There are any ways of assessing the quality of movies; awards won, millions made or the critic ratings. My own personal key assessment is often overlooked; it’s repeat viewing factor; how much do I want to watch the movie again?
Imagine, it’s 8:50pm on Friday night and you are flicking through the TV Guide looking for something to watch. You fancy a film but can’t be bothered to turn Netflix on. A Batman movie pops up, starting at nine, do you fancy watching it? Well, it depends on which Batman movie because some pf them feel like a chore to me whilst others are a pure Friday night delight of blockbuster fun.
Here is my ranking of Batman Movies from least likely to watch to most likely to keep me up past my bedtime:
Batman Forever – Confession. I have not once sat through the whole of Batman Forever. I have attempted to watch it several times but have not yet made it to the end. I know Jim Carrey is the Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones is Two Faced but I honestly can’t remember a single thing about the plot. This is the bottom of my list. Re-watch Score: 1/10
The Dark Knight Rises – I know it’s pure sacrilege but the last film in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy has too many plot holes and stretches my willful suspension of disbelief to breaking point. Bane’s master plan is stupid, and I find it hard to believe that the Stalemate would have ever happened. Batman is a good brooder but he spends the majority of this movie just moping and I don’t want to spend two hours of my life watching that. Re-watch Score: 2/10
The Lego Batman Movie – I just watched this the other week, it’s really fun and packs a lot of jokes in that will genuinely make you laugh out loud. I would watch this again someday but once was enough for right now. Re-watch Score: 5/10
Batman Begins – A solid Batman origin movie but it is a bit slow, the token female character is bland and again, I think the League of Shadows are a very stupid organisation. But Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman raise the watch-ability levels by a considerable amount. Re-watch Score: 6/10
Batman – I would argue this is still a better Batman origin film than Batman Begins. You jump straight into Batman in action without a long build up. Vicki Vale is more engaging on screen than Rachel, and you have Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Plus, Tim Burton’s vision for Gotham is distinct and otherworldly that helps you accept other larger than life elements of the story. Re-watch Score: 7/10
The Dark Knight – Heath Ledger as the Joker covers a multitude of other sins and then some. Plus this is film that ends on a dark but hopeful note. I’d watch this again in a heartbeat. Re-watch Score: 8/10
Batman & Robin – Before you get cross, remember I am just judging this on how likely I am to rewatch this on a whim. Batman & Robin is a terrible cheese-fest of a movie but even if I am watching it to mock it I still get a lot of pleasure from watching it and if it was on tonight I would happily sit through it all again! Re-watch Score: 9/10
And top place goes to…..
Batman Returns – Because it has THE Catwoman to beat all other Catwomen. Because it’s a Gothic Christmas fairytale nightmare, because Danny Devito and Christopher Walken are menacing villains in their own way. Because Batman broods but does not mope and because of that shot of Catwoman looking at the Bat signal. Pass the popcorn! Re-watch Score: 10/10
Agree? Disagree? Let’s argue in the comments!
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