For more than 30 years, DC comics has been coming out with movies portraying the dark vigilante of Gotham City. Some of these movies were hits, yet some of them flopped the minute they hit the box office. So which ones hit the mark?
- “Batman & Robin” (1997)
Starting off the list is probably the worst movie ever. With Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, this movie takes crazy to the next level. It’s one of those movies where it’s so bad it’s good, and I wish that I could put it higher up on the list.
- “Batman Forever” (1995)
Jim Carrey as the Riddler was the highlight of this movie. The movie seemed very out of place for a Batman movie, and it was very over the top and a bit too much at times. Val Kilmer did an okay job as the Batman, but nothing really stood out as incredible in this movie.
Danny DeVito in this movie is a disgusting rendition of the character “The Penguin”. Some people like his portrayal of the character, but others, like myself, didn’t think it was the best fit for the movie. The overall story was pretty good, but the villain is what holds back this movie from being great.
- “Batman” (1989)
Although this movie was not the best, its historic nostalgia is what made this movie worthwhile. It is one of the very first full movies pertaining to a DC comic superhero, and it has created a franchise that is still running to this day. It truly set the bar high for what a Batman movie should and should not be.
- “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises was a great large-scale movie. There were tons of shots and scenes that were breathtaking, and with a $250 million budget, the movie is a strong ending to the Dark Knight trilogy. The main villain, Bane, truly made Batman look weak compared to him which was a great take on someone who looked to be almost invincible throughout the prior movies.
- “Batman Begins” (2005)
The first rendition of the Christian Bale trilogy started off strong with a movie centered around the creation of Batman. Although the movie started off slow, the ending was exhilarating and everything that one could ask for in a Batman movie. Cilian Murphy’s performance as the villain Scarecrow was strong, and it was fun to watch suspense build up through the movie.
- “The Lego Batman Movie” (2017)
“The Lego Batman” movie was a surprise hit. Made by the same people who made “The Lego Movie,” the film was lighthearted and full of humor. The animation in the film kept the audience engaged, and it was easy to forget that the majority of the film was made through stop-motion animation. Overall, it was a good movie for all ages.
- “The Dark Knight” (2008)
Heath Ledger’s performance of the Joker brings “The Dark Knight” from just another Batman movie to one of the greatest films of all time. Six weeks prior to the shoot, Ledger isolated himself in a hotel room for six weeks in order to perfect the insanity needed for his role. However, Bale’s performance of Batman slightly wanes from the dark tone of the movie. It was hard to take his Batman voice seriously throughout the movie when he was trying to be intimidating. Overall, “The Dark Knight” was incredible, and it will go down as one of the best villain portrayals in all of film.
- “The Batman” (2022)
This movie was a banger. Seeing this movie in theaters brought the experience to the next level, and the soundtrack of the movie brought true emotions out of what the characters were going through. Opposite from “The Dark Knight,” Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Batman is what made this movie shine. With a total runtime of three hours, the movie may be unappealing for those who do not want to sit down and take the time to watch the movie. However, it was truly worth it, and it was engaging from start to finish.
The Batman movie franchise has definitely been a staple in superhero movies for years. Through stark visuals and memorable characters, the Batman movies will be known as the ones that “did it first”. Unlike other movie franchises, whenever there are new actors playing the characters in the movie, the actors always try to go above and beyond in order to “be the best Batman” or “the best Joker”. This competition drives the movies farther and farther, and more movies are to come that will exceed the expectations of viewers.
