Who Has Had the Best Performance in the Batman Universe?
The CineNation writers pick their favorite performances from the World of Batman
With the recent release of the critically-acclaimed The Lego Batman Movie, we decided it would be a good time for some of the CineNation writers to pick their favorite performances in any of the Batman movies. Soon, however, we had to expand it to other forms of media like television and video games, because our writer Thomas Horton couldn’t play by the rules. The World of Batman has given us countless great performances over numerous decades and through multiple mediums: Tim Burton’s early films to the Christopher Nolan universe, the early Batman: The Animated to the more recent Arkham video games. We had a lot to choose from, so here are just a few of them.
Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth (Nolan Trilogy)
by Dan LeVine
Behind every Batman is an Alfred. And Michael Caine kills it.
On the surface, Caine’s Alfred Pennyworth is Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler, who sports a thinning head of white hair and speaks in a cockney accent like only Michael Caine can do. But Nolan’s Alfred is a complicated character, and Caine skillfully fills the role.
In a Robin-less world it is Alfred who is Batman’s most-trusted (and only) ally. Throughout his many difficult scenarios, the troubled Bruce Wayne often leans on Alfred for advice. And although Alfred knows little of caped crusading, he always seems to have pearls of wisdom that help push Bruce in the right direction.
Alfred seems to support Bruce’s Batman crusade, but at the same time is very concerned for his well-being. He always tries to push Bruce toward a healthier lifestyle both physically (such as when he brings Bruce protein shakes) and emotionally (when he encourages Bruce to move on from Rachel).
It is often forgotten that Nolan’s films, while praised for their dark tones, also have excellent humor. Michael Caine’s chemistry with Christian Bale is undeniable and the deadpan humor between them is impeccable. Take this classic exchange:
A: Will you be wanting the Batpod, sir?
B: In the middle of the day, Alfred? Not very subtle.
A: The Lamborghini, then. Much more subtle.
We, like Batman, take Alfred’s presence in the Nolan films for granted, which makes it that much more painful when Alfred and Bruce part ways in the trilogy’s final chapter. In fact, Alfred is key to the most emotional through-line of the whole trilogy. The main relationship issue is not between enemies or lovers — it’s between a son and his father figure.
With Caine, Alfred is elevated from what is a traditionally a two-dimensional character to the heart of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
Mark Hamill as The Joker (“Arkham City”)
By Thomas Horton
I’m breaking the rules of the article a little and writing about a video game. Sure, Mark Hamill has lent his voice to the Joker many times for animated series and films, and I’m definitely not the first person to argue his version of the Joker is superior (Ledger’s great too, though), but I want to take this opportunity to declare my love for the Joker in the Arkham City video game, one of my favorite Batman stories ever put to any screen.
While Arkham Asylum, the first game in the incredible Arkham trilogy, was surprisingly well-done for a superhero video game, it lacked in story. Joker used Bane’s “secret muscle formula” to turn his gang, and eventually himself, into hulking brutes, intending on breaking out of Arkham Asylum in the process. Nothing Batman hadn’t seen before.
But Arkham City, the superior sequel to Arkham Asylum, uses the repercussions of that generic storyline to build an incredible story about Joker, Batman and their relationship. The aftereffects of Bane’s formula have poisoned Joker’s body, and he’s very close to death. So he poisons Batman with his blood, tying their fates together as Batman goes on a race to find the cure.
Many Batman stories on the screen have explored the twisted relationship between Batman and the Joker, but Arkham City brings them even closer as Batman tries to save both their lives. And Hamill delivers the best performance he’s ever given in his long career as the Joker, balancing the character’s over-the-top mania with the slow deterioration of his body.
The final showdown between Batman and the Joker once again has Bruce weighing his no-kill policy against the death and destruction that Joker causes, but the end result is unlike anything you’ve seen in a Batman story before. It’s a poignant ending to one of the most profound entries in this classic hero/villain relationship, one that’s been over a half-century in the making.
The Perfect Batman
By Will Clayton
Who is the best Batman? This is difficult because there are so many different portrayals and incarnations of the Caped Crusader that you are instantly going to start an internet fight by advocating for one actor’s portrayal over another’s. So instead, I decided to design my own Batman by taking elements from other existing versions we have seen.
Voice: Kevin Conroy. To many, myself included, Kevin Conroy is the man that brought Batman to life through his voice-over work in the animated series and in several of the best Batman video games. Whenever I imagine Batman’s voice in my head, I default to Kevin Conroy.
