Christian Bale portrayed Bruce Wayne and Batman in Christopher Nolan's uber-realistic Dark Knight trilogy. He kept the character on a fairly even keel, though he could be terrifying when required. Batman Begins (2005) came at a time when superhero movies weren't being made at the rate they are now. Christian Bale - and Batman - taught the studios that superhero movies were films people would want to see, with Batman Begins using some ideas that were ahead of their time.
The Dark Knight trilogy had all-around brilliant casting, and the actors have good chemistry together. In fact, if fans had to pick who their favorite Batman was, Bale would certainly be a top contender.
Updated on June 30th, 2022 by George Chrysostomou: The Batman saga from Christopher Nolan is still hailed as one of the best portrayals on-screen. With the Caped Crusader returning under a new guise recently and a familiar face set to star alongside the Scarlet Speedster, there's still a lot to break down about what Christian Bale actually brought to the role.
A Choice With Gravitas
Every actor who comes to the Batman role has managed to bring a great acting pedigree with them. Christian Bale has a presence and gravitas to him that feels a little different from his contemporaries. His background in roles like Patrick Bateman in American Psycho helped to craft the image around his Bruce Wayne.
But his previous experiences on screen also gave Christian Bale's Batman an edge. He steals each moment because of the way he grabs the audience's attention, drawing the viewer in with his thoughtful choices in the way in which he delivers a scene.
Standalone From A Wider Universe
The current edict at DC is to continue crafting the shared universe that fans have become so familiar with. There are drawbacks and excellent components of that decision, but Bale's Batman always worked as a standalone character. Allies were few and far in the Nolan films.
But what's more, it never felt as if Bale's Batman needed to fight alongside Superman. There were no questions as to where the other heroes were or the hope that a cameo could show up. Ultimately, this iteration of Bruce Wayne resulted in a very streamlined part of the Multiverse, where the focus is on the Caped Crusader himself.
Bringing The Detective Into Play
No matter which gadgets he had or the missions he had to go on, this iteration of Bruce Wayne wasn't afraid to stop all the violence and rely on his brain, rather than his brawn. The character is usually known as the world's greatest detective and Christian Bale's Batman tried to live up to that moniker.
It's not a major feature of the Nolan trilogy but it was certainly brought into play more than in previous installments. Ultimately, Batman was able to think through a situation, use the expensive technology at his disposal and demonstrate to audiences why he is the superior vigilante when it comes to planning.
A Backdrop Of Wealth
Batman doesn't get such a brilliant-looking suit without some cash to get him there. Christian Bale always managed to play the part with a sense that he had a wealthy upbringing. That's a difficult thing to do and doesn't just speak to his portrayal of the out-ward facing billionaire.
From the way that he interacts with people, to in some cases his superiority complex and ability to do what he wants when he wants, there's a little element of that rich lifestyle playing into every scene. Of course, he's not ego-driven in the same way as other portrayals, but there's a hint of that wealth there.
Reacting To The Supporting Cast
Other iterations of Batman have had supporting characters to bounce off of, but they are often just that. They are not part of an ensemble, whereas Nolan's films portray all of Bale's supporting characters as just as important as the lead. From Catwoman to Gordon, each part has a crucial role.
Christian Bale bounces off of these supporting roles so well. He's generous in scenes and cultivates the type of relationship both Bruce and, alternatively, Batman might have with these characters, understanding that in some cases they can actually be quite different.
Revitalized Comic Book Character
Bale and Nolan brought Batman back to the big screen again for a solid realistic origin story. This series was the start of superhero movies coming back into vogue, a trend that continues to the current day. Marvel began their own massive series with Iron Man in 2008.
Though the first film, Batman Begins, isn't a flawless film by any means, it clearly set out Nolan's intentions towards a matter-of-fact adaptation of the comic character's story. The Dark Knight trilogy breathed new life into Batman, his Rogues Gallery, and the superhero genre in general.
Bale Provided A Realistic Portrayal
Bale plays Bruce Wayne in a very understated, down-to-earth manner. Bruce's speech at his birthday party particularly fits this portrayal as he stays fairly affable.
