Star Review: The Batmen

Anyone out there that has been using that crazy invention called the Internet lately is likely quite aware (and perhaps even tired of) the news that Ben Affleck has been cast by Warner Bros. as the latest incarnation of Batman.  While most seem to think this is the most tragic thing since 9/11, there are a small group of us that have at least a little faith in Mr. Affleck’s ability to maybe, just maybe, pull this off.  After all, do we not come from a long line of less-than-capable Batmen?  From the camp that was Adam West to the disaster that was George Clooney, casting choices for the role have always been a little sketchy.  Further, some of the best casting choices in history have had more than their fair share of detractors (as this article demonstrates).  Today, I shall take a look at each of the former Batmen in an effort to put the latest casting choice into a proper perspective.

Adam West - The Goofy TV Batman

For several years, Adam West stood side-by-side with Burt Ward and fought crime in the weekly Batman television show.  This was a time when super heroes were still not to be taken seriously, so the end result was a product that was campy and ridiculous, albeit still entertaining in its own way. Though today making a Batman that even vaguely resembled that old show would likely end in television executives being shot in their sleep, it’s considered to be acceptable by the vast majority of Batman fans because it is, most gratefully, in the past.

Of course the question is, was Adam West a decent Batman?  I would say, all things considered, he did a good job.  Many remember him fondly for the goofy role, the horrible writing forgotten in that wonder of childhood memory.  He realized that he wasn’t trying to portray the true essence of what people nowadays know as the Dark Knight.  He was just making something fun for kids and adults alike.

Michael Keaton - Tim Burton’s Batman

Michael Keaton, another individual that brought forth the ire of the fans when he was cast, was the Batman of the Tim Burton years, starring in both Batman and Batman Returns.  Many consider Keaton to be one of, if not the best, Batman so far.  Personally, I find him to be barely above those that followed him.  Keaton’s wooden acting was only offset by his goofy and quirky charm.  If not for that factor, he would have been quite forgettable.  What made Keaton shine was the presence of Burton as director and a great supporting cast.

Though I do not even begin to agree with those that call Keaton the best of all, I can at least understand a bit of where they’re coming from.  The first Batman was, after all, the first Batman flick that tried to take the genre seriously.  Of course, that all fell apart with Batman Returns, a movie filled with horrible decisions and poor writing.  I mean, magic cats turning Selina Kyle into Catwoman?  Seriously, Tim?

Val Kilmer - The Forgettable Batman

Val Kilmer had the unfortunate job of trying to fill Keaton’s shoes in the third installment of the original franchise, Batman Forever.  Kilmer is, well, quite forgettable.  The movie itself is equally as forgettable.  While Kilmer didn’t do a horrible job per se, he did manage to be a Batman that 99% of people will never place at (or even near) the top of any “Best Batman Ever” lists.  In his defense, the franchise was already in decline at this point, so Kilmer didn’t have the best script to work with.  And Joel Schumacher taking over as director didn’t help out any either.

George Clooney - The Unfortunate Batman

Poor old George Clooney had the unfortunate task of closing out the original Batman movie franchise.  By this time, the entire thing had imploded upon itself, the final result being a Batman flick that played out like the original campy TV series, albeit with a much larger budget.  Thoughts of realism were thrown out the window and they cast any big name they could find to play the baddies and throw out catch phrases.  This was Batman at its worst.  Clooney didn’t even have a chance and thus can not be blamed completely for being what most consider to be the worst Batman ever.

Christian Bale - The Dark Knight

Once Christopher Nolan took the reins of the Batman franchise, nearly 10 years after it had died, the DC character was reborn.  Along with Nolan came Christian Bale, the man who has portrayed Batman in his darkest and most thoughtful incarnation ever.  Bale is considered by many to be the best Batman ever, though one has to look at the fact that he was given a completely different task than his predecessors.  He was asked to bring realism to the role, something that it had never seen before.  In a new world of comic book films, Bale fit the bill perfectly.  He is personally my favorite, even if people like to bitch and whine about his gravelly, sore throat, Bat-voice.

Ben Affleck - The Batfleck

And so we arrive at the man who will become the newest Batman.  When the news first broke, the Internet nearly short-circuited from being drowned in a lake of fanboy/girl tears (some of the best Twitter responses can be found here).  Now, however, some of that rage has calmed and people are actually beginning to consider the ramifications of the decision.

Is Ben Affleck the best actor out there?  Well, he’s done a few good jobs and a lot of bad ones, so I’m ready to say “No” on that one.  Will the influence of Snyder and the fact that he’s going to be playing the role as second-fiddle to Henry Cavill’s Superman going to help?  I would say “Yes” to that.  Zack Snyder (with the help of Christopher Nolan) was made some pretty amazing casting choices for the DC universe thus far.  Cavill is, hands-down, the best Superman ever.  The supporting cast was equally as brilliant.  And the end result, Man of Steel, was a movie I personally consider to be among the best super hero films of all time.

So the real question might be, can Snyder as a director turn Ben Affleck into an amazing Batman?  I’m going to cross my fingers and hope that that is the case.  I’ve never, ever, by any stretch of the imagination been an Affleck fan.  If anything, I avoid the movies he stars in.  But I have to have faith in Snyder, Goyer and the others involved in the film.  Who knows, maybe we’ll see a new side of Affleck, one that captures the Dark Knight perfectly.

But until we start seeing footage from the film (not likely anytime soon), people should probably just shut the hell up and let it be.  Trying to have Affleck removed via an online petition isn’t about to happen.  Whether Ben Affleck is the next great Batman will only be known once the film is complete.

Photo Credits -           

Batman courtesy of comicvine.com

Adam West Batman courtesy of thebeigeroom.com

Michael Keaton Batman courtesy of scifinow.co.uk

Val Kilmer Batman courtesy of avclub.com

George Clooney Batman courtesy of flix66.com

Bale Batman courtesy of beehivehairdresser.com

Ben “Batman” Affleck courtesy of geektyrant.com