Top 10 Batman Movies

Greetings, reader!

Well, I have a lot of thoughts on the newest Batman movie The Batman (2022), and what better way to express them than showing how it fits in my ranking of all Batman films? So, that's today's list.

One big problem in making this list was finding the exact concept for the ranking - does Joker (2019) qualify, as it is a take on a classic Batman villain and it also features Bruce Wayne, yet it isn't really about Batman? What about Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), where Batman is arguably the main character, but it follows a team of many superheroes and therefore isn't a Batman solo film? It would've felt wrong to make this list and exclude Joker, as it is such a fantastic take on Batman lore, but it also would've felt wrong to make this list and have Joker in the top three, ahead of many "actual Batman films".

Therefore I decided to meld these two together, making a list where I think of "Batman movie" as a genre more than a franchise. Any film is eligible, but they're ranked based on how good they are as Batman movies. Of course, the overall quality of the film plays a massive part, but this means that films where Batman isn't the sole focus are eligible for the list, but they won't necessarily be as high up as the films where the caped crusader is front and center. I swear, this makes perfect sense in my head. I hope you enjoy!

10. Batman: The Movie (1966)

"Some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb!"

I love dark and gritty reboots as much as the next cinema enthusiast, but there's something to be said for campy old-school superhero cinema as well. This cinematic continuation of the popular 60's TV series is nowhere near the cinematic levels of the more serious modern takes on the iconic superhero, but it is by no means a bad movie - it's entertaining as hell. Adam West's take on Bruce Wayne may be the least layered out of the many live action versions we've seen of the character, but he's very charismatic and lovable (not to mention his fantastic dynamic with Burt Ward's Robin).

The villains come to life in a similar fashion - they're far from the complex and tragic takes on the characters we'd see in future adaptations, but Cesar Romero's flashy Joker and Burgess Meredith's zany Penguin are perfectly suited for this type of superhero film. It's silly, but it works in its own category.

9. Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

"What are your superpowers again?"

"I'm rich"

If I were ranking these films only based on how good they are as movies in general, and not as Batman movies, the Snyder cut of Justice League would be quite a bit higher - it's one hell of a superhero epic. I couldn't place it too high on a Batman list like this, as it focuses on so many DC superheroes in many locations and narratives, that we don't get all that much Gotham and Bruce Wayne storylines as we do in the films specifically about Batman.

Still, the ambitious four-hour runtime does leave plenty of room to explore Snyder's take on Gotham City, with classic Batman characters like Uncle Alfred (Jeremy Irons) and Commissioner Gordon (J.K. Simmons) playing nice supporting roles. Ben Affleck's Batman is front and center throughout the film, and while the Caped Crusader is at his most compelling when working solo in Gotham-centric stories, this film proves that he is also quite captivating as the reluctant team-leader when the world calls on him to be just that.

8. Joker (2019)

"I used to think that my life was a tragedy, but now I realize, it's a f**king comedy"

Like the previous entry, Joker would also be much higher on this list if I ranked them purely on cinematic merit and not based on how good they are as Batman films. It's impressive that a film that doesn't feature Batman per se is on this list to begin with, and that is thanks to the script and its execution being one hell of an intriguing take on Batman lore.

First off, Gotham City feels more real, more bleak and more Scorsese-esque than ever before, and is definitely one of the best out of the many versions we've seen of the iconic milieu over the years. Bruce Wayne plays an important part in the film, albeit being a side character whose journey to becoming the Batman is still ahead - important parts of the Batman origin story are reinvented in this film, in a grim and clever fashion.

But of course, the main focus is in the titular character, as the movie is all about fleshing out the classic Batman villain Joker in the most realistic and dark interpretation of the character to date - a tragic case of a mentally ill 'victim of society', who never received the help he needed and was eventually pushed over the edge into madness and violence. Joaquin Phoenix plays the part with the tremendous skill. Who knew that a comic book villain could make for the foundation of an Oscar-winning psychological drama?

7. Batman Returns (1992)

"The heat's getting to me. I'll murder you momentarily, but first, I need a cold drink of ice water"

It's weird how Tim Burton directed both of the late 80's / early 90's Batman films starring Michael Keaton in the title role, yet the second one feels infinitely more Burton-y. It's like he directed 1989's Batman with the idea "Let's just forget that I'm Tim Burton for this one film, and simply make a Batman movie that looks and feels like a Batman movie", but then made the sequel with the idea "On second thought, I am Tim Burton, so let's make my Gotham City f**king look like it". I swear, you'll think you've stumbled upon the live action non-musical adaptation of Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) when watching the opening sequence, with the gothic look and creepy-magical Danny Elfman score and all.

