Is Bale a good Batman?

[Bruce_Wayne29]

I think he's a good/great year one Batman (even though I don't like his voice as Batman). But not a great Batman as far as the established version, the myth/urban legend. Keaton rules on that camp.

 

[TheDarkKnight08]

Here is a clip that I think defines how badass Bale as Batman is from BB.



Sorry this is the best I can find on youtube but watch 00:30 to 1:30 or all the way to 3:45 to see where I think Bale is just so in character as Batman. The stares he gives Ra's and the almost animalistic rage that overcomes them right before he lunges four of Ra's ninja-pawns IS Batman to me. As is the stare at 3:45.

Agreed. Now, let me ask, did you like Bale as Batman better in TDK or in BB?

 

[TheDarkKnight08]

I think he's a good/great year one Batman. But not a great Batman as far as the established version, the myth/urban legend. Keaton rules on that camp.

Though I love Bale as Batman, I do agree with him being kinda like Year One Batman. Though I'm positive Nolan will finally bring out the myth/urban legend aspect of Batman in the next. I've always seen Nolan's Batman as Year One Batman, so I think it's a matter of time, and who him and his brother decide to focus the next on. Batman would the logical choice, due to the introduction of true anarchy with the Joker in TDK, as to show how much Batman and Gotham need each other to co-exist.

That's just my 2 cents, though.

 

[The Chris]

Bale is the best. He's the most believable as the dark knight for many reasons. His voice for one, completely changing it to something that may not be pretty for the ears but unrecognizable and most of all intimidating. His screen presence as Batman is the best. It's hard to explain but I'll try by saying that he doesn't come across as a dude in a halloween costume. The interrogation is a good example of that. Just made me go, damn this guy is BATMAN! It also helps that his Batman is a better fighter than the rest and just overall better written.

He also shows much more emotion in the cowl, and to be able to show emotion under a mask is very impressive, whether being angry (Like interrogation), cold as ice (When you're finished, type in your name), and shocked or hurt (Maroni scene, "It wasn't")

 

[DACrowe]

Agreed. Now, let me ask, did you like Bale as Batman better in TDK or in BB?

I liked him better as Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins as it is more Bruce Wayne's story. I felt in the Dark Knight he was in an ensemble with splitting the lead role equally between himself, Ledger, Eckhart and Oldman to a lesser extent. But I think his Batman improved and as I said in my original post, he simply was Batman. In BB I thought "Oh cool they incoroporated a high flying interrogation" or "Awesome they did Batman visiting Gordon at his home."

Here it wasn't making those pieces come together, he simply was the Batman persona alive onscreen, so much so that I think critics and fans take it for granted as they gawk at what Ledger did. I also think Echart and Oldman get the cold shoulder unfairly as well.

 

[[A]]

it seems that a grand majority of fans hate him

What!? Who!? Who doesn't want to wear the ribbon?!? I mean, who doesn't like Bale!?!? Point them out for me, please. For the record, I love Bale as Batman

 

[TheDarkKnight08]

I liked him better as Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins as it is more Bruce Wayne's story. I felt in the Dark Knight he was in an ensemble with splitting the lead role equally between himself, Ledger, Eckhart and Oldman to a lesser extent. But I think his Batman improved and as I said in my original post, he simply was Batman. In BB I thought "Oh cool they incoroporated a high flying interrogation" or "Awesome they did Batman visiting Gordon at his home."

Here it wasn't making those pieces come together, he simply was the Batman persona alive onscreen, so much so that I think critics and fans take it for granted as they gawk at what Ledger did. I also think Echart and Oldman get the cold shoulder unfairly as well.

Agreed, though, believe it or not, Oldman is getting his props. I think it was because of the expansion of his role in TDK as Gordon, and we finally get to call him Comissioner.

But, you're right, he WAS Batman in TDK. All of his aspects, his character traits, they were all there. I'm only hoping both Batman AND Bruce Wayne are the focal point in BB3, as in BB.

 

[thcapedcrusader]

bale 1) physically fits the role; 2) separates the two sides of bruce/batman

 

[Superwoman Prime]

Bale is okay as Batman. Sometimes it seems like he's trying too hard, and then randomly not trying hard enough. I don't know. It's hard to explain. I was expecting him to improve a lot by TDK... but I was let down in that instance. It's like he WANTS to be Batman, and really understands the character. I respect him for that.

He's good. Not anything to write home about, though.

 

[the GRIN Reaper]

He's nothing to write home about, yet virtually every movie critic and poll has him sitting firmly at the top of the heap.

