Who Is The BEST Batman?

[Monkey_Mania]

We have a few choices. Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, Christian Bale, Adam West, and George Clooney. Who portrayed him best and why?

I believe in my heart that Mr. One Dimensional himself Christian Bale plays the role the best. Nevermind the stupid Batman voice. Which I actually enjoy. Ive seen the others and none make the connection with the Batman character as well as he does. Christian Bale was born to play the role of a rich businessman by day and a vigilante by night. He just does it so damn well.


Now onto you guys. Who do you think is the best and why?

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

I'll do this by a process of elimination.

Right off the bat, Val Kilmer and George Clooney are out. They both played Batman well, but Joel Schumacher's direction of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin was absolute shit. And, Batman should be able to save anything, even the movies he stars in. So, Kilmer and Clooney get an F for not being able to make lemonade out of lemons.

Michael Keaton...I like Michael Keaton, but he looked really weird as Bruce Wayne (admittedly, he looked pretty bad ass when under the mask). I guess my view of him was tainted by seeing him in Mr. Mom and Beetlejuice...I just couldn't think of him as a superhero after watching these two films. He's out.

So, that leaves us with Christian Bale and Adam West. You would think that Bale would win this hands down, as West, although the original Batman, starred as the Caped Crusader in a low-budget, cheesy serial. But, meeting Mr. West when I was 10 and finding out first-hand how much of a flaming asshole he really is pretty much seals the deal...he is the best Batman, as I can't help but love those who hurt me.

 

[RBH]

Now before ANYONE brings up the VOICE that Bale uses to be Batman, that is the only bad thing out of all the great qualities he has in his ability to play Batman.

I believe that Bale is the best Batman because he conveys the darkness of the character so well. Keaton did a great job of this but Bale does a good job of letting the audience know what Batman truly wants; a normal life someday where Batman will not be needed yet that day will never come. His Bruce QWayne is the best character acting I have seen because he plays the stuck up billionaire soo well and with all the women he strolls with, even better. I also love the way Bale interacts with Oldman's Gordon, they have such good chemistry where the 3 Batmans and the fat Commisioner Gordon of the original franchise barely spoke to each other.

Keaton would have been the best had Bale not come along. Kilmer was bad as he was just a tortured soul in love with Nicole Kidman (I dont blame him, she was hot in that movie) and George Clooney came off as an idiot in that movie as the Batman and Robin movie was the worst movie of all time.

So with that said, I believe that Bale is the best Batman and has truly made it his own role and the films will either continue to be great or turn bad will depdn heavily on Bale and how he carries the movie.

 

[NSL]

Here's how I've broken it down.

Clooney and Kilmer were both OK, and West was great for the TV show, but none of them are close to comparison to Keaton and Bale. Keaton was excellent as Batman, and made the character his own, while staying true to the history, and image, of Batman.

Bale wins however, because he was just as good as Batman, if not better, but totally stole the show when it came to who played Bruce Wayne better. You can't be a great Batman, if you play a mediocre Bruce Wayne. He had the look, and the attitude to pull off the playboy millionaire, and was totally believable as a tycoon that hit up all the hotspots, and threw money around like it was nothing. He transformed that so well into the Batman character, and would have you honestly wondering if it was really the same guy.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Michael Keaton without a doubt.

I'll eliminate both Bale & Kilmer because they're dullards. The Bat-Voice is stupid, and Kilmer needed to overact a little. Carrey & Tommy Lee Jones overact so much that it just highlight how poor he is in the role. Forever really could have done with some Clooney, and I mean that. A smirk here, raised eyebrow there. Yes, Roger Moore should have been in the Joel Schumacher Batman films. Or Clooney doing Moore dressed as Batman.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

Michael Keaton without a doubt.

I'll eliminate both Bale & Kilmer because they're dullards. The Bat-Voice is stupid, and Kilmer needed to overact a little. Carrey & Tommy Lee Jones overact so much that it just highlight how poor he is in the role. Forever really could have done with some Clooney, and I mean that. A smirk here, raised eyebrow there. Yes, Roger Moore should have been in the Joel Schumacher Batman films. Or Clooney doing Moore dressed as Batman.