Bruce Wayne: Christian Bale’s Bruce. I have argued with friends countless times that Christian Bale really does a fantastic job with The Dark Knight, but it is his interpretation of playboy Bruce Wayne that always stood out to me. You had the darker edge that Bruce needed before he became Batman, and his playboy persona afterwards really became the disguise, not the cowl.
Batman in the Suit: Michael Keaton. Keaton is easily one of my favorite actors from the last 30 years. His Bruce Wayne was good. His Batman was great. His Batman is nearly silent in the original film, and his follow-up with Batman Returns was equally praiseworthy. Whenever I imagine how Batman goes about being Batman, I think of Keaton.
Batsuit/Physique: Ben Affleck. Affleck has somehow physically transformed into a hulking and mountainous form, without seeming overweight or on steroids. He carries it all well. It just fits. His Batsuit and physicality from Batman vs Superman was one of the few things Snyder nailed in his otherwise dumpster fire of a movie. In fact, Batfleck was one of the few bright spots in the thing overall. Other than the Martha bit. Good luck living that down.
Cillian Murphy as Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow (“Batman Begins”)
By Alex Bauer
As a kid, I never read a Batman comic, nor watched any of the animated shows. When I saw Batman Begins for the first time, the film was my introduction to the Batman universe. I left the theater absolutely terrified of Scarecrow.
Jonathan Crane, and his villainous side Scarecrow, are expertly portrayed by Cillian Murphy. His fear toxin, which brings out the worst fears of the people he uses it on, is effective in getting what Crane/Scarecrow wants and scaring the crap out of me and his victims. Obviously, anything that brings out our worst fears is terrifying to think about and witness. But, the power and strength it gives Crane is just as terrifying. Having the fear toxin gives Crane the ability to control people in a horrible kind of way. For me, that is the scariest part of Crane. Sure Batman beats the crap out of someone, but controlling the emotional and mental state of someone? Horrific! Fearful for their life, those under the fear toxin’s spell succumb to the demands of Crane/Scarecrow. Having and using that power is tremendously scary.
Murphy as Crane/Scarecrow knocks it out of the park. As Crane, Murphy is a swarmy guy. He’s nerdish and his social skills are not polished. He thinks he is the smartest guy in the room, giving him a slight ego buzz. Crane knows he as a one up on everyone, because of his ability to go into Scarecrow-mode. As Scarecrow, Murphy is equally terrific. He becomes intimidating and nightmare-ish. Much more comfortable with the sack on his head, Scarecrow seems to be much more calculating and evil. The thirst for power and control is always dominating Jonathan Crane’s mindset, and his portrayal by Cillian Murphy is nothing short of great.
Heath Ledger as The Joker (“The Dark Knight”)
By Brandon Sparks
So, the character of Batman and his stories have had a very special place in my heart for a long time. I fell in love with the Tim Burton films at a very young age, and that’s when Batman became my favorite superhero. My grandfather used to tape Batman: The Animated Series for me every Sunday morning so that I could watch them during the week. Then, as I got older, Christopher Nolan released his Dark Knight trilogy, and they were some of the most popular films within my friend group. I would love to talk about how Michael Keaton is the best Batman or how Christian Bale is the best Bruce Wayne in this article…but Will decided to talk about all of that already. Instead, I’m going to talk about arguably the greatest performance in any Batman story.
When Heath Ledger was first announced to play The Joker, I remember a lot of people were confused by the casting choice. But, my first thought was, “Oooh, this could be interesting.” For some reason, certain people felt that The Joker had to be a comedic actor because when Jack Nicholson played the character in 1989, he was funny. Ledger was known as a dramatic actor, and he was going to bring a more dramatic performance to one of the greatest comic book villains of all time. Once we all saw the first teaser trailer for The Dark Knight, everyone knew we were going to see a portrayal of the character we had never seen before.
When you watch most actors play a role, you can usually see a little bit of that actor in the role. You understand they are just acting. When watching Ledger’s performance, you don’t see that. His performance as The Joker is the definition of inhabiting a role. I try so hard to see the wheels turning and to see the “acting” of it all, but I can’t. His performance is flawless. From the voice all the way down to the tongue-twitching he adds. His Joker is terrifying, intelligent, funny, and psychopathic.
To this day, it is one to the scariest characters I’ve ever seen on the big screen. His performance redefined the character of The Joker as we know it. It was a character that shouldn’t have been touched for at least, and I mean AT LEAST, a decade in film (instead they only waited eight years). The Dark Knight and Ledger’s performance as The Joker helped legitimize the superhero genre. I’m not sure if today’s superhero films would be full of A-list acting talent like they are if it wasn’t for the phenomenal performance Ledger gave in The Dark Knight.
