Keatman to Batfleck
- James Barr
- Mar 12, 2021
- 17 min read
Updated: Apr 17, 2024
So as you can see, I decided to write a lighthearted article about Batman. I like Batman. If you do as well, I think you'll enjoy this breakdown. I want to do something different. I want to discuss the best Batman's (and Bruce Wayne's) by actor, best suit's, but also best movies. I think we neglect to consider directors and style, which greatly effected the limitations of the actors themselves. So I'll propose a couple hypotheticals as well, just for fun.
Alright, right out of the gate I'm going to admit that I'm going to dismiss the early guys... before Adam West. Lewis Wilson (1943) and Robert Lowery (1949) donned the Bat suit first, but it was so long ago, and so many improvements (character, suit and otherwise) have been made since, that I just want to give them credit for being the firsts. Much else would simply be an attempt to pay more homage that didn't really earn it. But to be first is huge!
I'm not really going to include Will Arnett either, though he is one of my favorite actors. And as humorous portrayals of the Bat go, he and Pete Holmes own that corner of the market in my opinion. Beyond that, this is more of a serious portrayal breakdown.
I'm also not including all cartoons, except the early mentions. Batman: The Animated Series (1992) is worth a mention, due to it paving the way in the cartoon world and also being fairly awesome! Ben Affleck, affectionately (or not affectionately) referred to as the Batfleck, captures this cartoon better than the rest. I admit, I was a hater in the beginning, but he has grown on me. More on that later. Let's break them down in order from worst to best. Keep in mind, I kinda like them all... besides Clooney. And it's so hard to put the suits in a definitive order. Though I do, I also share my thoughts within each movie ranking. Here we go: (scroll to the bottom to see bullet point list).
10) a. (Actors/Movie) Batman and Robin:
Ah the Cloonman. Batcloon? That's closer to Batclown, which may be closer to the truth. There are too many things to point out that went wrong with this movie. Poor Georgie boy was the victim of circumstance and commercialism.
It has been widely known for some time that so much money was pumped into toy sales, that Clooney, O'Donnell, and Schumacher all confess embarrassment of the film. Should this have had a darker tone, and Clooney given better lines, perhaps he would have surprised us all. Alas, we'll never know. It goes down as the worst Batman film of all time. Even with the neat idea of including Batgirl and the incredible Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy, the movie failed them all in this case.
As a side note, William Baldwin was considered for the Bat and Anthony Hopkins for Freeze, and I think they could have surprised us all as well. Still, when the flick itself is designed so poorly and childish, all were doomed from the start... no matter the actor.
b. (Suits):
The first suit is also far down the list due to the nipple reveal. The eyes go right to the ‘buttons!’ However, Val donned the nips first in almost an identical suit, minus the strange bat symbol on Clooney's chest. So we can't really blame him for that. Though I think it was better than the second later silver rendition. Robin's original suit in this movie was also much cooler before the silver. The villian's were still getting some of that childish rollover from Batman Forever. We'll just leave that there. Not enough time.
RATINGS:
Batman: 3
Bruce Wayne: 7
Suit 1: 6
Suit 2: 3
9) a. (Actors/Movie) Batman Forever:
Val Kilmer (Valman or Kilman) got sort of mashed in between a transition of style. Unsurprisingly, this installment was also directed by Joel Schumacher. Tommy Lee Jones had a seriously overdone two-faced face, while Jim Carry was so incredible, it's hard to judge his performance at all... just his cartoonish tights.
In fact, he and Jones brought a level of darkness that held with the first 2 ... by a thread... before abandoning it entirely in B&R. Yet, amazing as these actors were, the cheese took them too far. It was like a dark drunken children’s movie. The easiest way to assess this movie is simply that: It was just too childish and on it's way to total destruction in the next installment, as we just discussed.
I actually enjoy Val. Always do really. Ice Man? Madmortigan? Real Genius?! Come on! You know! He did a pretty good job and, like Clooney, fell victim to a bad movie. Here you also get O'Donnell's first appearance as Robin, which was a bit whiny, but also entertainingly broken and touching in a way. He dropped the first "Holy 'so and so' Batman." Which felt forced, but a part of us kinda liked it. Cause that's who Robin is! We'll also never know how good either of them could have been due to Schumacher and the make-up department.
b. (Suits):
As previously mentioned, Valman donned the nipple suit first. So let's put blame where blame is due. Yet, he also carries over the classic yellow and black symbol... in the beginning. The second set was a bit shiny for my taste. It is similar to the later Batcloon silver, of which I'm not a fan. Robin's wasn't too shabby, but still his first in B&R was a bit better.
