Batman is one of the most popular characters of all time. Due to this immense popularity surrounding the character, the DCEU version of the character being particularly controversial due to the lack of quality in the films as a whole (though this seems to be changing of late). Many fans would even suggest that the DCEU version of Batman is the weakest yet.
This article will give 5 reasons why the DCEU Batman is the best and 5 why it's not.
Best: Robin History
While this is unlikely to be taken further in the DCEU due to the fact that Ben Affleck is now out of the role of Batman and Robert Pattinson has been cast as a much younger Batman, the inclusion of the Robin suit in the DCEU was certainly interesting.
Not only did it hint at the wider Bat-Family but it also suggested that Red Hood was in this universe and that Batman and Joker had more bad blood than usual between them.
Not: Gotham
One of the weakest elements of the DCEU was its decision to make Gotham just appear to be another city. In the comics, and especially in the Burton movies, Gotham is a dark, Gothic metropolis that is almost a character in and of itself, full of mystery and strange lore.
However, in the DCEU movies, the city just seems to be another American city. There isn't anything particularly memorable about the city and this is a real shame. If only the series opted for a return to the Burton style city.
Best: Affleck's Chin
One of the most noticeable aspects of Batman's costume is the mask that exposes the character's chin. In many interpretations of the character, Batman has had a strong chin to match it, with Batman: The Animated Series possessing the strongest of them all.
However, the closest match to this in live-action we've seen so far is Ben Affleck's chin. Many said even before he put on the cape and cowl that he had the right chin for the job.
Not: Batmobile
The Batmobile is one of the most iconic elements of the Batman character. Despite the fact that the design of Batman's car has been changed countless times in both animated, live-action, and comic book iterations of the Dark Knight, it always recognizable as the Batmobile.
While the DCEU Batmobile is indeed still recognizable, it is also incredibly dull. It leans into the Nolan Trilogy's Tumbler, while also taking inspiration from the Arkham series but there is nothing particularly memorable about it.
Best: Interactions With Other Heroes
One of the best things about the DCEU is that Batman is finally able to interact with other heroes of the DC Universe on the big screen. Despite the fact that the character had three different film eras before this, we never saw him interact with either Superman or Wonder Woman on the big screen.
Finally, we got to see this as Batman and Superman teamed up (after a rocky start) in Affleck's first film in the role. While the film was far from the best, it was still good to see the interactions.
Not: Murderer
One of the major elements of the Batman character is his core philosophy that he refuses to kill. It is inherently tied to the Batman lore and stems from the fact that an act of murder caused him to eventually become Batman. Additionally, it is also what separates Batman from a common vigilante.
However, in this version of the character, we see Batman openly gunning down villains with his Batmobile's machine gun. Zac Snyder has defended this creative decision, but it was hardly a good defense.
Best: Costume
Since the Burton movies, Batman and Robin) costume to fight crime in. While this looks cool at first, it can also get a little bit repetitive to see a full black costume in every single live-action adaptation.
It was certainly a breath of fresh air that Affleck's Batman was given a black and grey suit that was closer to the comic design for his run as the character, with the costume also drawing inspiration from Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns story.
Not: Lack Of A Memorable Theme
Batman's themes have always been iconic and memorable. From the Adam West version of the character, to Burton's, and finally to the Nolan version of the Caped Crusader, Batman has always had a theme that is instantly recognizable as a Batman theme.
However, for whatever reason, the DCEU version of the character does not have this. The only character with a memorable theme in this universe is Wonder Woman.
Best: Comic Book Style Of The Character
One of the main criticisms of the Nolan movies, though there were very few criticisms, was that the films were almost too realistic. There was no comic book style imagery or fantastical elements that we would typically see in a comic book.
In typical Zac Snyder fashion, the director included nods to the comics with imagery from Miller's Dark Knight Returns, among others, in his films.
Not: Quality Of The Films
Naturally, the main issue with the DCEU version of Batman is that he hasn't really appeared in any good movies. His first appearance was almost universally slated by critics and fans alike, as was his second, and his brief appearance in the Suicide Squad did little to save the film.
So perhaps it is unfair to judge Ben Affleck's Batman because the character was truly limited by the films he appeared in, but it still worth pointing out.
