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TAGGED AS: batman, dc, movies
The Dark Knight celebrates its 15th anniversary!
A Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, ol’ Boogaloo Bats. There is a Batman for all seasons. But whatever you call him, he’s known far and wide as a comic book hero who’s managed to keep relevant in entertainment for decades, re-invented time and time again to answer a nation’s distress Bat-signal all. It was camp colors and biff–bang–pow for the 1960s (the Batman TV show). The ’80s found a taste for blockbuster art deco madness (Tim Burton’s Batman). The ’90s got the best of it (Mask of the Phantasm) and the worst (Batman & Robin). The world of the 2000s demanded realism and it got Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. Recently, he played nice with the Justice League. But now, Robert Pattinson dons the cowl in 2022’s long-awaited The Batman.
Holy review aggregates! Now we’ve gathered all the theatrical Batman movies in one list (including the one night stand of The Killing Joke), ranked by Tomatometer! (And see all things Batsy on film and television with our Batman franchise page.) —Alex Vo
#1
The Dark Knight (2008) 94%
#1
Adjusted Score: 108634%
Critics Consensus: Dark, complex, and unforgettable, The Dark Knight succeeds not just as an entertaining comic book film, but as a richly thrilling crime saga.
Synopsis: With the help of allies Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has... [More]
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
#2
The LEGO Batman Movie (2017) 90%
#2
Adjusted Score: 107446%
Critics Consensus: The Lego Batman Movie continues its block-buster franchise's winning streak with another round of dizzyingly funny -- and beautifully animated -- family-friendly mayhem.
Synopsis: There are big changes brewing in Gotham, but if Batman (Will Arnett) wants to save the city from the Joker's... [More]
Starring: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes
Directed By: Chris McKay
#3
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) 87%
#3
Adjusted Score: 105638%
Critics Consensus: The Dark Knight Rises is an ambitious, thoughtful, and potent action film that concludes Christopher Nolan's franchise in spectacular fashion.
Synopsis: It has been eight years since Batman (Christian Bale), in collusion with Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), vanished into the night.... [More]
Starring: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
#4
The Batman (2022) 85%
#4
Adjusted Score: 114456%
Critics Consensus: A grim, gritty, and gripping super-noir, The Batman ranks among the Dark Knight's bleakest -- and most thrillingly ambitious -- live-action outings.
Synopsis: Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sad*stic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence... [More]
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell
Directed By: Matt Reeves
#5
Batman Begins (2005) 85%
#5
Adjusted Score: 96268%
Critics Consensus: Brooding and dark, but also exciting and smart, Batman Begins is a film that understands the essence of one of the definitive superheroes.
Synopsis: A young Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels to the Far East, where he's trained in the martial arts by Henri... [More]
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
#6
Batman Returns (1992) 82%
#6
Adjusted Score: 90402%
Critics Consensus: Director Tim Burton's dark, brooding atmosphere, Michael Keaton's work as the tormented hero, and the flawless casting of Danny DeVito as The Penguin and Christopher Walken as, well, Christopher Walken make the sequel better than the first.
Synopsis: The monstrous Penguin (Danny DeVito), who lives in the sewers beneath Gotham, joins up with wicked shock-headed businessman Max Shreck... [More]
Starring: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Directed By: Tim Burton
#7
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) 83%
#7
Adjusted Score: 88393%
Critics Consensus: Stylish and admirably respectful of the source material, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm succeeds where many of the live-action Batman adaptations have failed.
Synopsis: In this animated feature set in the 1940s, the troubled yet heroic Batman (Kevin Conroy) is pitted against a mysterious... [More]
Starring: Kevin Conroy, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings, Mark Hamill
Directed By: Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm
#8
Batman (1989) 77%
#8
Adjusted Score: 90441%
Critics Consensus: An eerie, haunting spectacle, Batman succeeds as dark entertainment, even if Jack Nicholson's Joker too often overshadows the title character.
Synopsis: Having witnessed his parents' brutal murder as a child, millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) fights crime in Gotham City... [More]
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl
Directed By: Tim Burton
#9
Batman (1966) 81%
#9
Adjusted Score: 85112%
Critics Consensus: Batman: The Movie elevates camp to an art form -- and has a blast doing it, every gloriously tongue-in-cheek inch of the way.
Synopsis: Kaaapowie! Holy feature film, Batman ... one based on the tongue-in-cheek, campy 1960's television series. Watch Batman (Adam West) and... [More]
Starring: Adam West, Burt Ward, Cesar Romero, Lee Meriwether
Directed By: Leslie H. Martinson
#10
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) 71%
#10
Adjusted Score: 86860%
Critics Consensus: Zack Snyder's Justice League lives up to its title with a sprawling cut that expands to fit the director's vision -- and should satisfy the fans who willed it into existence.
Synopsis: In ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE, determined to ensure Superman's (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben... [More]
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa
Directed By: Zack Snyder
#11
Justice League (2017) 40%
#11
Adjusted Score: 63126%
Critics Consensus: Justice League leaps over a number of DC movies, but its single bound isn't enough to shed the murky aesthetic, thin characters, and chaotic action that continue to dog the franchise.
Synopsis: Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana Prince... [More]
Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams
Directed By: Zack Snyder
#12
Batman Forever (1995) 41%
#12
Adjusted Score: 46022%
Critics Consensus: Loud, excessively busy, and often boring, Batman Forever nonetheless has the charisma of Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones to offer mild relief.
Synopsis: Batman (Val Kilmer) faces off against two foes: the schizophrenic, horribly scarred former District Attorney Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face (Tommy... [More]
Starring: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman
Directed By: Joel Schumacher
#13
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) 35%
#13
Adjusted Score: 36356%
Critics Consensus: This stilted retelling of the Joker's origin adds little to its iconic source material, further diminished by some questionable story additions that will have fans demanding justice for Barbara Gordon.
Synopsis: Batman (Kevin Conroy) must save Commissioner Gordon (Ray Wise) from the Joker's (Mark Hamill) twisted quest to drive him insane.... [More]
Starring: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Ray Wise, Tara Strong
Directed By: Sam Liu
#14
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) 29%
#14
Adjusted Score: 50543%
Critics Consensus: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice smothers a potentially powerful story -- and some of America's most iconic superheroes -- in a grim whirlwind of effects-driven action.
Synopsis: It's been nearly two years since Superman's (Henry Cavill) colossal battle with Zod (Michael Shannon) devastated the city of Metropolis.... [More]
Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg
Directed By: Zack Snyder
#15
(1997) 12%
#15
Adjusted Score: 18557%
Critics Consensus: Joel Schumacher's tongue-in-cheek attitude hits an unbearable limit in Batman & Robin resulting in a frantic and mindless movie that's too jokey to care much for.
Synopsis: This superhero adventure finds Batman (George Clooney) and his partner, Robin (Chris O'Donnell), attempting to the foil the sinister schemes... [More]
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Uma Thurman
Directed By: Joel Schumacher
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