That is by no means a bad thing - Burton's trademark lavish quirks make for a colorful and unforgettable take on Gotham, and a fresh contrast to more modern superhero cinema. These days, the trend is to make your villains as non-fantasy and down-to-earth as possible (What if The Penguin is just a mobster? What if Catwoman is just a skillful burglar?), but in this imaginative film, Danny DeVito's unforgettable Penguin is more or less a full-on man-penguin hybrid, and Michelle Pfeiffer's unforgettable Catwoman is feline to the maximum as well. Even Keaton himself is more bat-like in this animalistic sequel than he was in the original. It all works in an entertaining (if occasionally over-the-top) manner, making for a decent but not mind-blowing Batman flick.

6. Batman (1989)

"Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?"

Tim Burton's first Batman movie may be less of a trademark Burton film, but it is a better Batman flick as a whole. Michael Keaton is certainly one of the greatest in the gallery of talented actors who have played the role, as the key to his performance working so well is the unique manner in which he plays Bruce Wayne. His Bruce isn't the smooth and charming billionaire we've seen in Christian Bale, nor is he the super-reclusive shell of a man we saw in Robert Pattinson's take - this Bruce Wayne is a well-known public figure in Gotham's social circles, but the millionaire is eccentric and downright unstable from time to time. In a nutshell, out of all the Bruce Waynes we've seen on the silver screen, his is the one that makes you think "Damn, it's actually believable that this guy would go out at night to beat up criminals while dressed as a bat".

Complimenting the story is The Joker, played here by the legendary Jack Nicholson. Sure, it's not the best-ever version of the character, but the bar is incredibly high when considering that two different actors have won an Academy Award for playing a version of the Clown Prince of Crime. While this Joker isn't quite on the levels reached by Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix, it does tower above many other Jokers, like the Cesar Romero role from the 60's or Jared Leto in the DC Extended Universe. This film isn't super-dark like the more modern Batman adaptations, but it also isn't hammy and cheesy like the 60's Batman and the general superhero norms of the time, making for a combination of popcorn entertainment and dark undertones that truly feels like 'classic Batman'.

5. The Batman (2022)

"Fear is a tool. When that light hits the sky, it's not just a call. It's a warning"

And so we arrive at the film of the hour! Matt Reeves' new Batman adaptation isn't perfect, as there were some small elements that didn't quite stick the landing, but the ambitious production works wonders as a whole. Mainly, the reasons why the newly released 3-hour superhero epic isn't even higher are A) the fact that at times it inevitably feels like it's in the Dark Knight trilogy's shadow as the style is different but not all that different from that gold standard, B) the fact that for a dark and gritty 'non-traditional superhero film' it utilizes certain superhero clichés a bit too much, and C) the pacing felt a bit off (at a certain climactic point it feels like the movie's about to be over, only for a slightly out-of-place third act to begin).

But those are minor complaints when compared to the multitude of elements where the film succeeds incredibly well. Gotham City is fleshed out in an intriguing manner - we're used to seeing it as a generic crime-infested city where crime and corruption just sort of happen, but here we dive deep into the complex dynamics between the police department, municipal politics, organized crime and lower-tier criminal gangs, and Batman himself fits into this interwoven puzzle with perfection. Matt Reeves wanted to specifically focus on the 'detective' side of the character in this film, and following Batman and Commissioner Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) uncovering clues in a well-written mystery narrative is thrilling.

Robert Pattinson puts a new spin on the title character; gone is the smooth playboy billionaire we're used to. The famous Gotham figure Bruce Wayne barely exists here, as he has withdrawn himself from public life and lives a hermit-like existence in his lonely abode, putting all of his focus on his secret life as the Batman. However, the supporting cast is arguably even more impressive, as Zoe Kravitz outdoes predecessors Michelle Pfeiffer and Anne Hathaway to become the best-ever version of Catwoman, while classic villains The Penguin (Colin Farrell) and The Riddler (Paul Dano) are reinvented in a genius manner, making for realistic and relevant versions of slightly outdated character concepts.

