Reeve's Superman or Bale's Batman

[RetrogradeOrbit]

I think Tom Holland is the best incarnation of Peter Parker/Spider-Man to date. I just wish his movies were less comedic...

 

[Awest66]

It would, but honestly, I'm not getting my hopes up.

At this point, I don't think there will be a Live Action Baman who is as definitive as Reeve's Superman. Spider-Man is currently in the same boat as Batman in this regard.

That's a good point. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing considering Batman thrives on reinterpretation and reinvention.

 

[Rorschach2012]

I think Tom Holland is the best incarnation of Peter Parker/Spider-Man to date. I just wish his movies were less comedic...

My issue with those movies is the drastic attempts they’ve made to separate it from the previous two series. It doesn’t feel classic or definitive enough. The two best Spider-Man movies were 1 and 2. But Holland is the best Spidey.

 

[The Batman]

That's a good point. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing considering Batman thrives on reinterpretation and reinvention.

I'd say its kind of bad, partly because it's led to Batman being repeatedly overshadowed in his own movies.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

I'd say its kind of bad, partly because it's led to Batman being repeatedly overshadowed in his own movies.

Well said.
It would take a Herculean effort by Pattinson not be overshadowed and have his performance be recognized.

 

[Schlosser85]

My issue with those movies is the drastic attempts they’ve made to separate it from the previous two series. It doesn’t feel classic or definitive enough. The two best Spider-Man movies were 1 and 2. But Holland is the best Spidey.

My feelings exactly. I almost feel like they're squandering Holland a bit, tbh. He's also the most actually athletic and acrobatic person to play Peter Parker, yet he's CGI'ed more than any of them.

 

[Iceman]

My issue with those movies is the drastic attempts they’ve made to separate it from the previous two series. It doesn’t feel classic or definitive enough. The two best Spider-Man movies were 1 and 2. But Holland is the best Spidey.

I agree Holland is the best Spidey. Who was the best Peter Parker?

 

[Awest66]

I'd say its kind of bad, partly because it's led to Batman being repeatedly overshadowed in his own movies.

Id say Batman Begins avoided this pitfall nicely.

To be fair, Batman does have the best rogues gallery in the history of comic books so its more to do with their iconography that Batman is so often overshadowed rather than because of a portrayal of the character being ineffective (even BTAS Kevin Conroy Batman was overshadowed on occasion)

 

[The Batman]

Id say Batman Begins avoided this pitfall nicely.

Yes, as do Batman '66, Mask of The Phantasm, and the Lego Batman movie.

To be fair, Batman does have the best rogues gallery in the history of comic books so its more to do with their iconography that Batman is so often overshadowed rather than because of a portrayal of the character being ineffective (even BTAS Kevin Conroy Batman was overshadowed on occasion)

I can't say I agree with this. Batman's iconography is as strong, if not stronger than his rogues gallery, Joker being the only exception at this point. Truth be told, Film Batman's track record should be better than what it is, but Batman often gets overshadowed in these films, IMO, because often, Batman didn't have the most memorable performance in that film. And that, IMO, is partly because most Live Action Batmen get certain aspects of the character right, but not the whole thing.

As for Kevin Conroy, as you yourself said, he was only overshadowed on occasion, which is a pretty great track record when you've played Batman for 100+ episodes. It speaks to how definitive and complete his version of Batman is. At worst, Conroy is tied with Mark Hamill as being the most iconic portrayal in BTAS.

 

[Awest66]

And that, IMO, is partly because most Live Action Batmen get certain aspects of the character right, but not the whole thing.

I think that's mainly because as I've said before, Batman more than probably any other superhero thrives on being reinterpreted and reinvented.

 

[The Batman]

Again, I have to disagree. Regardless of his reinventions, there are aspects and elements of the character that have carried over for the majority of his 80 year existence.

Joker has seen constant reinterpretations reinventions as well. It hasn't stopped Ledger's Joker from being seen as definitive, in a way no other Live Action Batman has been.

 

[Awest66]

Christopher Reeve absolutely embodied the character of Superman in a way few other actors have ever done for any comic book movie ever. So he does come out on top here.

That being said, Christian Bale is pretty great too. He may not be the "definitive" (whatever that means) Batman but he's still the best currently. Honestly the whole "Bat voice" complaint has always struck me as super shallow and petty.

 

[The Batman]

That being said, Christian Bale is pretty great too. He may not be the "definitive" (whatever that means)

It just means embodying the character in a way no one else has, that's all.

 

[Awest66]

It just means embodying the character in a way no one else has, that's all.

I suppose I can't really argue with that.

 

[Lantern Venom]

Christopher Reeve absolutely embodied the character of Superman in a way few other actors have ever done for any comic book movie ever. So he does come out on top here.

