Ranking Every DC Comic Book Movie - From Worst to Best

6. Batman Returns (1992)

In a problem that would come to plague future Batman movies, the Dark Knight is often forced to play second fiddle to the villains of the piece in Batman Returns. However, when the movie is as perfectly cast, brilliantly designed, sharply written and consistently entertaining as this one, these minor transgressions are easily forgiven. Making an even darker, grittier sequel before it was the standard practice, Tim Burton turns his Batman sequel into more of a Gothic art movie than a studio blockbuster, a decision that reportedly gave Warner Bros. higher-ups plenty of sleepless nights. Michael Keaton has grown into the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, generating plenty of chemistry and sexual tension with Michelle Pfeiffer's iconic leather-clad Catwoman. As the main villain, Danny deVito makes the Penguin both vicious and pitiful (and gets most of the best lines), while Christopher Walken essentially plays himself, but does a damn good job of it. One of the downsides of Batman Returns is the relentlessly bleak tone, with a few sparse one-liners providing the only levity in a sequel that piles of the darkness and tragedy. Still, the consistent quality of the writing, directing, production design and cinematography combine to create a movie that comfortably veers from superhero action movie to surrealist and expressionist art film at the drop of a hat.