Honorable Mentions: I have to mention this film was the first to add the toyish light blue neon to the bat mobile, of which I am also not a fan. And immediately following that discovery, we hear the first Valman line, and one of the cheesiest, "I'll get drive through." Not a great way to start a new Bat persona.
RATINGS:
Batman: 6
Bruce Wayne: 7
Suit 1: 8
Suit 2: 5
8) a.&b. (Actors/Movie/Suits)
I know. I know. It's practically sacrilege to place the great Adam West so far down the list. In this case, it's difficult to rank him higher unless we were only ranking actors. West is widely considered to be… Batman. Like, he is Batman. Much like those my age feel about Keaton. The issue's though are obvious. His suit isn't a suit at all. It's just spandex and rubber. This made it hard to hide his lack of fighters physique. The lack of all things computers (since they barely existed in 1966, for creative means) made it impossible for some great action. Still, it’s Adam West! And at the time, the show was incredible! And West's portrayal of Bruce Wayne is, to this day, considered by many to be the stick to be measured against.
RATINGS:
Batman: 6
Bruce Wayne: 8
Suit: 6
7) a. (Actors/Movie) Batman Returns was pretty good. It was dark, but had a much stronger Tim Burton feel... in that ‘sometimes iffy Tim Burton’ kinda way.
Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer brought the best they could to the Penguin and Catwoman. DeVito's costume was a bit over the top. I struggle with unexplained transformations. Similarly, in Forever, how would Two-Faced have an accident that would create such a perfect dividing line down his face? Burton's backstory had no real reason for the Penguin's odd body.
Pfieffer may have had some unnecessary white stitching, but overall, she has become the Catwoman measuring stick based on how incredibly she owned that role! The real reason I have trouble ranking this movie higher is it's simplicity. Even with the incredible cast, including Christopher Walken as Pfieffer's chauvinistic boss, the flick felt... convoluted. It's jam packed with talent, yet shallow in setting and plot. It felt as if the entire movie was filmed in the town square and the sewer underneath it. Why Batman took so long to just look directly underground seemed unbelievable. And how do we fall for the city's sympathy for the Penguin leading to a legitimate political candidate? At least with Nicholson's Joker, he poisoned the city to brain wash them... with a little Prince to sweeten the deal. Returns was just hard to accept. When you mess with reality right in our faces like that, it’s just rude. So while I consider Michael Keaton to be the best Batman, but this movie is not.
b. (Suits):
I mentioned the villain's above, but not the Bat. It seemed Keatman started with a similar suit to the first, but I simply hate the latter boxy abs and chest muscles. They're small and proportioned weird. I just can't. Still, no nipples, so it ranks a tad higher than Kilman/Valman and Cloonman suits.
RATINGS:
Batman: 9
Bruce Wayne: 10
Suit 1: 10
Suit 2: 8
Movie: 8
6) a. (Actors/Movie) Dark Knight Rises:
I don't have much to say about this movie itself. It was an above average plot for sure. Christopher Nolan and Zach Snyder arguable are competing at a table of their own based on sheer movie quality. It's a different time, and computers were severely limited 32 years ago in 1989 for Keaton's first. So those movies will be closer to the top for those reasons. Yet, I don't think Rises ...'rises' to the level of the previous 2 in Nolan's trilogy. Sure Batman was supposed to be aging out, and got severely injured, which led to some incredible “rebuilding” montage time. But even still, I struggle to buy into Baleman moving in practically slow motion at times, post-dungeon healing, while fighting Bane (Tom Hardy). Though, I found Hardy to be quite good.
This movie also included the dashing Anne Hathaway as Catwoman the cat burglar, but if Batman himself doesn't rise to the occasion, then a Batman movie can't play at the big dog table. Perhaps worst of all is the decision to include Robin, but not really. The ever likeable Joseph Gorden-Levitt was a great choice! Yet, his name was changed from Dick Grayson to Blake (perhaps also for the times?), but what's worse, it was a set-up movie for him. You don't set-up a Joseph Gordon-Levitt level only to halt production so he never evolves. That decision alone was worth a peg knocking. I’m sure his pay check isn’t too high for Warner Bros. Pay that man to be Robin! I digress…
b. (Suits): Bale had already donned a completely different suit in Batman Begins, the greatest origin story of all time (my words). That suit was the most practical of all the others. Yet, I still don't love some of the extra armor pieces all over the suit. It's good, just not great looking. It reminds me of his comment in Dark Knight about the civilians wearing hockey pads. This suit came dangerously close to something similar. Still, in a real world scenario, every Baleman suit would be better in a fight than any of the others.
