Ranking Every DC Movie Villain From Worst To Best
12. Ra's Al Ghul - Liam Neeson (Batman Begins)
It should be somewhat disappointing to comic book Batman fans that Christopher Nolan's manifesto for greater realism meant that we didn't get to see a fully supernatural Ra's Al Ghul, but the version we did get was the right villain for that time.
With the spectres of Schumacher's Mr Freeze, Bane and Poison Ivy looming large, Nolan and David Goyer stripped Al Ghul back to a terrifyingly pertinent terrorist group leader intent on destroying Gotham as a symbol of excess and decadence. That such a villain would have such an impact in the post-9/11 West should come as no surprise.
Liam Neeson is typically excellent as the villain (including when he's playing plain old Henri Ducard), performing subtly and regally and offering the perfect antidote to wash away the haunting memories of Schumacher's films.
His appearance as a vision in The Dark Knight Rises might have left a slightly sour note (since he gives Batman key plot details despite being a figment of his imagination), but Ra's was a great launching point for Nolan's Batman trilogy.
Batman Begins is available to buy from Amazon.