Here's every Christian Bale comic book movie, ranked worst to best. Throughout his career, Bale has often leaned towards darker projects and characters, from his star-making work as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho to The Machinist or his Oscar-winning turn in The Fighter. However, it was his performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy that transformed his career and - in a way - the genre itself.
Following the trilogy's conclusion, Bale has largely avoided blockbuster fare, opting for smaller projects once more. In 2022 he broke that trend to take on a villain role in the MCU instead. Here's every Christian Bale comic book film, ranked.
4. Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)
Following the praise that greeted Thor: Ragnarok - which reinvented and re-energized its titular character - it's little wonder Marvel wanted Taika Waititi back for its follow-up. While Ragnarok was a very entertaining MCU outing, it wasn't without faults, such as Waititi's trademark humor often drowning out the dramatic moments. Sadly, Thor: Love And Thunder doubled down on those issues. Nearly every scene is overwhelmed with glib comedy, which makes the darker elements - such as Jane Foster's cancer storyline - lack the emotion they need. There's also an overreliance on cartoonish CGI for every action scene. Bale's Gorr the God Butcher is a highlight and he utterly commits to the darkness and tragedy of the villain, but he's offscreen too often and never feels like the deity-slaying menace he should.
3. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises always faced an uphill battle, both in topping The Dark Knight's success and topping the late, great Heath Ledger's turn as The Joker. Coming off Inception, there was also a sense that this trilogy capper was more of an obligation for director Nolan than something he was truly passionate about. That feeling pervades in The Dark Knight Rises' overly complicated narrative and often illogical plotting. That said, the sequel has many great elements, including a game cast, while Tom Hardy's Bane - mumbly voice and all - is a captivating foe. Its focus on Bruce as a character instead of Batman was the right move, while Nolan stages some memorable setpieces like the opening plane hijacking. It also provided a satisfying end to a groundbreaking trilogy - which is a small miracle in itself.
2. Batman Begins (2005)
When Bale broke through with American Psycho, he was tipped to become a major star, with his name being thrown around for roles like Bond. However, many of his follow-ups underperformed, and it wasn't until Batman Begins that he truly found his feet. Nolan's reboot completely reinvented the series following the original Burton franchise, aiming to make it as grounded as possible, and put its superheroics in a more humane light. It helped that he attracted a cast that included Michael Caine - who often appears in Nolan's movies - Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman, and focused on the psychology of what drove Bruce to become Batman. The film has its issues; the pacing can be sluggish and the fight scenes are nightmarish blurry and overedited, but the success of films like Iron Man or Logan can be traced back to the Batman Begins blueprint.
1. The Dark Knight (2008)
Despite the positive reviews that greeted Batman Begins, Nolan gave its follow-up something of a soft reboot. He introduced a new visual look and tone (inspired by Heat) to The Dark Knight, in addition to some more humor and action. This resulted in arguably one of the best comic book movies ever made, with Ledger's unforgettable turn as The Joker being one of the genre's most inventive. Bale - who famously lost a lot of weight for The Machinist - is typically great, though he gets overshadowed up by Ledger, Oldman and Aaron Eckhart. The sequel suffers from some strange plotting - such as why Gordon decided to fake his death - but the highs greatly outnumber the lows, and it's definitely the best Christian Bale Comic Book Movie.