RATINGS:
Batman: 8
Bruce Wayne: 8
Suit: 8
Movie: 8
5) a. (Actors/Movie) Justice League: These last few are honestly tough. But knowing what's left, hopefully you understand this ranking. Honestly, most Batman's are awesome! And I would be fine if you rearranged these top 5, considering the quality of each. It may be more of a preference. Just like it would be difficult to rank all the Avenger's universe movies (Endgame being the best of course. Maybe the first Thor or 2nd Guardians as the... least awesome?), because they're all amazing. So know that I love this movie! In comparison to Batman vs Superman, Suicide Squad cameo excluded, it's pretty neck and neck. I'm just a sucker for some good ol' fashioned character development. We'll see how it measures up in The Flash. A movie that could blow them all out of the water with Keatman donning the cape in some form once again, along with Batfleck apparently. I could pee myself just thinking about it. But I won't.
One honorary mention for Jared Leto as Joker... sorta. I think he's the worst. He wasn't even in this movie, but he does have a small role in the Snyder cut, which is quite good, and made him a tad more likable. Great actor. Terrible Joker. Not when lining up next to Nicholson and Ledger. Most like the cartoon, but that’s not this.
b. (Suits):
The first suit is mostly a carry over from BvS. Possibly the same suit. Which is awesome! But the latter mixed-metal silvery one reminds me of Cloonman. And that's not good. It includes Watchmen style goggles (very Snyder), which isn't the greatest look for the Bat, though I applaud the effort. Still, Ben Affleck beefed up for these and the suits were designed with less padding to make it more realistic he could beat up any human. And that alone bumps it up a bit in my mind. Authenticity I suppose. It's also not near as hideous as Clooney's.
Snyder Update:
Snyder killed it! He's an artist. I loved the Superman Bizaaro suit, though it was odd to accept at first. I actually found myself wondering this time, if his fight with the other Leaguer's was a Snyder nod to Reeve's fight with his Bizaaro self. So I sort of accepted the black suit in that context. I like the nod. I hope it was intentional. It was too sweet not to dig. So I dug. And so should you. I also loved Cavill's increased scene's very much. I fairly enjoyed Leto's slightly messier and disturbed Joker... albeit another nightmare sequence or not. I kinda dig those too.
I didn't love the removal of Flash's line when Cyborg abandoned the tank climber thingy scene, "Did he just bail?" I say never remove the humor in these types. They're serious enough. Just a dash more than a dash I say. We need some of that back. Reeve's and Keaton would be happy to see it. While I'm at it, I'll just admit I didn't love the Icelandic girls choir. It just seemed... creepy? The song wasn't so hot either. The indy artist attempt on the slow dock walk scene sounded like a bad Christian band... of which I’m familiar. Other than that, this movie was pretty incredible!
RATINGS:
Batman: 8
Bruce Wayne: 8
Suit 1: 8
Suit 2: 6
Movie: 8.5
4) a.&b. (Actors/Movie/Suits) Batman vs Superman:
So this one is tricky, because BvS is better than Justice League to me, but not by much (and now after the Snyder cut I'm less sure). Zach Snyder has a way of bringing a dark comic feel without going the cheesy Burton route. It’s not even in the same camp really. It’s closer to Nolan maturity/reality wise, yet far more artistic looking. And he’s just shy of a video game feel, which I appreciate. Just look at the popular ground breaking, previously mentioned, Watchman. I compare to Tim's artistic elements because Schumacher doesn't even deserve to be in the discussion.
The donning of the grey Bat suit could maybe rival the Keaton original. Maybe. But that heavy looking metal box Batfleck wore later could've been in a male sequel to the 90's Tank Girl …and no one would question it. How do you move in that thing anyway? It's believable enough since he's fighting the Man of Steel (not a regular boxing match), which I like in premise, but still... hideous. I would probably have a bigger issue if Batman could take a punch from Superman in his regular suit. So I'm glad they did something about that. It's just not pretty.
The movie itself has a lot of character building for Affleck, even without a large back story. I think Snyder knew the world was split on whether Ben should have the part. Taking that time is always wise when introducing a new actor to an old character. He did it well in this one. The work out sequence alone was awesome to see just how beefy Batfleck was. Definitely keeping with what Bale introduced: An actual ass kicker body. You know it. And I know it. Again, more realistic for the viewer.
