3 best and worst Batman movies of all time

If you’ve deepened your voice an octave to say ‘I’m Batman’, chances are you are a huge Batman fan. With Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattison, showing in theatres near you, here is a list of the best and worst Batman movies.

The Best: The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight one tops the list of the best Batman film ever. With outstanding direction by Christopher Nolan, this movie revolutionised the very idea of what a comic book movie should look like. In fact, it is widely regarded as one of the best films ever made. Christian Bale played the role of Batman in this film while the late Heath Ledger essayed an Oscar-winning performance as the Joker. Different components make this movie a yardstick for all Batman movies to come. You can stream the entire Nolan trilogy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Hungama Play, YouTube, and Tata Sky.

The Worst: Batman & Robin

Fans dubbed Batman & Robin one of the worst Batman films ever made. Despite a star-studded cast with George Clooney as Batman, and a high budget, this Joel Schumacher version is still bitterly despised within the fandom. Watch this only if you are a die-hard Clooney fan. You can catch Batman & Robin on Hungama Play, Apple iTunes, YouTube, and Google Play Movies.

The Best: Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Creating a more nuanced Batman than the casual moviegoer is used to, Snyder opts to portray a more emotionally open version of the superhero. Ben Affleck portrays one of the best versions of the caped crusader in this film as the leader of the Justice League, which includes popular DC heroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman. The film's release itself has its own story to tell, which involved a massive massive fan campaign to allow Snyder to release his version of the cut in 2021, as opposed to the studio-mandated cut which was released in theatres in 2017. This is one of the longest-running films – a deep dive into action and adventure. Available on Hungama Play, Apple iTunes, YouTube, Google Play Movies, and Tata Sky, this movie is a must-watch for newbies and avid fans.

The Worst: Batman Forever

Another miss by director Joel Schumacher, who presented a movie that was a certified mess. With a bizarre tonal pallet, a bland titular performance by Val Kilmer, and an odd Batsuit, this movie is so bad it’s good. Despite its star-studded cast which included Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, and Drew Barrymore, the film ended up being a disaster. You can cringe along by streaming the film on Hungama Play, Apple iTunes, YouTube, and Google Play Movies.

The Best: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Let’s switch things up a little and look at this animated movie that drew inspiration from the graphic novels Batman: Year One and Batman: Year Two. The film offers a distinct visual style thanks to Paul Dini and Bruce Timm's ingenuity and is set in the same universe as the critically acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series. The film is revered as one of the most definitive takes on Batman, with the iconic duo of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamil lending their voices as Batman and Joker respectively. These legends have gone on to portray these characters in countless animated and video game adaptions. You can stream this classic animated film on Hungama Play.

The Worst: Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice

Zack Snyder makes it to the ‘worst’ section with this version of Batman. The film remains one of the polarising films of all time. There are those that loathe this film with a passion, while there are others who love this interpretation by Ben Affleck as he goes against Henry Cavill's Superman. While the movie held ample promise, despite the melodrama and action, it was panned by critics. Regardless of how one feels about this murderous version of Batman, 'the warehouse fight scene' alone warrants it to be watched at least once, or better yet watch the three-hour extended cut of the film, the Ultimate Edition, which fixes the film's issues with pacing. You can watch both versions of the film on Amazon Prime Video, Hungama Play, Apple iTunes, YouTube, Google Play Movies, and Tata Sky.

Now that you have this Batman watchlist, “why so serious”? Dim the lights and start binging!