Post-Battinson: Rank Your Top 5 Batman Movies

[Kirk Langstrom]

For me;
The Batman
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight
Batman 89
Batman66

 

[Filmfreak]

I think I'm going to have to change my list after some time has passed.

The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Begins
Batman Returns
Batman '89

I still like The Batman a lot but I gave its place to the Burton movies, as they where more unique and fresh when they were released and because I feel a closer connection to them.

 

[Jermobooka]

I think that after some time has past and a full Batman movie rewatch has occurred, I’ve reevaluated my opinions.

#1: The Batman

#2: The Dark Knight

#3: Batman Returns

#4: Batman 1989

#5: The Dark Knight Rises

 

[Razor Crest]

The Dark Knight
The Batman
Batman Begins
Mask of the Phantasm
The Dark Knight Rises

 

[Lautox]

*Only live action*

1. The Batman
2. Batman 89
3. Batman Returns
4. Dark Knight
5. Batman Begins
6. Batman 66
7. Dark Knight Rises
8. Batman Forever
9. Batman & Robin

 

[OnLeatherWings]

I've rewatched the Burton films and...wow. It's been years. I forgot how great the Burton films were. And I've fully concluded 'Batman Returns' is my favourite Batman film - bar none. It's such a messed up film and I love every grim, gothic second of it.

1.) 'Batman Returns'
2.) 'The Dark Knight'
3.) 'Batman Begins'
4.) 'The Dark Knight Rises'
5.) 'Batman '89'

'The Batman' would rank 6th or 5th, depending on my mood.

 

[ChocTalk]

The Batman
MOTP
Batman Begins
B89
Batman Returns

 

[antsman41]

Top 5 didn't change overall, but little re-arranging after almost a year and 17x viewings of Reeves/Pattinson's masterpiece.

Along with a November re-watch binge of Nolan's trilogy, MOTP (rip Conroy), and catching Batman Returns in theaters for the first time since I was 1992 at 3 years old;

1) The Batman | 11/10

...literally perfection as a huge Rucka/Brubaker reader, I want to live in this world, it could have been 5 hours long, works on the page as much as it does as a film.

"Our scars can destroy us, even after the physical wounds have healed. But if we survive them, they can transform us." -Batman
​

2) Batman Begins | 10/10

...our first true Bruce Wayne film, Bale and Caine went beyond, respect to Nolan's Gotham.

"Why do we fall sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up." -Alfred
​

3) Batman - The Mask Of The Phantasm | 10/10

...oh Kevin, Gotham's prince. Best new lore creation ever (**** off, Hush), it perfected the Animated Series formula, truly heartbreaking ending.

"You walk the edge of that abyss every night. But you haven't fallen in, and I thank heaven for that." -Alfred
​

4) The Dark Knight | 9/10

...still wonderful, wish Bruce's arc was as important as Harvey's, and man - Ledger; you'll never not be terrific.

"Because you were the best of us. He wanted to prove that even someone as good as you could fall." -Batman
​

5) Batman Returns | 9/10

...second prettiest Bat-fim, easily, Keaton fleshes out Bruce more, Pfeiffer you're a beast (even funnier with a crowd), and those sets - damn.
​

6) Batman | 9/10

...Burton tried harder than he needed to, thankfully - Keaton brought the goods, Nicholson rocked it, ****ing PRINCE.

"It's not exactly a "normal" world, is it? -Batman
​

7) Batman Forever | 7/10

...Schumacher came into a bad situation and made the most of it, the camp is at a solid level, Carrey is fun, Chris doesn't get enough credit as [this] Robin.

"Until one terrible morning you wake up and realize that revenge has become your whole life. And, you won't know why." -Batman
​

8) Batman - The Movie | 7/10

...goofy romp, perfected the tv series' formula, the fearsome foursome are a blast, the opening credits are delightful.

"They may be drinkers, Robin, but they're also human beings." -Batman
​

9) The Dark Knight Rises | 7/10

...can't say Nolan didn't try, was always an up-hill battles after TDK/Heath's death, yet it's few faults are too pretty apparent 10 years on, still wish Batman actually died at the end.

"Based on a lie. Now this evil... rises from where we tried to bury it. The Batman has to come back." -Gordon
​

10) Batman & Robin | 6/10

...luckily it's getting its cult status back as a decent homage to '66, it deserves it - Thurman is eating in this.

"There is no defeat in death, Master Bruce. Victory comes in defending what we know is right while we still live." -Alfred
​

I love Batman.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Figured I'd post my rankings as well after 2 more viewings of The Batman. Not much has changed.

The Dark Knight
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Returns
Batman 1989

The Batman still sits under Batman 1989 for me, therefore it's just out of my top 5.

