How would you rate Christian Bale's performance as Batman?

[Kevin Smith]

Originally Posted by Project862006

2 out of 4 keatons
/

Perfection.

Love this. Lol.

[Kevin Smith]

I do want the new Batman to be different from his in that he should be closer to the animated series/comics Batman and they should play up his intellect/genius more, I want to see him working on his own stuff, inventing his own stuff, doing detective work (which should be the bulk of his character, this one more than anything I think), an awesome batcave with bat gadgets, etc, the only way I want it to be similar to Nolan's is that I want it to be a well crafted portrayal.

[KRYPTON INC.]

Can I give Bale an incomplete grade?

I loved him in BB as both Bruce and in costume. After that? I think there is less progression for the character. Yes the stuff in the prison has some psychological meat to it, but it doesn't add up to much for me .

On balance he is the best we've had so far in live action. He's no Conroy, and that's coming from someone not totally in love with the TIMM/DINI stuff.

[NosfeRomas]

I loved the whole package ! His Bruce Wayne was awesome, his Batman was awesome, the voice weird at first but then i loved it. He is a kick ass actor and he delivered ! That's a fact !

Not the only Batman than can exist in live action but even if the next guy does an equaly awesome job and he is closer to comic book-fantasy Batman, Bale's performance will still be amazing and the fact that he really became Bruce Wayne in real life by contributing to charaties and visiting the Colorado shooting victims makes him a real hero to my eyes !

[MydnightPhoenix]

Didn't love the poll, I thought he was badass but not that much. I wonder who criminals would be more afraid of Christian of Michael as Batman. I feel Christian did good but it can be topped; it wasn't like Robert as Ironman, I greatly believe that character should be retired from movies because no one will ever top it. I Bale's best story and performance were in BB. In TDK he was overshadowed by The Joker.

[\S/JcDc\S/]

If I made a thread like this it would be deleted with these silly poll choices. Just saying.

[MydnightPhoenix]

:gravelyBatmanvoice: Why do ya wanna delete me

[Tra-El]

I think Bale did a helluva job with both Bruce Wayne AND Batman alike. When he needed to be badass, he was certainly badass. When he needed to be collective, he was collective, but he didn't stick out so to speak judging by the more over-the-top villains and the complex stories and developments being told. Judging the Batman character, he's supposed to be behind the shadows so it was nice to see Bale's supporting cast pick up that slack if Bale fell flat in area's but most of the time in the series, I felt Batman, Bale especially, was overshadowed by others and the acting involved but that wasn't a result of him lacking whatsoever.

I'd give him a 3.8/5 Keaton's (lol.) More than good enough to be the face of Batman for all these years.

[TheFlamingCoco]

Originally Posted by Szetsilya

Didn't love the poll, I thought he was badass but not that much. I wonder who criminals would be more afraid of Christian of Michael as Batman. I feel Christian did good but it can be topped; it wasn't like Robert as Ironman, I greatly believe that character should be retired from movies because no one will ever top it. I Bale's best story and performance were in BB. In TDK he was overshadowed by The Joker.

In TDK he was overshadowed by TJ (everyone was, though, especially Oldman).

In TDKR he was overshadowed by the amount of man-made disasters that was going on in Gothman by Bane and his man.

BB was the only film in the series that let Bruce have his own movie, IMHO.

His voice was spotty now and then, and his Batman was primarily a reactionist, rather than an offensive character.

But I think his Wayne was fine, and he put a lot of passion in the role. 7/10 all things considered.
BB-8-TDK-7-TDKR-6.5 (And I LIKED the movie, I just liked the supporting characters more. His performance was great at times, but didn't have the sense of energy NOR madness in the earlier films.)

[JackWhite]

Loved everything about his Batman. He was edgy, threatening, cold, cunning etc. What I loved about Bale's Batman in the Nolan trilogy is we got a little bit of everything (for the most part) from the comics, especially the modern graphic novels. Obviously some things more or less. I hold his performances in BB and especially TDK in a slightly higher regard than TDKR, but that's mostly because we don't get to see much of him in the suit. But still, when he's on screen in full Batman mode in TDKR he continues to nail it. Shame the film had a little too much going on for its own good. Even though Bruce is not in his prime in the film; if we had a few more scenes like ones where Batman is giving out orders like his scenes with Blake freeing the cops, giving Selina the bat-pod, the "light it up scene" and his initial return scene, I think the film would have benefited from it. Especially when you consider just how aware and up to par he was in the previous films. I understand the whole "out of the game" premise, but seeing a few more scenes like the ones mentioned above would have made Bruce's struggle and ultimate victory over Bane that more satisfying.

As for the voice, I've always loved it, lol. The only time I felt it was too much was during his last scene with the Joker. Where's the trigger was mostly due to him asking for it one too many times, plus "You'd never give it to an ordinary citizen" is just a bad line altogether. Besides that, I'm one of the few who actually champions the voice.

[Bruce_Begins]

Bale gave an all round performance as Bruce Wayne and Batman, my only complaint was in the last scene he had with Joker in TDK, he sounded awful then but maybe it was done on purpose, to show that he was exhausted.

Very good performance in the whole trilogy.

[Mister Meddle]

I think Bale did a pretty good job. I just didn't like his suit, the lousy voice and at times it felt like his performance was really forced. I thought he was much better as Bruce Wayne. His Batman was badass but not "extremely" badass. I give him 7.5 jigsaw pieces out of 10.

