Worst2First: My Top Ten Batman Films

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten Batman Films

Did you know the first incarnation of Batman on screen happened way back in 1943?  He's been on the screen for 74 years!

Granted, I have never seen any of the Batman movies prior to 1989 (RIP Adam West), so I cannot include them on my personal top ten Batman films, so with that being said here are my top ten Batman films, worst2first...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

Batman & Robin

Officially titled "The Film That Killed Batman," the abysmal "Batman & Robin" gratefully brought an end to the Schumacher disaster that reduced Batman to a (not-so-killing) joke.  Arnold Schwarzenegger was a laughing stock as Mr. Freeze with the most cringe-worthy one-liners ("What killed dinosaurs?  The ice age!"), Uma Thurman did her darnedest as Poison Ivy but failed to deliver, Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone were the worst Robin and Batgirl in history, and the less we talk about George Clooney's Bat-nipples the better.  Even Clooney himself later apologized for the trainwreck that was "Batman & Robin."

#9

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

The DC Cinematic Universe hasn't gotten off to the best of starts, with "Man of Steel," "Batman v Superman" and "Suicide Squad" all failing to deliver the hype (thank God for "Wonder Woman").  On paper it seemed like a no-brainer hit: pitting the Dark Knight against the Man of Steel in a showdown for the ages, but what we got was a film that SEEMED to last for ages before it thankfully came to an end in the most absurd and utterly laughable plot devices in any movie in recent memory.  If it weren't for Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, the film would've been an unmitigated mess, but she was the sole light of hope in an otherwise hopeless - and hopelessly long - disaster.

#8

The Lego Movie

Funny how a film where Batman isn't the main character - or even a human - can top the previous two entries, yet that's how amazing "The Lego Movie" was (and how awful the other two were).  Will Arnett hams it up as the Caped Crusader as he helps defeat Lord Business, and he left such an indelible impression that they gave Batman his own Lego spinoff.

#7

Batman Forever

After Tim Burton's Batman, Joel Schumacher decided to take up the mantle and tried to copy Burton's offbeat persona, but even though imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it just didn't pan out as well.  Val Kilmer (remember when he used to by Hollywood's "it" guy?) dons the cape and turns Batman from the brooding vigilante to a man with a love interest (Oscar winner Nicole Kidman) and introduces two of Batman's most iconic villains - Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey, back when he was relevant).  While Warner Bros. wanted the Batman franchise to go more mainstream, it turned into a mixed conglomerate of current and offbeat that didn't mesh well together.

#6

The Dark Knight Rises

 Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy is hailed as one of the best in cinematic history, as he returns Batman to his darker, more isolated, form.  Gone was the Tim Burton antics and Joel Schumacher campiness and we're given the real Dark Knight as he truly was: pained, alone, and dark.  "The Dark Knight Rises" is the third and final film in Nolan's trilogy, and even though it was alright on its own, it was buried under the shadow of its behemoth predecessor, so not even adding Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard could rise its ranks, and having Tom Hardy playing Bane wasn't the biggest mistake, but making him almost unintelligible with his distracting face mask was.

#5

Batman Returns

 Tim Burton is a very eccentric director with a one-of-a-kind imagination, and his vision for Batman was something truly unique.  Gotham City during Christmastime looks like a madman's dream, and Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer were perfect for the roles of the Penguin and Catwoman.  The main issue that the studio had during that time was that the film was a lot darker than they wanted, as they preferred a more family-friendly Batman, which is why Burton was dropped for Schumacher for the future installments.  We all know how well that ended up.

#4

The Lego Batman Movie

 Filled with intellectual humor and campy silliness, "The Lego Batman Movie" was the perfect spin-off for Will Arnett's Batman, and focusing on his eternal feud with The Joker was pure brilliance.  Focusing on Batman's isolation and trying to teach him that he needs a family and friends is hilarious to see, and the addition of vocal talent Rosario Dawson, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis and Ralph Fiennes is inspired.  Everything about the movie was awesome (see what I did there?) and its a fun, family-friendly adventure everyone can enjoy.

#3

Batman Begins

 After Joel Schumacher single-handedly killed the Bat, it looked like he would stay buried forever.  Then Christopher Nolan arrived and brought Batman back from the dead and gave him a new purpose: gone was the campy 90s Batman and we now got the hero we truly deserved, as the whole franchise got a much-needed reboot.  Nolan chooses to explore Batman's darker side and the film showcases that with Cillian Murphy's Scarecrow, turning Gotham's biggest fears to reality.  Christian Bale turns into the best Batman since Michael Keaton, delivering a solid performance that's worthy of recognition.

#2

Batman

 Tim Burton's version Batman was as unique as the man is, and bringing in Michael Keaton to don the suit was a stroke of genius.  The film perfectly balanced dark humor and action, exploring Batman's history and his long-standing feud with the Joker.  Before Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson took on the role and performed it to a T, giving a more dark humorous Joker than a true psychopath, but he was still as frightening as can be.  The film was a box office hit and revitalized the superhero genre, thanks to a great story, director, and cast.

#1

The Dark Knight

 There has never been a superhero film quite like Christopher Nolan's powerful "The Dark Knight."  In fact, there's very few movies even outside the superhero subgenre that can hold a light to its brilliance.  The film is a fascinating character study of two polar opposites, but even though one is labeled the "bad guy," it somehow seems that he's got a point.  Christian Bale performs well as Batman, but its obviously Heath Ledger's take on the Joker that steals the show, and earned him a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (the first time a superhero film ever won a major Academy Award, let alone be nominated for one).  Ledger embodied everything about the Joker's psychotic persona, and his performance is a one-of-a-kind masterclass of acting, one that needs to be studied and appreciated for the monumental effect it had on modern cinema.