Greatest portrayal of Batman?

[BatmanVSuperman]

Bale and Keaton are equal but different types of Batman. Kilmer had potential to be great, but the script was weak.

 

[Rocketman]

It's really a toss-up for me. But today, I'm going with Keaton.

Keaton's Wayne had such an everyman/I'm-not-a-billionaire quality to him that it was impossible not to like him, whereas Bale's facade really made him look like a d-bag, even if it was an act.

The other thing about Keaton is that he was truly playing two people in those films. His Batman was night-and-day compared to his Wayne. His Batman would actually freak me out if I saw him in an alley, whereas Bale's Wayne seemed like a soldier about to put on his battle uniform and get into character. Keaton actually was another person.

Now, ask me in a week and I might change my mind... but I wouldn't change a single thing about Keaton's portrayal in those two films.

 

[Rowsdower!]

While I liked Keaton's Batman voice the best, Bale beats him out in all the other categories for me. His Bruce Wayne was perfect, and he definitely had the physique required for Batman, at least in Batman Begins.

I'm hoping though that Affleck is the best one yet.

 

[Rocketman]

I definitely think Affleck could be the best. Looks-wise, he's already the most accurate portrayal we've ever had by a mile.

 

[AnneFan]

I definitely think Affleck could be the best. Looks-wise, he's already the most accurate portrayal we've ever had by a mile.

I share your opinion. I think he has the potential to be a top tier Batman.

 

[Rocketman]

I share your opinion. I think he has the potential to be a top tier Batman.

Definitely. The suit reveal, and just his overall physique, and the spy shots of him as Wayne, it really feels like he came right out of the comics, like it's the first time someone took the comics I love and said, "Okay, here he is in REAL LIFE."

It really just comes down to his voice and his performance, and I'm sold. And based on Argo, The Town, and Gone Girl, it really doesn't feel like a problem.

 

[dude stannis]

Honestly, I could see Batfleck running away with the title.

 

[Venomfan]

Correct answer is Kevin Conroy, though. All day, every day, twice on Sundays.

yep. Funnily enough, of the live action, I'd say Adam West was most faithful to the comics of the time

 

[Jason Kane]

yep. Funnily enough, of the live action, I'd say Adam West was most faithful to the comics of the time

Both West and Conroy are MVP

 

[Kane52630]

Kevin Conroy.

 

[RustyCage]

Conroy is definitely the greatest voice portrayal, and that should probably be it's own poll, but I can't get past the way he pronounces 'Ra's' as 'Raysche', regardless of what Denny O'Neil wants (he didn't invent Arabic, so he doesn't get to make the call on the pronunciation of Arabic words).

It just sounds so silly and distracts me from the moment.

 

[Schlosser85]

For me it's easily Bale.

 

[Doc Ock]

Michael Keaton, because Kevin Conroy wasn't on the poll.

 

[The Batman]

Live Action Batman isnt the same as James Bond or Superman. With Bond or Superman, Sean Connery and Christopher Reeve are pretty much a clear first place. Batman is more like Sherlock Holmes, where there are multiple actors that share the top spot. As far as I’m concerned the title of “Greatest Batman Portrayal” is shared by three guys: West, Keaton, and Bale.

IMO, in terms of portraying a dark Serious Batman, Keaton is tops. His Batman had that ghost-like presence, along with a superior Batvoice. I prefer Keaton’s mysterious approach to the Batman persona. I also love his approach to Bruce Wayne as well, even if it isn’t comic book accurate. Keaton actually made psycho Batman, a version of Batman I tend to detest, human and likable.

Bale is the best at playing Bruce Wayne. His Bruce was given great dramatic material to work with, and Bale managed to play multiple versions of Bruce, all compelling in their own right.

For all the crap West gets from “Grimdark” fanboys, his Batman remains the most comic accurate to date. His Batman put the character on the map, and was a great camp performance. He, more than any other actor on this poll, made for an accurate representation of a comic book incarnation of Batman. West Batman is the only Batman on this poll that actually seemed like he had genius level intellect.

So while I voted for Keaton on this poll, I’d say all three deserve the crown.

 

[Human Torch]

Live Action Batman isnt the same as James Bond or Superman. With Bond or Superman, Sean Connery and Christopher Reeve are pretty much a clear first place. Batman is more like Sherlock Holmes, where there are multiple actors that share the top spot. As far as I’m concerned the title of “Greatest Batman Portrayal” is shared by three guys: West, Keaton, and Bale.

IMO, in terms of portraying a dark Serious Batman, Keaton is tops. His Batman had that ghost-like presence, along with a superior Batvoice. I prefer Keaton’s mysterious approach to the Batman persona. I also love his approach to Bruce Wayne as well, even if it isn’t comic book accurate. Keaton actually made psycho Batman, a version of Batman I tend to detest, human and likable.

Bale is the best at playing Bruce Wayne. His Bruce was given great dramatic material to work with, and Bale managed to play multiple versions of Bruce, all compelling in their own right.

For all the crap West gets from “Grimdark” fanboys, his Batman remains the most comic accurate to date. His Batman put the character on the map, and was a great camp performance. He, more than any other actor on this poll, made for an accurate representation of a comic book incarnation of Batman. West Batman is the only Batman on this poll that actually seemed like he had genius level intellect.

So while I voted for Keaton on this poll, I’d say all three deserve the crown.

Agreed for the most part.I've always felt that West,Keaton & Bale all captured different aspects of Batman.Unlike Superman,for example,there really has yet to be the definitive Batman in live action. B:TAS is about as close to definitive as it gets in regards to Batman.

 

[Slushy]

Keaton for best Batman; Bale for best Bruce Wayne.

