Ranking the (Non-Animated) Film Batmans!


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Gradine

The Elephant in the Room (she/her)
Hot Take: The Keaton movies haven't aged very well, and the Schumacher films are underrated. Give me fun, campy Batman over Grumbly Growlman #4.

Okay, Clooney was kind of a snooze but Kilmer fit the role he was asked to play quite well.

Batman Forever is quite fun, actually.
 



Blackrat

He Who Lurks Beyond The Veil
Ok, I’ll throw in my list:
1. Keaton
2. West
3. Affleck
4. Clooney
5. Bale
6. Kilmer

I mostly agree with OP’s reasons on all but Bale and Clooney. While Bale was certainly great as Batman, I did not buy him as Bruce Wayne. Dark Knight Trilogy was great entertainment, but it was too grimdark. Clooney on the other hand was great as Bruce Wayne and the movie had the cartoon sillyness of the old tv series, and although it was a bit too silly, I loved it way more than Dark Knights.
 


They have yet to come close to casting Batman well.

Seems almost impossible; Ben Affleck is probably the closest, physically (Bruce is a big guy), but his performance and material to work with have been lacking so far.

Adam West had the best face for Bruce (in the mask).
 


Moon_Goddess

Have I really been on this site for over 20 years!
1. Keaton
2. Bale
3. West
4. Kilmer
5. Clooney.
6. (temp ranking till seen) Pattinson
7. Affleck
 

So far it looks like Keaton is far in the lead, followed distantly by Bale. I'm a little surprised that Keaton's lead is so great, but I certainly would pick him as my favorite non-animated Batman to date. He had a remoteness and quirkiness that both humanized him and showed the damaged psyche of the character.

Bale was fine, but a little bland coming from the actor that had such a bravura performance in American Psycho.

Still waiting for someone to do a live action movie of Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth.
 

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