Although the residents of Gotham wouldn't disagree, fans know that Bruce only has the best intentions. He'd rather be thought of as awful by people rather than cause them pain and distress, or let them be caught up in the destruction to come. Even when it doesn't seem like it, he cares. It's also fitting that he's trying to make things better as Bruce as well as Batman.
How He Portrayed The Two Different Identities
Though plenty of people thought the deep voice Bale used as the Dark Knight was silly, it did sufficiently work as it helped show the duality of Bruce Wayne.
However, since Bruce also has the persona of a 'Rich Idiot With No Day Job,' Bale is, in a way, playing three characters in one person. Bruce's scenes talking to Alfred are where Bruce is the most himself, while when he's with other Gothamites, he's playing the role of Bruce Wayne. Finally, the cowl truly makes the shift to the Dark Knight.
Realistic Manner Of Achieving Weapons
One question asked often about Christian Bale's Batman is: "Where did he get all that tech without anyone noticing?" Nolan came up with a clever solution. When he gets back to Gotham, Bruce meets with Lucius Fox, who runs the Research and Development department of Wayne Enterprises.
At that point, William Earle is the CEO and he has no use for R&D. Since none of the projects Bruce is interested in for his activities as Batman are in production, he can use things without anyone noticing or caring. Other parts of his costume are purchased in bulk, which is lucky because some of them don't work out at first.
Proper Origin Story
Batman Begins was, like other films that came later, a revitalized superhero origin story for a new decade and for a new generation of movie-goers. Christopher Nolan, as the director, got the chance to tell the story from the beginning and in a way he wanted to tell it.
Meanwhile, Christian Bale got the chance to portray Bruce Wayne from his youth to Batman's retirement. Unlike other Batman media, they were able to tell the story for a new audience from start to finish. Behind the scenes, however, Nolan started with the ending when working on The Dark Knight.
Humanized Character
Since this series is very realistic in how it told its story, Bruce feels very human. Bale is personable as Bruce Wayne.
As a college student, he isn't able to go through with killing Joe Chill. Bruce makes it clear throughout his adventures that he mainly wants to help Gotham, and save it from itself or other outside forces such as the League of Shadows.
Related To Other Characters
Bale is quite likable as an actor, having shown this in several other films. With these well-cast films, it seems easy for Bruce to relate to other characters (such as Alfred and Rachel). Those relationships - which are meant to have gone on for years - are easy to watch and feel natural.
Michael Caine's Alfred in particular has several speeches which help to cement Alfred and Bruce's strong relationship throughout the series. Bale, however, does some of his best acting in these films, while working off of these other great actors.
"No Kill" Rule Acted Well
The rule of not killing anyone is one of Batman's firmest tenets (though it has been broken before). However, in this series, he maintains it.
Though the decision to let Henri Ducard die in Batman Begins is controversial due to how it came about, Bruce is still witnessing the death of a mentor who helped him start his own vigilante lifestyle. Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne, therefore, maintains his credo to help Gotham with its crime, without adding more murder to the mix. Bale's excellent acting allows him to humanize this decision.
Portrays A Skilled Fighter
Though the first film doesn't spend a lot of time with Bruce's training before he meets the League of Shadows, it's clear that he has skills in combat. The action scenes in Bale's Batman films are the best and remarkably well done as it is clear that he's skilled in different martial arts styles.
As a young adult, Bruce admitting that he doesn't want to go back to college because people there don't like him paints a picture of an angry, solitary young man who easily could have buried himself in physical skills training, away from everyone else. Instead, he channeled it for good and use his abilities to protect innocents from harm.
Portrays Bruce Learning From Trauma
The Nolan films incorporate something comic books will never really do: the idea of growing up and moving on. Bruce undergoes character development and is able to move on from Gotham and the need to be Batman. This all came about in The Dark Knight Returns, where Bruce was prepared to hang up the cowl after fulfilling his destiny. Although the film faced high expectations, and met them in the end.
Though he fakes his death, it allows him to find himself in a world without his celebrity or vigilante status. Having Selina Kyle join him, on her own journey, makes it seem like these two characters made it out and can now find themselves. Bruce's acting in the final scenes at the Italian restaurant convey a man who is at peace with his life after audiences had seen the trials of Christian Bale's Batman.