 

[Boom]

The Dark Knight
The Batman
Batman Begins
Mask of the Phantasm
Batman Returns
Batman
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Forever
Batman & Robin

 

[SwordOfMorning]

The Dark Knight
The Batman
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Begins
Return of the Joker

 

[OnLeatherWings]

The Dark Knight
The Batman
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Begins
Return of the Joker

If it was just live action, what would take the #5 spot?

 

[SwordOfMorning]

If it was just live action, what would take the #5 spot?

Maybe '66? Returns is a candidate but I think overall I'm more of an Adam West guy than a Burton guy.

 

[BatLobster]

It's so hard for me to rank, honestly. Like I have a hard time even pitting Nolan's films against Burton films as they all mean so much to me, are entirely different and represent different parts of my life. I've put off even attempting it, but what the heck...I'm in the mood to give it a go.

Gun to my head.....sticking only to the live action films...

1. The Dark Knight
Yeah, this just represents the pinnacle of a "Batman MOVIE" for me. The line between "great comic book adaptation" and "great movie" blurs completely and you're left with a what ends up being a piece of pop art for the ages. Not flawless, but nothing is. The movie grips you tight from the opening seconds and never lets go until the credits hit. Nothing I could add that hasn't been said a million times over. And yeah, it's an ensemble piece and Harvey's rise and fall is the backbone of the story-- but Batman is still the main/central character even if Harvey is more of a protagonist. There's a difference and the two aren't always the same: When the Main Character is NOT the Protagonist. It's just a monster of structure, pacing and dense but efficient storytelling. I also think it's damn near definitive as "the" Batman/Joker story, in terms of really capturing the essence of their eternal battle within one film.

2. Batman 89
I do take historical significance into account, and if this movie doesn't happen then I don't know what this franchise/character even looks like today. Keaton is inspired casting. Legendary art direction. Burton had just the right sensibility to bring the audience out of 60s camp for Batman. Quirky, fun, but still full of some real menace and danger. The fact that Jack Nicholson played the Joker still kind of blows my mind. For all the liberties it takes, it gets so much right in terms of establishing the FEEL of modern/darker Batman. It established the musical vocabulary that all the composers since have done their spin on. My appreciation for it has steadily grown over the years. Just a wonderfully entertaining movie and a unique vision to this day. It's undeniably iconic.

3. The Dark Knight Rises
Criminally underrated. Makes me love it more. This is the one that from a personal standpoint moves me the most emotionally. It's really the one Batman movie that breaks you ALL the way down to build you back up and takes you on that full journey with the character to hell and back. The extremely rare true conclusion in this genre. The ending is everything. Scale is unmatched in the franchise. Bane is somehow the perfect follow-up villain for Joker and strikes an impossible balance between genuinely terrifying/badass and endlessly memeable/quotable. Hathaway is a treat as Selina, adding so much to the tapestry of the film even with a smaller supporting role, while Bale gives his best performance of the trilogy. The story isn't as tight as TDK, but Nolan is now fully in his element as a maestro of scale, spectacle and visual storytelling and the result is a movie that actually lives up to the promise of "epic". Sometimes I wonder how post-Interstellar/Dunkirk Nolan might approach a Batman movie differently, but I figure this is the closest we'll get as I think he needed to make this film in order to make those films. I also think this is the most "comic booky" of the trilogy and I mean that in a good way. Hans’ score absolutely CRUSHES.

4. Batman Begins
The first hour alone probably keeps this in the top 5 permanently, even if it moves around a bit for me. It's so good that we very well may never get another Batman origin film in our lifetimes. And like 89, I have to give points for the historical significance. The idea of rebooting a franchise just wasn't a thing, and Nolan was able to lend such a credibility to the character with his take on the material, his commitment to practical effects at a time when CGI was taking over, and the incredible cast he assembled. The Bruce/Alfred relationship here is a franchise-best and established the emotional backbone of the whole trilogy. While I think Nolan fully comes into his own as a filmmaker with the two sequels and I think Jonah Nolan’s touch helps elevate them too, watching Begins is very much like watching seeds of greatness being planted and it's frickin’ beautiful. It kicked off the modern era of Batman that we’re still living in, IMO.

5. Batman Returns
This is the one that started it all for me at the ripe age of 5. Kinda hilarious given it's easily the most f***ed up movie in the franchise. . I still love it so much. It's held up really well in a lot of ways, and if nothing else it deserves the distinction of setting a precedent in this franchise for directors to really put their creative stamp on this character. It's SO Burton-y that I really have to be in the right mood to watch it these days, I always kind of feel like I need to take a shower afterwards...The Penguin is really that grotesque of a creation...but man-- Keaton, Pfeiffer, DeVito...all brilliant in their roles.

Really though, 2-5 shift around a lot depending on my mood.