That being said, Christian Bale is pretty great too. He may not be the "definitive" (whatever that means) Batman but he's still the best currently. Honestly the whole "Bat voice" complaint has always struck me as super shallow and petty.

I would contend that Bale (or at least Bale's version) is the most accurate Batman to date. As I said in an earlier post, acting choices are sometimes overvalued. With an action character, it's hardly a stretch to say that action is every bit as important as facial expressions and intonation.

Here's a quick video that demonstrates the different between the TDK version of Batman and the West/Keaton versions. I'll always contend that no version of Batman (or any other character who relies on hand-to-hand) can be considered great without attention to this aspect.

 

[Frodo]

I'm personally wary of using the term definitive when it comes to portrayals of these characters given that the view of what is definitive tends to be temporal and defined by a certain generation of fans, and can change depending on the next actor and next generation that comes along a decade or more later.

It can also depend on qualities and criteria that there may not be a consensus on. In other words, fans, comic writers, filmmakers etc, may not all agree on what qualities make the best or definitive live action version of a character.

All of the actors who've played Batman and Superman have had their strengths and weaknesses .

That's to be expected. No one portrayal is every going to be 100% perfect.

I like Keaton's intensity and mystery.

I like Bale's well rounded three sided Bruce Wayne and his Batman having a code and a mission statement

I like Reeve's Superman in the suit ,but I prefer George Reeves , Dean Cain's, Tom Welling, and Tyler Hoechlin's more grounded versions of Clark Kent.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Yeah, Bale may not be at icon status the way Reeve was, but I think he’s still the guy that people think of as “the” Batman actor. And as far as going beyond acting and embodying aspects of the character in real life, I feel that Bale did that when he went to visit the Aurora shooting victims in the hospital. So much respect for him for doing that.


Also, TDK is the best movie to date featuring Batman, but I would say BB is the best Batman movie. If that makes sense.

 

[Wheels]

Reeve is more definitive to people than any Batman, whether I like or not. So much so that any version that's not his version is somehow "Reeve Superman" unless you do something like what Snyder did. The reasoning to do what Snyder did is supposedly to not do Reeve's version. Nevermind the fact that so many versions aren't Reeve or have the elements created by Richard Donner, and are still on the lighter side....."cough Mark Elis and basically anyone who's only watched the movies. "cough" Johns doesn't help things with his need to make things extra Donner-y in admittedly otherwise good Superman fair. Although, I don't hold it against Johns really considering his direct connection to the man.

I just think we'd be better off in the long run without the need to kiss Donner and (in Batman's case.) Frank Miller's ass every time these characters are in a damn movie since 2005. Which I'll admit it's mostly Snyder and Dark Knight III that made resent the TDKR stuff, the animated film was good and Nolan's use of Miller elements.

Not to mention Miller is nuts.

Then Donner for his part has made everything else so irrelevant in his wake that we can't get a movie that either isn't a love letter, or trying to distance itself tonally and asthetically while still managing to have Donner stuff in there because it's da rules in the movies.

 

[The Batman]

Donner didn't make anyone irrelevant. They did it to themselves by making, at best, "meh" Movies, TV Shows, and Cartoons, media versions that lack a good,new, strong vision for the character.

Donner had to follow the iconic George Reeves TV show, and the iconic Fleischer cartoons, in an era where Superman was still seen as THE superhero. He managed to make his stamp in spite of all that, its not his fault WB lacks the imagination to do the same.

 

[Wheels]

No it's other people's fault clearly. People like Bryan Singer, Zack Snyder, Jeph Loeb, Miles Miller, Al Gough, Chris Nolan, and Geoff Johns ( As much I want to excuse Johns). I just would rather not see Donnerisims in every Superman movie until the end of time. Thank goodness not every book writer or TV show does that stuff.

It's not Donner's fault everyone after him in the movie world has to use his stuff that it is so played out to me.

 

[Neil McCauley]

Bale was more developed, better acted, had better relationship, movies and villains and had a better character arc.

 

[mjbull23]

Reeve as Superman. There will never be another.

 

[Wesley Dodds]

Reeve’s Superman is iconic and irreplaceable (I mean, they literally TRIED in 2006)
It’s a performance that’s not just THE definitive screen-Superman but the stuff of classic cinema itself.
A lot of people have played that role but none come remotely close to what Reeve did.

Bale is fine.
Conroy and Keaton are both better. Affleck came close. And Kilmer had a much better physicality and confidence.

So, yeah ... Reeve.

 

[SupermanFan]

Reeve’s Superman is the GOAT of superhero castings, Bale isn’t even the best Batman imo.

 

[Awest66]

Reeve’s Superman is the GOAT of superhero castings, Bale isn’t even the best Batman imo.

Technically he is. His Batman had something that's more important than a whispery voice or an Arkham games fights scene, an actual character.