his own path, much ofChristopher Nolan’s trilogy-capper feels like fan-service, and it’s ill-fitting.
But as I said, there’s still stuff to like about the film. It’s handsomely crafted, with cinematographerWally Pfisterand Nolan pushing IMAX cameras to their limits. And Hathaway’s performance as Catwoman is pretty terrific, putting a clever twist on the Selina Kyle/Catwoman dynamic, whileChristian Baledoes some of his best dramatic work of the series oppositeMichael Caine, as they argue over the future of the Batman persona.
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Ultimately, though, the film is a disappointment. WhereasHeath Ledger’s Joker is menacing from the get-go,Tom Hardy’s Bane is a conundrum. His true motivation makes sense, and is genuinely interesting, but we don’t get there until the end of the film, so for the first two hours we’re left to wonder why we should care about this guy who talks funny and occasionally punches people. And just as Batman starts to develop some interesting new relationships, he’s sidelined and whisked away to the Lazarus Pit whileGary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon spends most of the film in a hospital bed.
Coming off of something so great asThe Dark Knight, we were bound to be disappointed with whatever followed. But what makesThe Dark Knight Risesso frustrating is that it’salmostreally interesting. It has most of the pieces there, they’re just not arranged in a compelling way, leaving what should’ve been a dramatic and emotional conclusion to fall flat.
7.) Batman (1989)
WhileChristopher Nolanrightly gets a lot of credit for reinventing the superhero movie genre,Tim Burtonis equally deserving for the somewhat radical nature of 1989’sBatman. We forget, but at the time Batman had not been on the big screen in over two decades, with his last onscreen iteration being a campy, funny portrayal that acknowledged the inherent ridiculousness of a guy dressing up as a bat and fighting crime. WithBatman, however, Burton attempted to envision the practicalities of the character, melding the silly nature of the TV series with a more grounded, darker interpretation of the titular hero.
It works to a point, as Burton attempts to delve into the dichotomy at the heart of the Batman/Bruce Wayne persona but never really fully realizes the idea. The original songs byPrinceare ill-conceived and make for an odd fit withDanny Elfman’s theatrical score, andKim Basinger’s Vicki Vale starts off promising but never really goes anywhere. But it doesn’t really matter, becauseJack Nicholsonkeeps things entertaining with his maniacal take on the classic villain Joker andMichael Keatonbrings a curiosity to Bruce Wayne/Batman that adds a new dimension to the character.
You can feel Burton coming close to grasping the delicate balance between theatricality and reality but never quite reaching it, and in hindsight even the filmmaker admits that he’s not fully satisfied with the film. Indeed, a writers strike and numerous rewrites during filming led to a muddled production process, but the end result isn’t bad.Batmanis totally watchable, and from a visual standpoint it’s pretty spectacular—the art deco production design is downright inspired. It simply falls a bit short of greatness, but luckily Burton would fully realize his vision for Batman in the film’s superior sequel.
6.) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
The legacy ofBatman: Mask of the Phantasmis that of a cult hit of sorts. UntilThe LEGO Batman Movie, it was the only animated Batman film to get a wide theatrical release – a last-minute decision for the Direct-to-Video movie that somewhat hobbled its chances of success. Indeed,Mask of the Phantasmwas a box office bomb when it hit theaters in 1993, but a positive critical reception and the success of animated Batman adaptations on the small screen spurred many to seek it out, only to discover it’s a genuinely great Batman story.
Mask of the Phantasmis full-on film noir as flashbacks reveal Batman’s early crimefighting days which are juxtaposed with a more weary, frustrated version of the character in present day. It’s also a full-on detective story, as Batman is trying to find out who keeps murdering all these crime bosses, and how it connects to a story from his past. That detective angle is something the live-action films have thus far failed to really nail, as they’re hobbled by having to deliver spectacle-driven action sequences vs. pure gumshoe detective work.
Directed byEric RadomskiandBruce Timm,Mask of the Phantasmis pretty darn terrific. It’s unique in the legion of Batman movies for reasons stated above, it looks fantastic (drawing from the GothicBatman: The Animated Seriesaesthetic), and the story is genuinely moving and surprising.
5.) The LEGO Batman Movie
The LEGO BatmanMovieis certainly the funniestBatmanmovie ever made. DirectorChris McKay’s Batman-centric spinoff ofThe LEGO Movietackles the character’s long, winding history with nods and references to every other big screen Batman film, as well as the inclusion of a cadre of Batman villains both iconic (Mr. Freeze!) and crazy (Condiment Man!). The film’s sense of humor is sharp, and it throwsa lotat the screen in terms of Easter Egg visuals, and while not all of it sticks, it’s coming at such a fast rate, and with such incredible volume, that it mostly works.
What makesThe LEGO Batman Moviespecial, and why it’s a very goodBatmanmovie in its own right, is it digs into the character’s humanity with a depth that hasn’t been touched before.Batman Beginsdelves into Batman’s origins, and how fear drives his decision to become The Batman, butThe LEGO Batman Movietakes a serious look at Batman’s psyche and humanity. He’s a man constantly lauded for his deeds, but at heart lives a solitary and lonely life, shutting out anyone from ever getting close to him.
Batman is also kind of a dick, whichThe LEGO Batman Movieunderstands. To don the cape and cowl with zero superhuman abilities takes a great deal of confidence, and that confidence often comes at the expense of humility or even warmth.LEGO Batmanforces the character to take a serious look at his deeds and way of life, and consider whether the net outcome is good or bad. That’s ambitious and ballsy for an animated movie aimed at kids.
The film doesn’t reach the thematic or emotional heights ofChristopher Nolan’s first twoBatmanmovies, or the satirical ambition ofBatman Returns, but it succeeds where almost every other Batman movie has failed: as a great movieaboutBatman. These other live-action efforts are often concerned with set visit spectacle or flashy villains, sometimes for good reason, butThe LEGO Batman Moviereally zeroes a focus onto Batman himself to incredibly silly and surprisingly thoughtful results.
4.) Batman (1966)
Batman’s first major big screen adaptation is a very silly movie, entirely contrary to how we currently view Batman in the modern pop culture realm, and it totally works. DirectorLeslie H. Martinson’sBatmanwas released in theaters just two months after the first season of theBatmanTV series ended, withAdam WestandBurt Ward’s portrayals of Batman and Robin quickly on the rise towards their eventual iconic status. The dynamic duo makes for a hilariously pleasant and ceaselessly polite pairing as they square off against every major Batman villain—Joker, Penguin, Catwoman and Riddler—over the course of the film, with the baddies teaming up in an effort to kidnap members of the United World Organization’s Security Council, thereby instilling global chaos.
Batmanis most famously notable for its campy nature, and the film is indeed “in on the joke” so to speak—this is a movie in which Batman runs around trying to dispose of a giant bomb for two minutes, only to keep running into obstacles from fishermen to a gaggle of nuns. West’s dry delivery is unmatched, and it’s funny to seeFrank Gorshin’s portrayal of The Riddler come across as the most “stable” of the villainous ensemble in the wake ofJim Carrey’s unhinged performance. Some of the action sequences drone on for a bit too long, and the film comes close to monotony at times, but its wit and humor do a fine job of keeping things interesting.
ButBatmanis also unflinchingly earnest, and the inherent goodness of the titular hero and his sidekick are the key to what makesBatmanso great. We’ve been inundated with a dark, complex iteration of the character for over twenty years now, which isn’t a bad thing, but withBatmanit’s nice to see the hero portrayed as someone who is unflinchingly good.Batmanis wildly entertaining and never takes itself too seriously, but it also has a big, beating, humanistic heart that makes it all feel worthwhile.
