I still havent seen the Nolan films in their entirety but when I do I’ll rank them. I saw most of TDK and my memories of it were pretty good. For now I’ll rank the Burton/Schumacher films.
4.Batman & Robin- Well granted I saw this in the theatres though I was about 4 at the time. Its one of those films you notice the flaws the more you watch it. Cheesy one liners, sub-par acting, and too much Bat nibbles. George Clooney’s a good actor but for me he was definitely miscast here. IMO he doesnt portray the tormented character depicted in the first three films. Anyways most of us know the flaws of this film so moving on. 4/10
3.Batman Returns- Kinda going with what a few said above. A little too Burton-y. The first film was a cross between dark and light with a hint of campiness. This film just leans too much towards dark. Its definitely the most graphic of the four films notably the scene where Catwoman scratches the person’s face. 6/10
2.Batman Forever- I rank this above Returns by about a hair. This film falls between the slightly dark edge of the first film but the over-campiness of Batman & Robin. Val Kilmer was an ok Batman and Jim Carrey definitely at his zaniest as the Riddler. Im again going with some of the above. Tommy Lee Jones was a bad Two-Face and granted I like Tommy Lee Jones. Then again I cant imagine Billy Dee Williams being much better in the role since he played an ‘ok’ Harvet Dent. However, Two-Face in BF was just a poorly written character. To vengeful and angry and zany and just a poorly written and portrayed character. 6.5/10
1.Batman- I actually find it a bit ironic that this is my favorite of the four films since it was actually the last of the four I saw. Nicholson played a good Joker and I like the plot twist that it was he who killed Bruce Wayne’s parents. Nice climax, good one liners, nicely film. Perhaps a bit dated now but I think it helped pave the road to where the character of Batman has been taken in the last decade or so. 8/10