Batman vs. Superman: Ranking The Films From Worst To Best

10. Batman Forever (1995)

When one compares the trajectory of the original four Superman films and the four films of the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher Batman series, the similarities are oddly surprising. Just as Superman IV and Batman & Robin both destroyed the cinematic viability of both characters for a long time, Superman III and Batman Forever both marked major turning points that stand as early warning signs of what was to come. Like Superman III, Batman Forever attempted to spin the series in a different direction, opting towards a more family friendly affair in the wake of 1992's dark Batman Returns. With Gotham now drenched in neon, the installation of Val Kilmer as Batman, the ditching of Danny Elfman's iconic theme for the series, the inclusion of Robin and a pair of villains in The Riddler and Two-Face who spent more time attempting to out-humor Jack Nicholson's Joker than trying to stand as uniquely complex spins on the characters like Danny DeVito's Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman, Forever was far and away a different film than its predecessors in feel and tone. What works in Forever's favor compared to Batman & Robin, though, is that the film manages to stray from dipping too far into excessive camp filled with one-liners and Bat Credit Cards. For all its changes to the series, Forever at least makes an effort in not going to the extremes its successor would, stopping occasionally to reflect on the fact that Bruce Wayne and the world around him still require some level of darkness and seriousness. Though it led to Batman & Robin, Forever isn't a complete catastrophe nor one of the character's proudest cinematic moments.