Better Bruce Wayne: Christian Bale or Ben Affleck ?

[Batmannerism]

Bale is both a better Batman and a better Bruce Wayne, but Bale especially crushes Affleck when it comes to being Bruce.

Sidenote: The honeymoon phase is over for Batfleck, and I knew that would happen with JL, because it happened with Bale in TDK and TDKR.

Yeah, I have to agree that Bale's performance is much more nuanced- as he's playing three characters in one.
Plus he really captured Batman's rage and guilt.

 

[Deck Rickard]

3 full movies of Bale while 2 movies where Batfleck wasn't the star it is kind of hard to gauge properly.

Seriously? Bruce was the only developed character in BvS, other than maybe Luthor. Superman, Lois, etc. are just window dressing in that movie. The whole thing is centered around Affleck and his dull performance.

 

[DACrowe]

They blamed Goyer.

"Snyder can be great with the right script" was a popular saying back in the day. First time I heard anyone say that about a director...the guy who, above anyone else in the creative process, is ultimately the difference between a film being good or bad.

He had Chris Nolan and David Goyer wrote a story for him, and the film still turned out mediocre. In hindsight, the only reason MOS isn't as bad as BvS is probably because Nolan and Goyer were involved.

Agreed. Man of Steel showed promise for the DCEU and this take on Superman. The worst elements (like Superman killing Zod and Pa Kent trying to stop Clark from ever using his powers in public) were Snyderisms. Nolan actively fought the Zod murder thing.

Batman v Superman was Snyder's vision for Superman unfiltered. And the vision was ****.

Ben actually won this poll from 2016:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=511701

Ben heavily benefited from being the shiny new toy, IMO.

Ha yep, and here is a post I had the week of that (and yes I know this is grating ITYS-ism):

With that said, Affleck is going to DOMINATE this poll the weekend of BvS's release. Ask again in a year or even six months, and it will be much, much closer, I think.

 

[Batmannerism]

Agreed. Man of Steel showed promise for the DCEU and this take on Superman. The worst elements (like Superman killing Zod and Pa Kent trying to stop Clark from ever using his powers in public) were Snyderisms. Nolan actively fought the Zod murder thing.

Batman v Superman was Snyder's vision for Superman unfiltered. And the vision was ****.



Ha yep, and here is a post I had the week of that (and yes I know this is grating ITYS-ism):

For the record I voted for Bale back then too.

 

[BigSams50]

I voted Affleck because i enjoyed his portrayal in BVS, i didnt know he was going to be neutered in JL

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Yea. He was more gentle, empathetic, a team player, a friend/teacher and humble.


What a catastrophe!

He should've been consumed by bloodlust, distant, reactionary, petulant and quoted Dick Cheney more.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Yea. He was more gentle, empathetic, a team player, a friend/teacher and humble.


What a catastrophe!

He should've been consumed by bloodlust, distant, reactionary, petulant and quoted Dick Cheney more.

You can't be serious.

JL Batman is the lowest the character has sank since B&R

 

[Astro13Zombie]

Yea. He was more gentle, empathetic, a team player, a friend/teacher and humble.


What a catastrophe!

He should've been consumed by bloodlust, distant, reactionary, petulant and quoted Dick Cheney more.

I hated Batman in JL

I wasn’t asking for any of that

 

[Mandon Knight]

I hated Batman in JL

I wasn’t asking for any of that

...and neither was Affleck sadly.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

I hated Batman in JL

I wasn’t asking for any of that

Yeah, sorry. You didn't get Trust Fund Punisher.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

You can't be serious.

JL Batman is the lowest the character has sank since B&R

Where am I not serious? Batman sank far lower in BvS. Nothing in JL reaches as low as Martha.

 

[Kane52630]

The Bat Credit Card > Martha

 

[Astro13Zombie]

Yeah, sorry. You didn't get Trust Fund Punisher.