 

[DeaDheaD]

I think Bale has just gotten it right so far, I can really see the respect he gives to the character, I thought Keaton was the definition of Batman before Bale, but usually I lean more towards Bale.... I just think Bale "gets it" in terms of separating the different personalities of Batman.....You can tell he did his homework.

 

[Ziggyman]

I really like Bale's Batman!

 

[El Payaso]

Good? Of course Bale is a good Batman!!!

 

[Superwoman Prime]

He's nothing to write home about, yet virtually every movie critic and poll has him sitting firmly at the top of the heap.

Not on this critic's heap. Get over yourself, Grin Reaper, or you and I are going to have some problems.

 

[the GRIN Reaper]

Not on this critic's heap. Get over yourself, Grin Reaper, or you and I are going to have some problems.

I'll take proven veteran movie critics opinion over uhhh ... yours. Bale's performance in The Dark Knight was just as convincing if not more than anyone elses. It was subtle, in a movie that isn't subtle at all. His performance kept the movie balanced. BBC wrote a great article on how Bale's performance is being dramatically overlooked. And let's also not forget that with Batman Begins, it was the first Bat-film that wasn't an ensemble piece, that was firmly about Bruce Wayne's journey, and Bale carried the weight of the entire movie. He is the first actor to don the entire weight of the movie as a character, and it worked because he is the best actor of the bunch, and was the most convincing of the bunch. You wouldn't have TDK and the out of this world ensemble piece that it was without Bale's AMAZING performance in Batman Begins. So when you say "nothing to write home about" ... I take that as you completely and utterly talking out of your ass, or just being ignorant to the fact. He's the best performance from top to bottom, most well rounded character, had the most range in his performances as Bruce Wayne / Batman. There isn't even a comparison to anyone else who took on the role. It would be like comparing a star franchise player who has to carry more weight for a sports team, to a really good role player on a very good team.

And I could give a rat's ass if me and you have problems.

 

[The Chris]

Still say that no matter how great Ledger and Eckhart in this, Bale still runs the asylum. What's great too is that his Batman isn't perfect by any means but the fact that you could tell that he is evolving to the point that he can 100% be the Batman that most people know is great. To see him get there makes him the best. Also that anger in that intterogation scene. Sweet god. I was really paying attention to Bale in the second viewing. First viewing was all about Ledger and the film's quality, but with the complaints about the voice, view 2 was about the Bale, and that scene was to me the high point. I mean he was freakin shaking with anger.Imagine a calm and cool, non-growling batman there, I don't think it would have worked as well. That's what's great about this Batman. he's not TOO cold and dark that you don't get reminded of what he is in the first place, which is a good human being trying to do the right thing. I think sometimes actors playing Batman can get too caught up with the darkness and mystique that in some scenes he can come across as a terminator (except that scene in the end of Batman returns with catwoman and walken, fav Keaton Batman acting), but Bale is like, "You know what, I've got that, what else can I do", And the way you see just how much of the world is truly on his shoulders, and how much he can take and not take. Bale really had the hardest job in the movie really. Trying to be an emotional yet cold and bad ass Batman, while also not trying to over do emotion like some actors would, while then also not being overshadowed in his own movie. Bale triumphed.

 

[the GRIN Reaper]

Exactly, who wants a lame character without flaws? Bale's Bruce Wayne is a hero that makes mistakes "but learns from them" ... seeing his character fail then succeed is the ultimate pay off. You can actually root for him as a person. He's human. Even though people in his world just know him as this mythic urban beast. Bale's character has struggles, and Bale's great acting personifies that and brings a huge dose of humanity to the character.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

I'll take proven veteran movie critics opinion over uhhh ... yours. Bale's performance in The Dark Knight was just as convincing if not more than anyone elses. It was subtle, in a movie that isn't subtle at all. His performance kept the movie balanced. BBC wrote a great article on how Bale's performance is being dramatically overlooked. And let's also not forget that with Batman Begins, it was the first Bat-film that wasn't an ensemble piece, that was firmly about Bruce Wayne's journey, and Bale carried the weight of the entire movie. He is the first actor to don the entire weight of the movie as a character, and it worked because he is the best actor of the bunch, and was the most convincing of the bunch. You wouldn't have TDK and the out of this world ensemble piece that it was without Bale's AMAZING performance in Batman Begins. So when you say "nothing to write home about" ... I take that as you completely and utterly talking out of your ass, or just being ignorant to the fact. He's the best performance from top to bottom, most well rounded character, had the most range in his performances as Bruce Wayne / Batman. There isn't even a comparison to anyone else who took on the role. It would be like comparing a star franchise player who has to carry more weight for a sports team, to a really good role player on a very good team.

