10 Best Batman Movies, Ranked

Batman has been gracing the big screen since as far back as 1943. The iconic Caped Crusader hit the big screen just four short years after he was first introduced in DC Comics. Of course, considering it was 1943, the very first theatrical Batman serial was rough. A very young Wilson Lewis played a not very compelling costumed Batman in a plot that was filled with war propaganda and racism. By 1949, Batman had received another far less offensive serial, Batman & Robin. However, the production was pitifully cheap and still didn’t come close to capturing the essence of what we now think of as Batman.

It wasn’t until 1966 that the hero received his first proper theatrical film adaption in Batman. Adam West took on the role and engaged audiences with his campy heroic take on the Caped Crusader. By 1989 Warner Bros. began their initial Batman series which saw Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and George Clooney take on the role of Batman throughout four films. Sadly, the franchise ended on a sour note when the fourth installment, Batman & Robin badly missed its mark and featured a lackluster Clooney in the role of Batman.

However, that didn’t stop Warner Bros. from giving Batman another go with The Dark Knight trilogy starring Christian Bale. Just a few short years later, Warner Bros. introduced Ben Affleck as the DC Extended Universe’s (DCEU) Batman and also confirmed that Keaton will return as the character in The Flash. Meanwhile, Matt Reeves’ The Batman was released this year in a separate universe from the DCEU. Needless to say, more Batman films are definitely on the horizon. To prepare for them, let’s look back on the 10 best Batman films, ranked from worst to best.

10. Batman Forever

Batman Forever premiered on June 16, 1995, and marked the third installment in Warner Bros.’s original Batman series. The film was quite different from its two predecessors as it saw Val Kilmer replace Michael Keaton as Batman and Joel Schumacher step up as director in place of Tim Burton. Batman Forever follows Batman as he contends with the villains Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey) while also balancing his personal life as he takes in an orphan boy named Dick Grayson (Chris O’Donnell) and pursues a relationship with Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman).

Batman Forever received mixed-to-negative reviews. The drastic shift in tone from its predecessors and the replacement of Keaton with Kilmer placed the film at a disadvantage. It also suffered from being overstuffed and too campy with villains who were way too zany. While Kilmer offered a unique take on Batman, it can’t be denied it was a step down from Keaton’s masterful portrayal. With that being said, Batman Forever is still one of the most fun and entertaining Batman films to watch. While Carrey and Jones were a little over the top, they did still boast an alluring charm and charisma in their performances. It isn’t the best Batman film out there but it’s at least worthy of a watch.

9. Justice League (2017)

Justice League premiered in 2017 and marked Ben Affleck’s second starring role in the DCEU as Batman. The film sees the catastrophic threat of the villain Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) arise in the wake of Superman’s (Henry Cavill) death. Batman steps up to face the threat, alongside Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). However, the threat is bigger than just the two of them. As a result, Batman rallies a team of meta-humans to join his fight against Steppenwolf. Among his recruits are Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher).

Justice League received largely mixed-to-negative reviews. The expectations that came with its huge budget and large-scale superhero team-up also added to the letdown of the film. Justice League took on an unexpectedly light tone that didn’t mesh with the original direction of the franchise that Zack Snyder had established. Additionally, the plot suffered from being predictable and the film held too many empty action sequences. However, the cast of Justice League was delightful and boasted heartfelt performances. It also created some excitement with its superhero crossover and action. While it lacks depth, it’s not bad as a basic, action-packed superhero flick.

8. Batman (1966)

Batman was the very first full-length live-action Batman film that premiered in 1966. It didn’t have much of a precedent to follow aside from the low-budget theatrical serials from 1943 and 1949. The film is based on the 1966 TV series of the same name and stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. Batman sees Batman and Robin team up to confront some of Batman’s most iconic villains including Catwoman (Lee Meriwether), The Joker (Cesar Romero), The Riddler (Frank Gorshin), and The Penguin (Burgess Meredith).

Batman is, by far, the campiest film on this list. However, the campy tone was both intentional and very well-framed. The cheesiness and campiness are done so well that it makes the film endearing and delightful. Its goofiness has an undeniable charm to it, and West is as masterful as Batman in the film as he was in the TV series. While it doesn’t come close to the maturity and depth of other films on this list, it is a fun and enjoyable film for true fans of Batman and for those who appreciate classic filmography.

7. The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises was the final installment in Nolan’s trilogy and premiered in 2012. The film takes place eight years after the events of The Dark Knight and sees Batman still in exile after taking responsibility for Harvey Dent’s (Aaron Eckhart) death. While lying low seemed like the best option for Gotham, that changes when Bane (Tom Hardy) arrives on the scene. The mysterious and dangerous villain seeks to finish Ra’s al Ghul’s plan and cause the destruction of Gotham.

The Dark Knight Rises was a worthy conclusion to the trilogy. It was emotionally moving and featured masterful performances and directing by Nolan. However, it was at a disadvantage by following The Dark Knight, which was the best installment in the franchise. Plus, the whole film felt off because the third installment should have included The Joker, but could not do so due to Heath Ledger’s passing. This led to Bane being the primary villain. Though masterfully portrayed by Hardy, Bane fell flat in the wake of The Joker and Two-Face. He lacked motivation and depth, and the plot as a whole was rather messy. However, it was such a well-made film that these flaws are hardly noticeable.

