00:00Ranking all of the best live-action Batman actors, from 1960s Adam West to present-day Robert Pattinson.
00:087. George Clooney, Batman and Robin
00:10A beloved Academy Award-winning actor who unfortunately found himself at the center of a dumpster fire movie with plastic bat nipples plastered to his chest.
00:20We can't all have all the luck in the world, even George Clooney.
00:246. Adam West, Batman, The Movie
00:27Adam West's Batman, with its sincere pop art style, brought the caped crusader to a mass audience.
00:33West's straight portrayal became the benchmark for future versions, preserving its relevance and memory, distinct from the Batman we know today.
00:415. Val Kilmer, Batman Forever
00:43A cool, interior Bruce Wayne trapped inside Joel Schumacher's neon-soaked sugar rush fever dream, Val Kilmer underplays the role, bringing subtle melancholy to Bruce Wayne.
00:54But as Bruce, he's quietly compelling.
00:57Which is perhaps a perfect summary for the mercurial Kilmer's career at large.
01:01Rest in peace, Iceman.
01:034. Ben Affleck, Batman vs. Superman, Dawn of Justice
01:06Tired, angry, and terrifying, Ben Affleck's physical portrayal turns the suit into a blunt instrument.
01:13His standout role as Bruce Wayne and Batman highlights film inconsistencies.
01:17Despite this, the franchise didn't allow a definitive veteran Dark Knight to emerge.
01:22The openly killing aspect remains debatable.
01:263. Christian Bale, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises
01:30Putting Christian Bale third is going to absolutely enrage people, and rightfully so.
01:36Bale ranks third, overshadowed by elite storytelling and villainous performances like Heath Ledger's.
01:42His success relies on raw talent, not characterization, which sometimes lacks pulp.
01:482. Michael Keaton, Batman, Batman Returns, The Flash
01:52There is no Batman on screen, at least, in the way we know him, without Michael Keaton.
01:58Challenging expectations, his stillness and piercing eyes defined his portrayal.
02:011. Robert Pattinson, The Batman, The Batman, Part 2
02:14Maybe this is recency bias.
02:17But here's the difference between The Dark Knight and The Batman.
02:20The Dark Knight is the best movie to feature Batman, but The Batman is the best Batman movie ever made.
02:26Essential subtext transforms into text as Pattinson's Batman evolves from fear's embodiment to heroism.
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