I especially love the bond he forms with Superman over the same named mother. Cheesy, I know. And Deadpool even recently made a joke about having "a mother named Martha too". Still, I like it. I don’t mind a little wall breakage for a cheap smile. But on a serious note, I think my favorite line is when he tells Martha Kent when rescuing her, "I'm a friend of your Son's." I'm a sucker for the bondy stuff... as previously mentioned. And cue tear.
Jessie Eisenberg made me almost swap this with JL, simply because I think he butchers the role. He's entirely annoying and not a bit charming. Again, issues with a cartoon likeness (see Letto above). He’s also not at all like the immortalized Gene Hackman. Am I wrong to say EVERYONE wants a new Gene? Even Kevin Spacey did a decent job in Superman Returns (I’m aware he’s a “should not be named” now). Honorable mention to Roth’s spot on Clark and not-too-shabby Kal-El. IMO.
Back to Batfleck: The Knightmare suit deserves a mention. While it seems ancient for the rich Wayne to include some old school looking goggles and duster, I still think he looks pretty sweet.
Update: In the Snyder cut, Eisenberg is… bareable. They remove the giggly scene at the end. Wise move! Or remove. And replaced it with Batfleck threatening him in his cell. Mucho bueno!
RATINGS:
Batman: 9
Bruce Wayne: 8
Suit 1: 9
Suit 2: 6
Movie: 9
3) a.&b. (Actors/Movie/Suits) Batman Begins:
Here we have the second best Bat to don the cape in my opinion. Ben Affleck was the closest depiction to the Batman '92 cartoon, with the grey suit, beefier body, and square jaw. Bale was also pretty beefy, but his suits just didn't show it the way Batfleck's did. That doesn't mean they were bad suits.
Baleman was gifted the most practical of all the suits (unless you count the metal tank Affleck wore to fight Superman in BvS, but I don't). This first one was the closest to the original in '89 of the newer class (barring Returns & Valman's 1st because they were so close). So I liked it! Plus, the abs were a bit more normal on this one, which apparently I care about.
Bale stole his scenes! It doesn't help Affleck that he didn't get his own movie, but it is what it is and I love the Baleman!
Now, what else can be said about this movie? In short, you're looking at the resurrection of the entire character after the Cloonman travesty of '97. Rather, I should say Schumacher's travesty. He's really to blame more than George. But knowing what it had become previously, we were all biting our nails hoping for a better rendition. Nolan delivered and then some!
I consider this the greatest back story for the Bat of all time. How could it not be? He basically learns every martial art, plus any other knowledge he can gain, effectively showing us just why the Bat is such a bad ass.
While the Batmobile is not very batlike, it's still freakin' sweet! Morgan Freeman as his inside man just makes for some great dialogue… because it's Morgan Freeman! That back story of how he gets his gadgets is also pretty cool and something that was never explained to us before. I'd mention the amazing Michael Caine as Alfred, but I honestly think every movie nailed it with Alfred. Michael Gough and Jeremy Irons were both incredible as well, so I simply can't compare them. Gough has the most with all 4 of the Burton and Schumacher's. I think we forget that. I may prefer Caine over Irons though.
We also get some Liam Neeson as Raz O’ghoul, Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow, and Gary Oldman as Commissioner (not yet) Gordon. I personally think Oldman is one of the greatest actors of all time and the best Gordon to date, hands down. So in short, this movie and Batman are untouched by others in its own origin right. Yet, still not the best... to me.
Honorable mention: Arnold is one my favorites, and maybe without Schumacher he also could have done better. But alas, cheese!
RATINGS:
Batman: 10
Bruce Wayne: 8
Suit 1: 8.5
Suit 2: 8
Movie: 9.5
2) a. (Actors/Movie/Suit) Dark Knight:
It's hard to say much about the suit in this one. It's so similar to Rises that it's hardly worth mentioning because I feel the same way about it. The suit, not the movie. You can see the comparison to Begins in the pic. I just think they over complicated his suits after that. Again, the abs! Not a fan. Still, practical, and clearly looks a bit like armor.
On to the movie. Gosh, I could say so much about this flick! In short, it is possibly the greatest Batman movie of all time thanks to both Bale and Heath Ledger, and barely loses to #1. Ledger's portrayal of the Joker is on a whole other level! I'm honestly at a loss for words to describe it. I'm also short on words for Nicholson's performance in a similar manner. Jack was the standard and probably still is, but Heath was partially tapping into Jack for help and came up with something just shy of a miracle!
