Today marks Batman day, an annual event organized by DC Entertainment that began a decade ago and this year marks the 85th anniversary of the first appearance of Batman in Detective Comics in 1939. As a result, I’ve decided to look back and offer a ranking of the Batman films. The list is restricted to theatrical releases and solo Batman films, no direct-to-video titles and no ‘Batman in an ensemble’ films like “Justice League”.
Everyone has their own takes on the Caped Crusader. I didn’t read the comics until adulthood, but I was a kid when Burton’s first “Batman” film arrived on the scene and helped usher in my love of film. The 1990s animated series was also formative for me in a way that none of its successors has been able to match.
Here’s my take on the best of the Bat. Let me preface it by saying those top four are nearly interchangeable for me and all I consider classic films: Still the best single comic book film since Donner’s “Superman,” Nolan’s crime drama steers into epic filmmaking across the board whilst never forgetting its comic book origins. Stunning score, cinematography, design and strong performances make it a grand piece of filmmaking regardless of genre.
The 90s animated series remains the quintessential adaptation of the comic, and it rarely got better than this – a fully fleshed-out period drama with action, thrills and laughs but also more emotion, personal stakes and large-scale set pieces than the series. No single fil.