4. Batman Begins (2005)

"As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed. But as a symbol...as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting"

Even my least favorite instalment of Christopher Nolan's revolutionary Dark Knight trilogy makes it this far on my list - that's how one-of-the-all-time-great-film-franchises it is. Sure, Batman movies have gotten progressively darker, grittier and more down-to-earth bit by bit (the Tim Burton films were more serious than preceding instalments, while the Dark Knight trilogy upped the seriousness further, and Joker took it to the maximum), but I'd argue that the most significant jump happened right here. Not just because Batman Begins was more serious than the superhero movie genre had been thus far, but also because it was simply better cinema.

Between the talent of Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman in perfectly fitting roles, the level of acting is ridiculously excellent. The dialogue is mysterious and clever as one can expect from a Christopher Nolan script, and Gotham City is as vibrant and alive as it is dark and crime-infested. The two latter parts of the trilogy may have upped the game even further, but Batman Begins does the important job of rebooting the character and starting the story to make those sequels possible, and it contains the hands-down best version of the origin story we've seen a million times.

3. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

"If you seek his monument, look around you"

Yeah, I recognize that this list contains a few unpopular opinions that would have me crucified by fans of DC Comics and cinema in general if my blog had a larger readership. The fact that I consider the generally quite reviled Batman v Superman to be not just misunderstood and good, but honestly somewhat of a masterpiece and one of superhero cinema's greatest gems (I'm not exaggerating), may be the most controversial of my movie opinions, at least based on how much angry yelling it has caused in my social circles whenever it comes up in conversation. But I'm standing by it: Batman v Superman is deeply misunderstood, and will always be one of my favorites.

I could write essays upon essays on why I love this film, but this is a Batman list and not a general movie list, so I won't even get into all of the genius in how Zack Snyder gradually builds the DC Extended Universe, paints Superman (Henry Cavill) as a God complex -suffering tragic hero, and uses religious symbolism to make the film feel larger than life with its somewhat profound themes. That's an essay for another day. But here's why the polarizing 2016 film is one of the very best Batman films in addition to its other triumphs:

Ben Affleck's Batman isn't quite on the level of Bale and Keaton, but it is a thoroughly solid performance and perfect for this particular film. There isn't overtly much time to tell his story, as the film had to balance rebooting Batman with also being a sequel to Man of Steel (2013) and building up towards Justice League (2021), but with remarkably little screen time, they create one of the most compelling Batman stories in cinema. We witness the trauma Bruce Wayne grew up in, the difficult yet oddly warm dynamic he has with Uncle Alfred (Jeremy Irons), and how these factors molded him into a violent vigilante criminal with a heart of gold beneath all the grittiness. We see him fighting notorious Gotham criminals in fantastically intense and well-coordinated action sequences, we see him balancing his double life in an intriguing manner, and we see mysterious allusions to his past that leave much for the viewer to read into between the lines.

His contrast with the film's other lead character, Superman, really highlights the character's motivations and philosophy in a powerful manner, shining light on both his flaws and virtues. With this particular version of Batman in this particular version of the DC universe, it just makes so much sense that he would grow to be bitter and resentful about the flashy superhero with God-like powers, who has recklessly caused inadvertent harm while fighting bad guys all through metropolitan Gotham and who can't save everyone as much as he maybe should with the capacity of his powers. Likewise, the resentment that Superman feels towards Batman holds a mirror to how much the iconic caped crusader should or shouldn't be glorified, as important questions are asked concerning the way in which he answers violence with violence, works from the shadows against the law, and utilizes fear. It's a complex and thought-provoking take on the character, and I love every minute of it.

2. The Dark Knight (2008)

"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

The middle instalment of the Dark Knight trilogy is in IMDB's Top 10 highest-rated movies of all time, is often seen as the greatest superhero film of all time, and would certainly top most fans' list of the greatest Batman movies. While it doesn't quite reach the #1 spot for me, it isn't far behind, as I can thoroughly get behind all the respect that fans and critics alike have shown towards this film. It's always a tough job to make a sequel better than the original, but from the very first scene where The Joker (Heath Ledger) pulls off a suspenseful bank heist to the backdrop of a Hans Zimmer score with unforeseen intensity, it feels like we're on a whole new level of great cinema than what we got with Batman Begins.