[ЯɘvlveR]

the best bruce wayne that's ever been, but his batman wasn't as good after begins, though begins is better then both tdk and tdkr to me.

[Rowsdower!]

Originally Posted by Bruce_Begins

Bale gave an all round performance as Bruce Wayne and Batman, my only complaint was in the last scene he had with Joker in TDK, he sounded awful then but maybe it was done on purpose, to show that he was exhausted.

Very good performance in the whole trilogy.

Yeah, I believe he was trying to show he was exhausted. I mean, he just ran up an entire building and fought an army of thugs AND cops, then got mauled by dogs and beaten with a pipe.

[Skrilla31]

On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being absolutely abysmal, 5 being serviceable, and 10 being so perfect that he's become borderline synonymous with the character in live action... I'd rate Christian Bale about a 4.5-5. I just don't think he brought anything to the role outside of what was written on the page. Very odd choices all around and just a black hole of charisma. He wasn't BAD, but if a gun was pointed to my head I'd still probably lean closer to "bad" than I would "good".

Keaton is still the best imo.

[STARMAN]

I like Bale a lot as Batman. I thought he was best in Batman Begins. The sequels became more about the villains and supporting characters.

[Green Goblin]

I thought his Bruce Wayne was great though overall, his Batman wasn't as good as Keatons.

[MydnightPhoenix]

Originally Posted by TheFlamingCoco

In TDK he was overshadowed by TJ (everyone was, though, especially Oldman).

In TDKR he was overshadowed by the amount of man-made disasters that was going on in Gothman by Bane and his man.

BB was the only film in the series that let Bruce have his own movie, IMHO.

That's exactly what I thought, I guess that's why TDK isn't my favorite of the movies because he really wasn't the main focus. On that same note I didn't love Gordon in TDK as much as I did in BB an TDKR. I liked Bale's real Bruce Wayne when he Alfred or Lucius; the public Bruce I didn't like but that was only because he played up te empty headed playboy routine. I honestly can't remember ever seeing that actually on screen before.

[TheFlamingCoco]

Originally Posted by Jim-El

What...No love for Adam West?...

Bale was great and in my mind irreplaceable.

Switch that up with Adam West.

Calm down, guys. West, is in my mind, the definitive Silver Age Batman on screen. Sure, I think Bader and WarBurton could play a similar role in live action, but I don't think they would have that type of Shatneresque mock seriousness that made his role so enjoyable. "They might be drinkers, Robin, but they are human beings too!

But I don't want to go back there.

I want there to be a similar performance, in how West was to the old Batman series, in terms of an iconic status. I think Bale is a sampling of what people like me want. But for me, the Arkham game is closer to the full course meal. Of course, nothing is better than the images and textural renderings of the character.

[MrIndianaJones]

I really, really liked Bale's performance as Wayne/Batman in the trilogy. He was absolutely fantastic. I do hope that he can return for the Batman/Superman film though. But I doubt he will return.

[pr0xyt0xin]

- A great physical portrayal of Batman
- The voice was ridiculous
- A profound, complex and deeply moving performance
- The New Batman should be nothing like him

I'd probably rank him around an 8/10, similar to Keaton's 9/10. But way better than Kilmer's 4/10, Clooney's 5/10, and West's 5/10.

[godisawesome]

In the characters moments of sincerity and in the majority of scenes on the suit, excellent. In the moments as playboy Bruce Wayne, still very, very good. And I'm actually going to argue that Bale played a much more Late-Silver Age Batman than anything else. The character overcomes his bitter rage in BB; that's really the single biggest difference between him and Ra's Al Ghul, who still has a particular venom that seeps out of his tone when talking about people he perceives as guilty. This Bruce Wayne is one of the most emphatic and altruistic versions, and even seems more inclined to sorrow than rage. Modern comic Batman is expected to go ballistic on anyone who's hurt his friends, while the Joker manages to almost make Batman forfeit here through emotional exhaustion.

Still, I am definitely hoping for a different interpretation for the character in World's Finest. I want a Batman who's more visceral on his anger while maybe a bit more gleeful in his disguise as a playboy. I want a Batman who's relationship with Alfred is a bit more confrontational, with the butler being more of an accountability mentor than just a sage guide. In fact I want a genuinely more aggressive and darker attitude for Batman, the kind where he's be more flustered at Catwoman's flirtations than reciprocal, and someone who seems a little on the edge like Keaton's. I want a youthful Bruce Wayne and a bitter, anti-social Batman.

And then I want to introduce Robin and promptly change all that.

[Drakepool]

Aside from that godawful voice, he was alright.

[zmystico]

Only 2 men did good jobs at Bruce Wayne/Batman...Keaton & Bale...

Keaton was good in the suit, much different fighting style but I liked his look in the suit...his Bruce Wayne was a little too goofish. His voice was good in both.

Bale was awesome as Bruce and Batman...faster fighting style, but the voice was too strained.

[weezerspider]

Bale was perfect. The few problems with Nolan's and Bale's interpretation of the character were not from the performer, but from the director and writers. Bale can't help that Nolan didn't have more detective stuff in the films and Bale's voice in Begins was great and Nolan really ****ed it up in Post-Production in TDK and TDKR.

Regarding Bale being average in TDK: In comedy routines, the straight man gets the most money because its much harder to be the straight man and set up the jokes and be the anchor of the scenes. Bale was Ledger's straight man in TDK. He set it all up for Ledger. Bale's performance was the anchor in the film that allowed Ledger to play so perfectly against his Batman.

I agree that the poll's choices are bizarre.