6. Zack Snyder’s Justice League

After the Joss Whedon-directed Justice League premiered and failed, fans began to call for Zack Snyder’s initial director’s cut of the film to be released. Warner Bros. heeded fans’ desires and released Zack Snyder’s Justice League in 2021. The film’s plot is identical to that of Justice League, in which Batman (Ben Affleck) recruits a team of metahumans to fight a nefarious villain. However, the Snyder version is nearly double the length, providing more much-needed context, character development, action, and depth.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a much more sophisticated and developed film than Justice League. The visuals are grand, the characters are fleshed out, and the film has a consistent tone. Zack Snyder’s Justice League is very good in comparison to the initial film, but on its own, it doesn’t hold up so well. It is an overly long film with a very basic plot and relies too heavily on action and CGI. Zack Snyder’s Justice League fixed where Justice League went wrong on the characters, but little else.

5. Batman Begins

Batman Begins marked the start of Christopher Nolan’s reboot Batman series, The Dark Knight trilogy. The film follows a young Bruce Wayne who is still grappling with the trauma of witnessing his parents’ murder when he was a child. While traveling to instill a deeper understanding of the criminal underworld, Wayne becomes acquainted with Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), who views Gotham as a wretched city that must be destroyed. Wayne rejects this philosophy and returns to Gotham under the guise of his Batman persona to prove the city can be saved without resorting to murder.

Batman Begins is a historic movie that revolutionized how film approached Batman. It was the first Batman film to embrace a truly dark and gritty tone. Additionally, Bale offered a masterful portrayal of Batman as a flawed and vengeful human. Batman Begins was serious, mature, with advanced visual effects, and outstanding acting performances. With that being said, the film works well as an origin story but it featured an underwhelming villain and at times felt stiff and underdeveloped. It’s a hard film to rate because, for its period, it was a particularly sophisticated superhero film, however, when compared to its successors, its flaws are more noticeable.

4. Batman (1989)

Warner Bros.’s 1989 film, Batman, marked the first truly modern Batman film. It ditched the cheap production and campy humor of the serials and films before it and delved into a more nuanced exploration of the iconic hero. The film follows Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), a man haunted by his parents’ brutal deaths, who fights crime in Gotham under the disguise of Batman. However, when the Joker (Jack Nicholson) shows up in the Gotham criminal underworld, Batman finds himself faced with his most challenging opponent yet.

Batman is a groundbreaking and historic film. Director Tim Burton has a strong style and the product is appealing. The film has a very noir feel to it and the brooding tone that would become characteristic of future Batman films. Meanwhile, Keaton and Nicholson were phenomenal in their performances as Batman and the Joker. At the same time, Batman‘s legacy may be a bit better than its actual quality. The film had flaws, such as shifting from the source material in some areas, choppy dialogue, and suffering from a plot that isn’t too exciting. Despite the flaws, though, it contains a clear vision from Burton and showed viewers everything that a Batman film could be.

3. The Batman

The Batman premiered in 2022 and is a standalone film set outside the DCEU. The film follows Batman (Robert Pattinson) as he investigates a mysterious series of murders in Gotham. His investigation becomes more urgent as he finds himself dealing with a sadistic killer who targets him with cryptic riddles and clues. However, he digs up more than he intended as he uncovers deep-set corruption in Gotham and a flawed family legacy. These difficult truths leave him struggling with the question of whether Gotham even deserves to be saved.

Matt Reeves’ created a truly intriguing and powerful film with The Batman. Like Batman (1989) it capitalizes on that noir feel and brooding tone. Pattinson’s Batman is a very fleshed-out and humanized character who is conflicted over how to carry on his family’s legacy and whether to maintain his superhero identity. The film also offers a nice dose of comic book accuracy by delving into Batman’s detective role. The Batman has some minor flaws, such as not fleshing out several of its characters and dragging a bit with its slow pacing. However, it captured a clear vision and dazzled with its touching, resonating noir atmosphere.

2. Batman Returns

Tim Burton and Michael Keaton returned for Batman‘s sequel, Batman Returns, which premiered in 1992. Batman Returns sees Batman pitted against a formidable villainous duo, The Penguin (Danny DeVito) and Max Shreck (Christopher Walken). The duo becomes a trio when Shreck’s former assistant, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), transforms into Catwoman. However, things become fairly complicated when an attraction develops between Catwoman and Batman.

Burton managed to return with a sequel that exceeded its predecessor. While it didn’t quite boast the same legacy as Batman, it further captured Burton’s brilliant vision. The film benefits by being even edgier and grittier than Batman and fully embraces its noir tone. Meanwhile, DeVito and Pfeiffer stole the show with their brilliant performances. Their villains were so masterful that few foes in live-action Batman films have been able to top them. Together, Keaton, DeVito, and Pfeiffer marked one of the best lead casts of a Batman film. There are very few flaws in the haunting and brilliant film, aside from Batman getting a bit overshadowed by his foes.

1. The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight premiered in 2008 and is one of the greatest superhero films ever made. The film is the second installment in Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. It follows Batman as his reign as Gotham’s protector is elevated with the aid of Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). However, Gotham falls into a state of perpetual chaos as a deranged criminal, The Joker (Heath Ledger), shows up and plays mind games with Batman in an attempt to make him forgo his moral code.

The Dark Knight flawlessly meshed an action-packed superhero film with a mesmerizing psychological crime thriller. The Dark Knight is nearly flawless. It is bold and intense, action-packed yet intricate, and features one of the greatest live-action performances of a villain. Ledger stole the show with his nuanced psychological portrayal of The Joker, which can be described as nothing short of brilliant. Meanwhile, the film also featured a very intriguing commentary on ethics and terrorism. What made The Dark Knight so brilliant is how deep it actually goes while remaining an exciting, superhero movie on the surface. It brought something new and refreshing to the superhero genre and few films have topped it since.

(featured image: Warner Bros.)

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