As much attention as Ledger's sledgehammer performance has rightfully gotten, I would like to point out that Christian Bale's lead performance in this film doesn't get enough praise. The main (anti-)hero and villain compliment each other so well, and their dynamic throughout the film is riveting. While the Joker does end up stealing the show, that isn't his primary function in the story: his primary function is to act as the perfect antidote to Batman, someone who will question his role as Gotham's Dark Knight, make him question his own rules and philosophy, and eventually try his very best to push him over the edge and into villainy. We've never seen Batman pushed so far and into such dramatic extremes as in this film, much thanks to Joker being such a next-level villain. In addition to this dynamic being the film's central highlight, the script is tight and perfectly paced while Christopher Nolan's directing is at its very best and the ending scene is one of cinema's most memorable.

Why would a film this amazing not be at first place? Well, here's why...

1. Dark Knight Rises (2012)

"I do fear death. I fear dying in here, while my city burns, and there's no one there to save it"

"Then make the climb"

"How?"

"As the child did. Without the rope. Then fear will find you again"

Many people give the Dark Knight trilogy's final outing a lot of flack for containing a few key plot holes, such as no explanation to how Batman got from The Pit into Gotham so quickly. Wait, let me phrase that differently - many people clearly enjoy showcasing how much smarter than everyone else they are, much more than letting one's guard down to enjoy a cinematic experience. I mean seriously, I'm not even gonna use the "don't forget that these are superhero movies at the end of the day" argument, but rather the "don't forget that these are movies in general" one. Movies. I mean, the entire reason that fiction exists is that things could happen that cannot happen in this boring reality of ours. Which is why it really grinds my gears that so many "cinema enthusiasts" go to any film, be it superheroes or Star Wars or anything, and expect nothing but hyper-realism - they're really missing the point of fiction.

Christopher Nolan is the master of suspending disbelief with good reason - he's a smart guy, I'm sure he knows that some of the things in his movies couldn't happen in real life, BUT IT'S NOT REAL LIFE NOW IS IT? It's a goddamn movie. I've studied writing enough to know that your storytelling options are very, very limited if you want everything to be realistic and believable, and we'd have a very boring and narrow selection of movies if everyone went for the standards that IMDB reviewers and YouTube critics are demanding. Nolan creates stories where very epic things happen at the expense of the events sometimes not being 100 per cent realistic, and if you want 100 per cent realistic, then maybe your first choice shouldn't be a f**king Batman movie.

With my love letter to this certain breed of "critics" out of the way, I will now explain why Dark Knight Rises is my favorite Batman film.

I feel deeply connected to Dark Knight Rises. In 2012, I was in the cinema watching the trailers that come before the movie begins, and saw the trailer for this film. I hadn't seen any of the Dark Knight movies yet, and for most of the trailer, I didn't know that I was watching the preview for a Batman movie - I didn't know what this trailer was for, but I knew that it looks epic and powerful and breathtaking. By the time we see Christian Bale in the bat-suit at the trailer's end, followed by the title card "DARK KNIGHT RISES", I recalled hearing from my brother about this movie series that has rebooted Batman into a super-serious and epic antihero character. And I knew that I immediately have to see the first two instalments, because I had just witnessed the greatest trailer I have ever seen (an opinion I still hold to this day).

When I finally saw Dark Knight Rises, it was everything I had expected. While I do understand why most people see The Dark Knight as the trilogy's greatest moment, I personally have to disagree - for me, everything that Christopher Nolan set out to do with this trilogy comes to a point of perfection with this climactic film. Dark Knight Rises is Nolan's vision of Gotham and the legend of the Dark Knight in full form, and it is a thing to behold. Every time I re-watch this film, I'm blown away by how everything in it makes me feel the exact same emotion that I felt as a twelve-year-old kid, watching the trailer for the first time.

To my specific movie taste, this film just works like a charm: Michael Caine provides what is possibly the best performance of his legendary career, Hans Zimmer's score is nothing short of soul-shattering, and the symbolism of the pit/climb narrative is some of the most powerful storytelling I've seen in any form of cinema. The sequence of final scenes, where Gary Oldman profoundly recites a passage from Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities while we see a montage of several events that are escalatingly mind-blowing and climactic yet ambiguous in a delightfully Nolan-esque manner, is on par with The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King's (2003) final sequence in the category of the greatest-ever endings to a film franchise. So yes, to me, Dark Knight Rises is the best Batman film of all time, the best DC Comics film of all time, and one of my favorite movies.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week, as I celebrate my father David's 60th birthday by ranking my top 5 favorite films by his favorite director (Clint Eastwood), and the top 5 performances by his favorite actor (also Clint Eastwood).