+ 1

Those eyes, chico.

 

[Keyser Soze]

As far as cinematic portrayals go, Christian Bale reigns supreme IMO, though I'll always have a soft spot for Michael Keaton too.

 

[Steve Englehart]

Keaton > Bale

 

[Dark Raven]

I'd say Keaton for the movies. However, West is the only one who seemed like the world's greatest detective and continually used those skills on a weekly basis.

Can we eventually get a "Greatest portrayal of Spider-Man" and "Greatest portrayal of Hulk/ Banner" thread?

 

[Rodrigo90]

Keaton wins based on nostalgia I think.

Honest to God, I cannot fault any one of those actors for what they did.
Yes, not even Clooney. Clooney was basically an update of West, and I have to say, he was the most morally correct of the bunch.

Keaton's Batman didn't have to say or do much, and he was still amazing to witness.

And what I'm going to say, may shock...Bale's Batman, while great, was something I could never handle. Not just the voice, but his whole
"I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you" thing.
He pretty much killed Ra's by not saving him, even if he didn't finish him off before he died.

That is just not Batman to me and I disagree with those who say he gave the definitive portrayal.
I don't think we've ever seen anything close.
Each actor had one or two of Batman's traits, and never the rest, and the one thing that was missing, with nearly all them, asides from CLOONEY, was Batman's devotion to life.
Kilmer was an inbetween evolution of Keaton and Clooney, and I liked his portrayal a lot. He was still very tortured about his past and killing, and in the end he did what he didn't want Robin to do, after setting him on the right path, a path that he himself was taking, while still stumbling.

Bale wasn't nearly as psychologically tortured as I would've liked and his Batman was very confusing and morally disappointing in my eyes.

At least I know where the Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney portrayal was going.

 

[Mandon Knight]

I think the problem to a degree, was the 'no guns, no killing' moralistic aspect seemed to dip in and out of the TDK films, on some ocassions it would be upheld and others not, there was no consistency in the delivery of Bruce's moral fibre.

 

[Rodrigo90]

Absolutely.

In the comics, if Catwoman had done what she did to Bane like in the film, you know Batman would've been conflicted.
Bale didn't bat (no pun intended) two eye lids and ended up being with her.
Sure, he was in a dire situation, but in the comics, they would've undoubtedly addressed this issue.

 

[The Joker]

And what I'm going to say, may shock...Bale's Batman, while great, was something I could never handle. Not just the voice, but his whole
"I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you" thing.
He pretty much killed Ra's by not saving him, even if he didn't finish him off before he died.

No he didn't. If he had trapped Ra's on the train and smashed the brakes, then he would have killed him. Ra's killed himself. Refusing to save him is not killing him.

Simple as that. That's why the line is 'I won't kill you. But I don't have to save you'. Your avatar perfectly illustrates a scene that is the antithesis of what Batman would do; smiling because he's about to murder someone. He would never do that, even if he was forced to kill someone.

That is just not Batman to me and I disagree with those who say he gave the definitive portrayal.

It's the definitive portrayal of the movies. All the others are lacking very important Batman traits (Keaton most of all ironically). Bale is as close as it comes to the full package.

Keaton's Bruce was a dull reclusive type, and his Batman was basically The Punisher, and had no character relationship with Gordon. He's not even the main character in his own movies. The villains are. They're the ones the plots revolve around and get all the development. Which I guess makes sense since they were more interesting than he was, and carried the movies.

I like Keaton's Batman for what it was, but he's the least interesting version of the movies. Even Kilmer and Clooney tapped more into Bruce's soul than Keaton's character did.

Bale wasn't nearly as psychologically tortured as I would've liked and his Batman was very confusing and morally disappointing in my eyes.

How psychologically tortured were you expecting? Was he traumatized by what happened to his parents? Yes. Did he use his fear of bats to become Batman? Yes. What happened when he wasn't needed as Batman any more? He lost his sense of purpose and became a reclusive mess. In what way wasn't he psychologically tortured? What were you expecting, him to be sitting in the dark at night waiting for the batsignal? That's not Batman. He doesn't do that. He gets off his ass and gets out there. He doesn't wait to be called. Not unless you're in the happy camp world of Adam West's Batman with a red Bat phone.

At least I know where the Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney portrayal was going.

No offense but if you missed where Bale was going then you were not paying attention to the movies. His initial plan was to save Gotham and inspire it's people. Then he got so entrenched in it that he could never let go of it (which is why Rachel moved on with Dent). That's why he became so lost after TDK when Batman wasn't needed any more. He lost his purpose.

Absolutely.

In the comics, if Catwoman had done what she did to Bane like in the film, you know Batman would've been conflicted.
Bale didn't bat (no pun intended) two eye lids and ended up being with her.
Sure, he was in a dire situation, but in the comics, they would've undoubtedly addressed this issue.

Rubbish. Catwoman killed Black Mask in the comics. It didn't stop Bruce from loving her and wanting to be with her.

In TDKR there was like minutes to go before the whole city gets blown up. Catwoman was no physical match for Bane. Batman was tied up. She had no choice. Even Batman would recognize that without feeling any conflict.

 

[Beast]

After over 20 years reading comics i can honestly say that letting Ras die when he could easily have saved him is not the most Batman-like thing he could have done. But again, it´s pretty silly to pretend there´s a "definitive" Batman, when the reality is that the character has been pretty schizofrenic over the decades. I guess the "definitive" version of Batman is the one you liked the most, but that doesn´t make it more valid than the others.

Oh, and BTW, Keaton did it better than Bale. None of them was perfect but i have to vote for the guy that didn´t make me cringe while hearing him.

 

[Rodrigo90]

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