Son

I’m saying I wasn’t asking for that.
Not getting that in JL isn’t why I hated batman

 

[Spider-Aziz]

In BvS he was a murderous psychopath with insecurities, in JL he was a suicidal maniac with insecurities.
In both cases Batffleck was mostly ineffectual and maddeningly careless.

 

[Batmannerism]

In BvS he was a murderous psychopath with insecurities, in JL he was a suicidal maniac with insecurities.
In both cases Batffleck was mostly ineffectual and maddeningly careless.

I've always thought that Batman was all about overcoming personal demons. He's got insecurities and possibly psychoses but he gets on with the job. Bale's Batman in TDKR started off as pathetic, then graduated to foolishly confident, then had to find his inner rage in order to go back it Gotham and save the day - and at the end he let's it all go.

Sadly Affleck's arc in B v S and JL was very subdued and he doesn't seem to grow very much - and there's no transition from killer to protector.

It isn't just a case of Bale being a better actor - which I don't think anyone can argue with - it's that Nolan's Batman is also a better character in terms of concept, characterisation and direction.

I'm glad that people seem to have realised, that after the novelty of Batman as a superhuman killer ninja wore off, that Bale's/ Nolan's Batman that is the superior portrayal and characterisation.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

I've always thought that Batman was all about overcoming personal demons. He's got insecurities and possibly psychoses but he gets on with the job. Bale's Batman in TDKR started off as pathetic, then graduated to foolishly confident, then had to find his inner rage in order to go back it Gotham and save the day - and at the end he let's it all go.

They took the idea of an insecure rich guy with the trauma who doesn't like having any of the other characters guest appear in Gotham (a point I honestly agree with and don't find an insecurity), and took it many steps further.

"If there is 1% chance he can turn on us, we must take it as absolute certainty"
Moved inorganically to
"I failed him, he inspired the world with hope, and I let him die. I must let myself die after assembling a team of extraordinary people, then let myself die while they stand on the sidelines, that will sure make me the Phil Coulson of this story"

Sadly Affleck's arc in B v S and JL was very subdued and he doesn't seem to grow very much - and there's no transition from killer to protector.

That's an issue standing out like a headache.

It isn't just a case of Bale being a better actor - which I don't think anyone can argue with - it's that Nolan's Batman is also a better character in terms of concept, characterisation and direction.

I'm glad that people seem to have realised, that after the novelty of Batman as a superhuman killer ninja wore off, that Bale's/ Nolan's Batman that is the superior portrayal and characterisation.

 

[ernesth100]

Christian. He played the playboy perfect. Affleck felt like Batman 24/7 even when he was trying to act normal. Idk.

 

[BatLobster]

I didn't have too much of a problem with the characterization in Justice League, but the problem is Affleck looks visibly emotionally checked out and Batman overall just isn't very memorable in the film.

However you want to slice it, cinematic Batman has taken a hit as a brand in the wake of these last two films.

 

[Deck Rickard]

The Bat Credit Card > Martha

"WHY DID YOU MAKE THAT $17,500 PURCHASE ON AMAZON?!!!!!"

 

[Astro13Zombie]

"WHY DID YOU MAKE THAT $17,500 PURCHASE ON AMAZON?!!!!!"

That’s REALLY what happened to Robin

 

[Mandon Knight]

Batman - Ben

Bruce - Christian

 

[Lantern Venom]

The Bat Credit Card > Martha

 

[FunkMiller]

Batman - Ben

Bruce - Christian

Can you give me an argument for Ben Affleck being the better Batman that isn’t based on aesthetics?

 

[Mandon Knight]

Can you give me an argument for Ben Affleck being the better Batman that isn’t based on aesthetics?

Can you let me have an opinion, that whilst doesn't match the majority, is my own ?

 

[FunkMiller]

Can you let me have an opinion, that whilst doesn't match the majority, is my own ?

You’ve stated that you think Ben Affleck is a better Batman than Christian Bale. I’d like to hear a reason, other than one based on the way he looks - because that is a terrible reason. I have no issue with you preferring Affleck, I’d just like to know if it’s based on anything beyond the superficial level of how his Batsuit looks.