Forget The Dark Knight, This Is the Best Batman Movie Ever Made (& I Can Prove Why)

Batman has starred in more movies than any other hero, and there’s truly one for everyone out there. Naturally, with so many incredible movies under his belt, fans want to decide which one stands above the others as the best of the best. At the end of the day, of course, what someone enjoys the most is subjective, but there are definitely enough criteria for what makes a movie technically good and what makes a good Batman movie to parse out why each movie stands above the others. The most obvious answer that comes to everyone’s lips when asking about the best Batman movie is, of course, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

I don’t need to explain why so many think that. Rather, let’s dissect why I don’t think it’s the best one there is. Every Batman movie, on some level, has a claim to that title, or at least something to offer. The Batman is the best live-action interpretation of the character to date, showing his unsteady early years in a gritty, grounded world. Batman (1989) has the greatest atmosphere and set design any of these movies ever will. Batman Ninja vs. The Yakuza League is some of the most fun I’ve ever had watching this hero. Under the Red Hood is Batman’s most intense and personal tale, only held back by an unfortunate ending scene. Yet, no matter what each offers, I have to give the title to none other than Mask of the Phantasm.

The Dark Knight’s Fatal Flaws

Before getting into why Mask of the Phantasm is the best Batman film around, let’s examine why The Dark Knight isn’t. There’s no denying that this is a masterfully crafted film. The villains are, of course, top-notch, with Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart providing generational performances. The movie balances the twin villains well, constantly challenging Batman with themes of corruption, but at the end of the day, even though this is one of the best crime-thriller movies of all time, it doesn’t understand its main character very well. Suffice to say, it’s a phenomenal movie, but not a great Batman movie.

For starters, half of Bruce’s motivation for doing anything is that it will let him be with Rachel, which boils down so much of Batman’s character to just being in love, which sullies the water, so to speak. Furthermore, it treats Batman like he’s a generic action movie star. He’s much more of a military man in a bat costume than Batman, from his massive tank to his over-reliance on others for tech and little focus on detective work, to his lack of dedication to the mission. Batman literally spends the entire movie planning to give up the mask at the first opportunity, and let’s not even talk about how he kills Two-Face by tackling him off a roof. These criticisms are, of course, done to death, so let’s take a look at the movie that did Batman better.

The Story That Understood Batman’s Struggle

Much like The Dark Knight, a major theme for Mask of the Phantasm is Batman’s failed love. He even planned to give up the mission to marry Andrea. Why am I praising this when I bemoaned it in TDK? For starters, this happened before Bruce fully surrendered to being Batman. He was still young and hadn’t solidified who he was, and he had a legitimate chance to be happy for the first time since he was a child. Ultimately, when she rejects him, it drives him closer to being Batman, instead of away from it. This doomed romance shows how Batman will always choose to protect Gotham, highlighting the inherent tragedy of his mission because Andrea actually wanted to be with him.

This movie is a genuine miracle in every sense. For starters, this is the best Batman has ever looked. The animation is the ultimate success of the DC Animated Universe era, being beautifully fluid and capturing the gothic, instantly recognizable look of every aspect of his world. The action scenes and set dressing are second to none. And we can’t overstate the importance of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as voices. The depth of this movie is also unmatched, digging into why Batman became who he is in a very unique way, blending elements from “Year One” and “Year Two” into a tale about a man who wants to love, but knows that he has to fight to save his home.

This movie embraces everything about Batman, from his mythos to his integrity. The Joker even received an origin story that worked, which only added to the layers of mystery and scope that this narrative covered. It took us through the years seamlessly, giving us the view of who Batman is and how all of these scarred, broken people came to be. Of course, the star of the show is Batman’s journey. He starts as a young man who is learning to heal from his pain, but this movie embraces the idea that he must accept his grief as a part of himself to fuel the hero that Gotham City needs. There’s no denying that this story resonates with millions of fans.

I am not saying that this movie is flawless. Frankly, I’ve never been entirely sold on the DCAU’s interpretation of Batman, where Bruce Wayne died when the Dark Knight was born, and his face became the mask. Still, this movie is just as technically sound as TDK, has far better-looking action sequences and designs, and the romance both is more central to the plot and Batman’s journey while also feeling like it adds to Batman’s character instead of taking away from it. Mask of the Phantasm is a masterpiece and, as of right now, should definitely be regarded as the best Batman film out there.

Personally, I love The Batman the best, but which Batman movie do you think is the best representation of the character? Let us know in the comments below!