I won't disagree that Keaton wasnt a good Batman. But to call Bale a dullard is kind of weird. Your main reason being? His Bat Voice? At least there is no identifiable traits once he becomes Batman that he is also Bruce Wayne. This way with the voice he is Batman and nobody can wonder if he is anything but. His Bruce Wayne is fantastic. He looks the part. Not only does he look the part but he also acts it to a T. When he is Batman I dont see Bruce Wayne like I did with the others. That is because of the voice. It's a little weird yes, but it works.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'm going with the crowd and saying that it's Bale or Keaton. West is ruled out because he played an entirely different kind of Batman entirely. Kilmer is close but not quite as good as the other two. The script didn't help him in the slightest as that was barely a Batman film. As a comedy/action movie it was good, but as a Batman movie it was awful. Clooney is an interesting choice. He was about as perfect as you can get as Bruce. Handsome, charming, getting close to old but not quite. If this had been who was the best Bruce there wouldn't be a debate. But when he put on the costume, that's what it seemed like: George Clooney in a costume. One of the worst Batmans.

Then you have the two best by far. Keaton is just right in the role. Not too over the top, not to low key either. As Bruce he seems like someone that you would never expect to be Batman, which is exactly what he's supposed to be. He looked right in the suit and you forgot he was Keaton. I saw Batman up on the screen. Then we have Bale. First and foremost, let me make this clear: I love the Bat voice. He wants to hide his identity right? What's one of the first things you would be able to match with Bruce Wayne? His voice. After his looks it's the most obvious thing about a person. That's the issue I've had with every other Batman. They sound like the actors they play. Bale sounds nothing like him, and for that, I'll give him the win.

 

[jmt225]

It's Christian Bale, easily. And not only is he the best Batman, he is BY FAR the best Bruce Wayne.

I appreciate what Michael Keaton did with the character, but he sucked as Bruce Wayne and the Batman stuff was nothing to brag about. I always thought the way he carried himself in the suit was ridiculous, but I guess that blame goes more towards Burton then it does Keaton.

Val Kilmer was good as Batman, and Clooney could've been great with the right script, but obviously neither of those deserve to be mentioned as the "Best Batman".

Fuck Adam West. Who gives a shit about him?

The fact is that Bale's Batman movies are the best of them all, and his portrayal of both Bruce Wayne and Batman were done to perfection for those movies. Bale had the perfect look, he knew how to carry himself in and out of the suit, and the guy is just one of the best actors of his generation. I can't picture anyone else doing as good of job as he did in the two Batman movies he's been apart of so far. Nobody.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

[QUOTE="Rowdy" Monkey Piper;798855] I won't disagree that Keaton wasnt a good Batman. But to call Bale a dullard is kind of weird. Your main reason being? His Bat Voice? [/quote]

Dullard is my main reason, Bat-Voice is my second.

[QUOTE="Rowdy" Monkey Piper;798855] At least there is no identifiable traits once he becomes Batman that he is also Bruce Wayne. [/quote]

It's dark, he's wearing a mask that makes his lips look different, there's no need for the voice.

He falls off a high perch:

Bat-Brain ''I'm winded, must maintain Bat-Voice''

It's stupid, if you hurt yourself the last thing you do it waste energy by doing a voice. Try doing a Mexican accent when you're having sex, it's really hard.

[QUOTE="Rowdy" Monkey Piper;798855] This way with the voice he is Batman and nobody can wonder if he is anything but. [/quote]

Gotham is heavily populated, why would people guess one particular person?

One guy figured it out, but was blackmailed out of saying anything. One out of several hundret thousand or million.

[QUOTE="Rowdy" Monkey Piper;798855] His Bruce Wayne is fantastic. He looks the part. Not only does he look the part but he also acts it to a T. [/quote]

I'm sure most people could play Bruce Wayne.

 

[RBH]

Michael Keaton without a doubt.

I'll eliminate both Bale & Kilmer because they're dullards. The Bat-Voice is stupid, and Kilmer needed to overact a little. Carrey & Tommy Lee Jones overact so much that it just highlight how poor he is in the role. Forever really could have done with some Clooney, and I mean that. A smirk here, raised eyebrow there. Yes, Roger Moore should have been in the Joel Schumacher Batman films. Or Clooney doing Moore dressed as Batman.

