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There’s not a more successful superhero to ever jump from the comic book pages to the big screen than Batman. Each film has a legion of fans, and ranking the Batman films with friends is sure to start a great debate.
Here is our list from worst to first of every live-action Batman film.
9. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
I want to start out by saying I am a fan of every Batman movie ever created. I enjoy watching Batman v. Superman and believe Ben Affleck’s portrayal of the Caped Crusader should still be cast in the DCEU. However, if I rank every Bat film from worst to first, I choose to watch this one last. While enjoyable, I completely understand how someone can attack the film over the whole Martha debacle.
8. Batman & Robin
I was four years old when Batman & Robin was released in theaters, and let me tell you; no kid was more hyped for a film than me. Being a younger brother meant I was always Robin when crime-fighting took place at my home, and finally, Robin was going to have a larger role in a Batman film. Now that I’m older, I realize that Bat nipples weren’t something that I ever needed to see.
The biggest missed opportunity of this film was the portrayal of Bane. While he may look more comic book accurate than Tom Hardy’s version years later, Bane was an unnecessary addition to an already stuffed cast. The brightest spot from this film that still stands today is that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze is still the coldest-looking villain in Batman movie history.
7. Batman Forever
Batman Forever might be the most fun you can have while watching a Batman film. The chemistry of Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones as Riddler and Two-Face is still enjoyable after all these years. Seal’s Kiss From A Rose has played in my head every day since the first time I watched this film, which isn’t necessarily bad. BABYYYYYY!
6. Batman Begins
Batman Begins was the start of the greatest trilogy ever told in the comic book movie genre. Bruce Wayne’s origin story was finally given the light that it desperately deserved, and Christian Bale delivered an iconic performance that left fans ready for the next chapter.
5. Batman
An argument that no one wants to have that should be taking place is that Jack Nicholson’s performance as The Joker is the greatest performance of the character in the entire lexicon of the Batman world. Batman is a solid entry into the character’s popularity and the start of the Batman role being bigger than anyone could have expected.
4. The Dark Knight Rises
I tossed and turned over the decision for weeks. For a long time, The Dark Knight Rises was my favorite Batman film of all time. It comes with great sadness to me that the film no longer holds that distinction for me. A perfect send-off to Bale’s performance of Gotham’s favorite son, Batman risking everything to save Gotham proves he was the hero we deserved all along.
3. The Batman
The opening 10 minutes of The Batman alone have the hairs on the back of my neck standing. The introduction to a darker Gotham City, along with the introduction of Pattinson’s Batman, had me ready for more. The stories that can be told in this version of Batman are vast, and with already a few villains waiting their turn, fans should expect another epic tale in the Batman saga.
2. The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight has been the measuring stick for comic book theater since its debut in 2008. Ledger’s performance as the Clown Prince of Crime is legendary. This makes the movie feel more like a Joker movie than a Batman flick. Still, this movie has everything a Batman fan could ever want, and we’ve all been wondering what could have been since the heartbreaking death of Heath Ledger
1. Batman Returns
When I picture Gotham City in my head, it looks exactly like what is depicted in Batman Returns. The look of Gotham City alone puts this movie in a special place in my heart. Along with the greatest representations of the Penguin and Catwoman that we’ve seen so far, Batman Returns is the perfect Batman film and one that you can never become tired of watching.