Unfortunately, we know it’s what basically killed him. The fact Heath took his own life largely due to the stress of this role, sort of immortalizes the role in his image. Like it or not, it's a factor. Jack even warned him not to go too deep. It almost broke him as well! So Heath shares the title of best Joker with Jack, but I doubt anyone will come close to the amazingly realistic version Ledger brought us. Anyway, I don't care how close Leto was to the comics or cartoon's, it pales to both of them. Pales I say!
Batman: 10
Bruce Wayne: 9
Suit: 8.5
Movie: 10
1) a.&b. (Actors/Movie/Suits) Batman: Before those of you born after '90 rip my head off, let me admit that this wasn't easy. Dark Knight almost came in first, but I just can't escape how timeless this movie is and how it influences all the rest... Dark Knight among the most. Keaton is the most charming of all the Bruce Wayne's, with the possible exception of Adam West. And his suit was a revelation to the character that most use as the measure for the ones since. While it was the most impractical due to all the rubber, Keatman made it work, and we couldn’t tell! In fact, I would argue that his stiff movements when in the suit made him that much more frightening! His first stiff necked delivery of the line, "I'm Batman", was so good we base the rest off that as well. It’s quoted more than “Swear to me!” And the way Keatman would raise up his wings just before attacking, scared the bejesus out of the bad guys enough to flee immediately! While his movements were limited, and both Bale and Affleck likely out choreographed Keaton, it's just not enough to say they were better under the cape. There are other factors they just didn't rise to in my opinion. Though close!
I've mentioned Jack Nicholson before, but seriously, what a frightening man he was! While it was a Tim Burton installment, and he definitely ‘comic booked’ this one up a bit, it still stayed true to the adult nature they were going for and never once felt childish. A better, less ridiculous Burton film one might say. He scared the bejesus out of all of us! It was the only movie I remember being forbidden to see in the theater when I was 9. Yes, I was born in '80, so I was 9 in '89. And boy was I bummed when Grandma got caught trying to take me... and then again when buying me the VHS. She was sneaky, but we got busted. Twice! That may have aided in immortalizing that flick for me and I'm totally fine with it! You’ll have to reconcile with your own bias in your order.
The soundtrack is incredible. Somehow Prince made this movie come alive in a way no other would again. As a side-note, you may know I DJ weddings for a living, and Partyman is the greatest Grand Entrance song of all time, made complete with Jack's line in the beginning, "Gentlemen, let's broaden our minds."
RATINGS:
Batman: 10
Bruce Wayne: 10
Suit: 10
Movie: 10
Thanks for reading this completely off topic article. I hope you enjoyed it. We'll see how Robert Pattinson brings the Bat in The Batman and then this list will likely change. I'm excited for it actually.
UPDATE: Terrible movie! Whiney Bruce is too pensive, and Patman doesn’t know the meaning of working in the shadows! That’s all I’ll say for now. It may end up at 9, but who really cares!?
As promised, a bullet point list of worst to best in my estimation...
Batman (Actor)
Michael Keaton (Keatman)
Christian Bale (Baleman)
Ben Affleck (Batfleck)
Adam West (Westman)
Val Kilmer (Valman or Kilman)
Robert Pattinson (Patman obviously!)
George Clooney (Cloonman)
Batman (Movie)
Dark Knight (2008)
Batman Begins (2005)
Batman v Superman (2016)
Justice League (2017)
Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Batman Returns (1992)
Adam West (1966)
The Batman (2020)
Batman Forever (1995)
Batman & Robin (1997)
Batman (Suits)
Keaton's first ('89)
Keaton's second (almost identical to the first: '89)
Affleck's first (grey: '16)
Bale's first ('05)
Keaton's third ('92)
Kilmer's first (identical to Keaton's second w/nipples: '95)
Bale's second ('08)
Bale's third ('12)
Affleck's third (grey w/Snyder eyes: '17)
West ('66)
Affleck's second (v Superman armor: '16)
Clooney's first ('97)
Kilmer's second ('95)
Clooney's second ('97)
(The Knightmare duster suit seems like it was the grey, just with accessories. So I didn't mention it.)
And that's my boxless view in a nutshell.
James went to KU for Psychology
and is an entrepreneur owning three small businesses;
The wedding industry, custom furniture building, and podcasting.
In addition, James is also a hobbyist
as a musician, voice-over artist, and blogger on the side.
Ultimately, he lives for his family and
making Christ known as the compassionate Savior He is.
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