Batman Reviews: Our Verdict on Every Batman Film

Our Batman reviews give each theatrical film one of four verdicts: Essential, Recommended, Mixed or Weakest. Every verdict here is my opinion, backed by the film's own facts (director, cast, runtime and box office). Each film's page carries its cast, plot and ending, and full reviews will follow film by film.

The Dark Knight (2008). The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, is the film I would hand to anyone who has never seen a Batman movie. Heath Ledger's Joker kills his own accomplices after a bank robbery in the opening act, and that single choice sets the tone for 152 minutes of crime story. Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent gives Bruce Wayne a reason to hope he can retire, and Christian Bale plays the strain well. Box Office Mojo lists $1.01 billion worldwide on a $185 million budget, the first Batman film in this set past a billion dollars.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993). Batman Mask of the Phantasm, directed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, runs 77 minutes and wastes none of them. Gotham's mob bosses die at the hands of a cloaked killer, the police blame Batman, and flashbacks show how close Bruce came to giving up his crusade for a normal life with Andrea Beaumont. Kevin Conroy is Batman, Mark Hamill is the Joker and Shirley Walker wrote the score. It took about $5.9 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, which in my opinion says more about its release than its quality.

The Batman (2022). Is The Batman movie any good? Yes, and The Batman 2022, directed by Matt Reeves, is the most patient detective story the series has made. Robert Pattinson plays a Batman two years into the job, the Riddler (Paul Dano) murders the mayor on Halloween night, and the clues lead to Colin Farrell's Penguin at the Iceberg Lounge and to Zoë Kravitz's Selina Kyle. At 177 minutes it asks for an evening, but Michael Giacchino's score and the use of a Nirvana song earn that time. It made $773 million worldwide on a $200 million budget, per Box Office Mojo.

Batman Begins (2005). Batman Begins, also directed by Christopher Nolan, is the best origin story in the series. Bruce Wayne falls into a well as a boy, loses his parents outside an opera house, and is recruited by Liam Neeson's Ducard in a Bhutan prison. It is slower than its sequel, but it makes the Tumbler and the League of Shadows feel earned. It took $376 million worldwide on a $150 million budget.

Batman (1989). Batman 1989, directed by Tim Burton, turned a billionaire in a cape into a gothic event. Michael Keaton plays Bruce Wayne as a man barely holding it together, Jack Nicholson plays Jack Napier and then the Joker, and Kim Basinger plays photographer Vicki Vale. Danny Elfman wrote the score, and Prince supplied songs such as Batdance and Partyman. It earned $412 million worldwide on a $35 million budget, which is the clearest hit in the series.

Batman Returns (1992). Is Batman Returns any good? In my opinion it is excellent and still the strangest film in the series. Batman Returns, again directed by Tim Burton, opens with the Penguin (Danny DeVito) rising from the sewers before Gotham's Christmas tree lighting. Michelle Pfeiffer, who replaced Annette Bening after Bening left the role because of pregnancy, makes Selina Kyle the heart of the film. Christopher Walken's Max Shreck is the corrupt businessman who sets things in motion. It made $267 million worldwide on an $80 million budget, less than the first film but still more than three times its cost.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012). The Dark Knight Rises, directed by Christopher Nolan, closes the trilogy eight years after Harvey Dent's death. Tom Hardy's Bane and Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle arrive in a Gotham that believes it has beaten organized crime. At 165 minutes it carries some slack, but the scale is enormous. It took $1.085 billion worldwide on a $250 million budget.

The Lego Batman Movie (2017). The Lego Batman Movie, directed by Chris McKay, has Will Arnett's Batman refuse to admit he needs anyone, until he accidentally adopts Michael Cera's Dick Grayson. Zach Galifianakis plays a Joker who wants to be called Batman's greatest enemy. It is the funniest film here and kind to the whole history. It made $312 million worldwide on an $80 million budget.

Batman Forever (1995). Batman Forever, directed by Joel Schumacher, trades Burton's gloom for neon. Val Kilmer is Batman, Tommy Lee Jones is Two-Face, Jim Carrey is the Riddler and Nicole Kidman plays psychiatrist Chase Meridian. Among its notable songs are Kiss from a Rose by Seal and Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me by U2. Carrey is why I would watch it again, and the plot is why I would not rush. It earned $337 million worldwide on a $100 million budget.

Batman (1966). Batman 1966 movie, directed by Leslie H. Martinson, is Adam West and Burt Ward at full camp. The Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler and Catwoman (Lee Meriwether) form the United Underworld and build a machine that turns people into dust. It runs 105 minutes and was made for about $1.4 million. Your verdict depends on whether you enjoy the joke, and I do.

Batman & Robin (1997). Batman and Robin, directed by Joel Schumacher, is the film I would place last. George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy and Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl all compete for the screen, and the villains' plan matters less than the one liners. It made $238 million worldwide on a $125 million budget, per Box Office Mojo.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Zack Snyder's Justice League and The Flash feature Batman but are appearances rather than Batman films, so they sit in the Batman movies in order list without a verdict here. Ben Affleck plays Bruce Wayne in the first three, and Michael Keaton returns to the cape in The Flash. The Batman Part II cannot be reviewed yet: TheWrap reported on October 5, 2026 that production paused for a family matter involving Matt Reeves, with a US release date of February 18, 2028 that may shift.

If you are choosing where to start, begin with The Dark Knight, then see Batman movies ranked for the full order of preference, or the Batman movies hub for every film.