The thing I found that I liked about Bale's Batman than I did with Keaton's batman is that Bale showed a lot of the vulnerability that Batman is supposed to show when he is around those who know him like Alfred. Keaton had his flashbacks and his moments of sadness but Bale truly made you feel for him and his neve ending commitment to being Batman. Bale made you feel that he was in a situation that he could not win. Plus, take into account, Keaton's Batman did not have to deal with a close friend dying or the Harvey Dent issue. Bale showed sadness, remorse and drive while he was conflicted between Batman and Bruce. Keaton was great no doubt but Bale had a lot more to work with. This coming from a guy who has seen Bale's other work and has become a fan of his. (Meaning I probably will see his Pablo Escobar movie when it comes out)

 

[painisgain0]

Bale Baby!!

 

[Trance Metaphor]

I choose Michael Keaton. He will always be the Batman in my eyes. He had the natural voice to pull off Batman's dark and mysterious presence, and to show further proof of his acting agility, he portrayed Bruce Wayne as a convincing contrast. Christian Bale on the other hand did portray a good dark Batman, but it felt forced. He didn't seem to have a natural charisma that had me paying attention to his actions throughout. It just had me going "oh, he's Batman...cool" instead of "That's Batman!" Keaton takes the cake on this in my mind. Bale comes second. Bale did play a convincing Bruce Wayne and did have the more muscular figure though. I'll give him those. But, nothing gives me the chills than Keaton's introduction to the goon when he says, "I'm Batman."

 

[Starchild]

I too have narrowed this down to two choices, Bale and Keaton. West was good for the comedic over-the-top Batman character in the tv series and old 66 movie, but for the serious character that he really is it must be one of these two. Kilmer was the worst imo and Clooney is a good actor, but just can't do Batman..of course no one could with those god awful scripts from Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.
Now to the last two. The 89 Batman was great and under the mask Keaton was amazing, but I think Bale beats him pretty easily. He has that businessman look about him, but works well as the vigilante type too as is shown in the Nolan films. I also like those two best of all the Batman films just because of the whole spectrum..the crime and corruption in gotham, villains, the better portrayal of Wayne Enterprises, and especially Gotham itself..the Nolanverse vision of Gotham is it's exact picture in my mind pretty much.

Now one more thing that really agitates me. I DO NOT understand the big deal about Bale's Batman voice...sure it's over the top and sometimes kind of funny but at least he attempts to mask his voice. I hate the fact that no other Batman really masked their voice. I'm sorry, but if I hear some well known person's voice exactly as I always do, just under a mask I will know it's them. Batman's identity is secret obviously and masking the voice is part of that ruse...so why not incorporate it? The only worse examples of superhero/secret identity problems that make it obvious who they are, are Superman and Robin. I mean come on...one guy just slicks his hair back and takes off his glasses, the other has a mask that covers only his face around his eyes...that's ridiculous.

But anyway, Bale is my pick and I sincerely hope that he comes back for a couple more films, especially if Nolan directs.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Kilmer was ok as the Bat, terrible as the billionaire, Clooney was no different than the majority of the other roles he's done (i can understand why Francine Smith has him as her '1 free kill'). West's portrayal is pure comedic genius and typical West.

Take it from a Bat mark, Keaton is the best Batman. For one reason and one reason only. His Bruce Wayne is witty and charming when in view of the public ONLY! When he's in the bat suit and alone with Alfred, he's Batman, JUST like in the comics.

When Bale is Bruce, alongside Alfred, he's still jokey, smug billionaire instead of brooding, tormented vigilante. I think that people choose Bale because he actually does the fighting etc. and Nolan's movies are a great deal darker than Schumacher's or Burton's without seeming really gay at the same time. If it were up to Bale he'd pay to have maniacs released and then train himself in the alps with Ninjas, so that he could then go and re-capture them, BEFORE attempting to audition for the role of Batman.

Batman is the man, Bruce Wayne is the mask he hides behind. Apparently only Keaton and Burton understood that.