The Batman is currently 6th for me, but I should point out that I still lack the context of what Reeves' series will ultimately become, whereas with the existing films I can more clearly evaluate their relationships with each other and the franchise as a whole. So it's a bit more "TBD" for me as I want to give my feelings more time to evolve and I just hold these 5 very to my heart.

 

[EV88]

1. The Batman
2. Batman Begins
3. Batman Returns
4. The Dark Knight
5. Batman 89

 

[migsblanco729]

Tier 1: B89 / TDK / TB
Tier 2: BB / TDKR
Tier 3: BR / BvS
Tier 4: BF
Tier 5: BnR

 

[BobJM]

The Batman
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight
Mask of the Phantasm
Batman Returns
Batman ‘89
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Forever
Batman & Robin

 

[jondoe]

TOP 5

Batman '89
Batman Begins
The Batman
The Dark Knight
Batman Returns

The Rest of My Batman-on-Films live action ranking.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

The Dark Knight

Batman Returns

The Batman

Batman '89

The Dark Knight Rises

And in that order.

 

[OnLeatherWings]

1.) Batman Returns
2.) Batman Begins
3.) The Dark Knight
4.) The Dark Knight Rises
5.) The Batman

 

[J.Drangal]

It's hard to rank these films because I feel they have such different aims...
So I'll settle for a personal appreciation and for now, it would be something like this, I think... :


1. Batman Returns
I love the look and atmosphere of the film, which defined a lot of my tastes when I discovered it as a kid. Characters, sets, lighting... Everything is so meticulous, theatrical and “arty”, it's almost unbeatable for me.
"More a Burton film than a Batman film"? I'm not sure. Outsiders are a central theme in the director's filmography and so the film continues its very valid exploration of Bruce Wayne's loneliness and his inner monster by reflecting Cobblepot and Kyle's thirst for vengeance.
Also, absolutely incredible soundrack by Elfman there, probably my favorite. Selina's theme, both painful and incisive during her meltdown in her apartment, is simply masterful.

2. Batman Begins / Batman 89'
It's very difficult to decide.
Batman Begins is a flawless origin movie, with a marvellous cast enhancing an already engaging script. Zimmer and Howard's emotional soundtrack works wonders. It's a perfect ride.
But I love the retro feel of Batman 89’ so much... The scenes in the chemical axis of the cathedral finale with Elfman's music... It defined my vision of Gotham, half industrial, half Gothic.
And once again, I feel that many people take too superficial a view of the film thinking it's all about the Joker...

3. The Dark Knight
An exemplary thriller coupled with a breathtaking action film, I have very little to say.
I sometimes have the impression that Aaron Eckhart's performance is a little forgotten. I loved him in the role of Dent, and the intensity he brings to the final scene certainly makes it my favorite of the film.

4. The Dark Knight Rises/The Batman
I enjoyed both films, but in my opinion, both suffer from writing problems.
The former seems to me to have a “soft underbelly” in the middle of its (a bit convoluted) plot, and the latter relies too much on a mystery that isn't really one.
I'm still tempted to give the edge to Reeves' film because of its incredibly impressive visual direction, but I can't deny most of the emotional beats of Nolan's conclusion really hit home.


And here we are, already 6 films for only 4 places... Let's make it 7, so I can talk about...


5. Batman Forever
If we want to get into debates about movies that would be more “real” Batman movies than others... well, I'd say that Batman Forever is certainly the most complete synthesis of the character. A troubled Bruce Wayne? Check. Batman with a ton of gadgets and a sharp intellect? Check. Bat family? Check. Etc.
The tone is richer than the film's reputation would lead you to believe, unfortunately tarnished by a totally freewheeling sequel. There's drama, action, humor, stars having fun as villains... In a way, the film is more or less the blueprint for what Marvel would do later. And when it comes to Batman, the mix isn't too far off, tonally, from the famous animated series in the end.
I also really like the fact that the Riddler's plan is to install a device in people's homes which is intended to entertain them, but which ultimately dumbs them down and steals information from them... Holy prediction Batman!
In short, stylistic appreciation aside, I find the film to be a very effective, rather well-written and well-paced piece of entertainment.


I'd have a lot more to say about each film, but that's all for this time. In any case, Batman is the American comic book character that attracts the most talent - let's hope it continues!

 

[donuts]

Movies are hard to rank for me, too, because based on the current mood, I prefer one kind of Batman movie over the other.

 

[Fincher]

1. Batman '89
2. Batman Begins
3. Batman Returns
4. The Dark Knight
5. The Dark Knight Rises

 

[donuts]

Movies are hard to rank for me, too, because based on the current mood, I prefer one kind of Batman movie over the other.

1. Batman '89
2. Batman Begins
3. Batman Returns
4. The Dark Knight
5. The Dark Knight Rises

...but one thing's for sure: regardless of my mood, The Batman would 100% be in my top 5.