And I could give a rat's ass if me and you have problems.

I'm not concerned about "what you'll take." I didn't make that original post for specifically you.

And I might as well say it: If you go by professional critics' opinions to form your own, then that's pretty pathetic anyway. Go ahead and let Roger Ebert do all your thinking for you, while I'll make my own personal decisions about Christian Bale as Batman with my own mind.

 

[the GRIN Reaper]

I made my own decision, mine just so happens to be the more popular opinion based off solid facts. But, aren't you the one who thinks Iron Man was a better movie than The Dark Knight?

 

[Superwoman Prime]

I made my own decision, mine just so happens to be the more popular opinion based off solid facts.

Solid facts of what? This thread is for posters to state their opinions about his performance. There are no "solid facts."

But, aren't you the one who thinks Iron Man was a better movie than The Dark Knight?

There is no "the one." I'm only one of -many- who share that belief.

 

[DACrowe]

I'm just gonna' pint out most people consider the interrogation scene to be the best scene in the movie. Well it took two amazing performances colliding violently there to make that scene work. Did anyone think during that scene "Bale is growling too much" or were tehy thinking "damn Batman is beating the **** out of the Joker who is just toying with him!" ? You just were immersed in the scene as they were both so fimrly rooted in their characters.

I'm convinced if he had Kevin Conroy's voice there wouldn't be all these "he is adequate" or "nothing to write home about" responses. I mean the movie never lets Bale get overshadowed, which is some criticism about Batman in Batman Returns and to a lesser extent Batman (1989) (and those schumaucher movies, but no one cares about those).

TDK was an ensemble piece that had a flashy performance from Joker and the main arc belonging to a "supporting" role in Echart's Harvey Dent. But you never lost focus that Batman was the main character or still the drving center of the movie. It is just like in most comics after the origin is over, Batman is a very stoic and shadowy character and writers tend to gravitate towards the flashier and more colorful villains. But the good interpretations never forget that Batman is still the star of the show, really.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

You just were immersed in the scene as they were both so fimrly rooted in their characters.

That was one of Bale's better scenes, yes. Especially when he grabbed the Joker and pulled him over the table so unexpectedly.

It is just like in most comics after the origin is over, Batman is a very stoic and shadowy character and writers tend to gravitate towards the flashier and more colorful villains.

There's nothing overall really stoic about Batman in TDK. Shadowy? Very. But from what I can see, this Batman is still one tangling with his emotions, and is prone to outbursts. I'm not stating that as a criticism, I'm pointing it out.

But the good interpretations never forget that Batman is still the star of the show, really.

Heath Ledger seemed to be the star of the show for me. Nolan reportedly said Harvey Dent was the backbone of the movie (however you want to interpret that). You're saying Batman was the star of the show.

It comes down to the perspective of the viewer.

 

[Crook]

TDK was an ensemble piece that had a flashy performance from Joker and the main arc belonging to a "supporting" role in Echart's Harvey Dent. But you never lost focus that Batman was the main character or still the drving center of the movie. It is just like in most comics after the origin is over, Batman is a very stoic and shadowy character and writers tend to gravitate towards the flashier and more colorful villains. But the good interpretations never forget that Batman is still the star of the show, really.

I personally feel that Batman was overshadowed on all accounts. While he is not the type of character to really "stand out", it's still no excuse when he has the same amount of screentime as every other character in his own movie, and the audience gravitates more to the supporting cast.

TDK kinda fell in the same pitfall Burton's movies are criticized for, which is Batman took the backseat here. Not like I'm disappointed by that, in many ways what makes me such a huge fan of "Batman" are his supporting cast. They provide such a great contrast to Batman and sometimes the focus may unintentionally be on them as opposed to Bruce.

I'll never understand why this film gets a pass for it though. Maybe because it still succeeded as a great film. Who knows.

 

[The Joker]

But, aren't you the one who thinks Iron Man was a better movie than The Dark Knight?

Aren't you the one who was banned before because you couldn't handle differing opinions?

 

[Darkfly]

I don't hate him but I don't love him either, I think he's just fine. The more I think about why I don't love him or think he's the best the more I think its not really Bale I'm against, its the way they've written Batman/Bruce Wayne which I don't like, BB & TDK are fine films but one of the weakest points in TDK for me was Bruce Wayne/Batman, I shouldn't be liking or rooting for Gordon, Harvey Dent, or the Joker way way way way more than Bruce Wayne/Batman when normally when I read the comics all I want is Bruce Wayne & Batman & everybody else comes a very distant second (minus Catwoman).