Is Ben Affleck the best Batman ever?

BEFORE you start sending us death threats, hear us out. This is why Affleck could be a better Batman than Bale, Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney.

Serious question: Is Affleck the best Batman?

OPINION

BEN Affleck is THE best Batman ever.

Yes, I said it. It is on the record, with my name attached to it.

Ben Affleck IS Batman.

Bale lovers, just chill. Keaton fans, calm your farm. Kilmer’s mob, sit down. West groupies, welcome to the 21st century. And Clooney fans — really? Like, really? Are you serious? Go watch Ocean’s Eleven and move on already.

If you’re sitting in the nursing home reminiscing about Robert Lowery or Lewis Wilson then I urge you to experience a movie with CGI capabilities and tell me I’m still wrong.

Let’s play a little game called ‘guess the batman from his mouth’.

For those thinking I’ve forgotten to add Batman voices as contenders for the title — there was only ever two in the running there. Kevin Conroy takes the crown for his 1990s role as the voice of Batman in Batman: The Animated Series. A close second was Will Arnett who proved everything, including Batman, is awesome when he lent his voice to a modern spin on the role in The Lego Movie.

The Batman voice is iconic. It was Affleck’s voice that saw me fall in love with his character. From the moment I heard the those deep, almost growl-like, utterances coming from his lips, he had me. And that now infamous line, “Do you bleed?” still sends chills down my spine.

Now, before the DC fan boys and girls start sending death threats, just hear me out.

In a film littered with countless alpha personalities and characters, Affleck’s presence on screen is powerful and dominating. His portrayal of a damaged man is captured perfectly in his strong facial expressions and structured and deliberate physical movements.

His staunch jawline is unmistakably recognisable under that notorious Batman mask. A mask that aptly matches Affleck’s broody representation of this shattered man.

Without spoiling the entire Batman v Superman plot, let’s do our best to analyse why this newest portrayal is the best version of Batman there has ever been.

He’s a more human, if bulkier in costume Batman. Picture: Clay Enos/Warner Bros. Entertainment

THE LEAD UP

It’s no secret big Hollywood roles take a serious amount of effort to prepare for and Affleck’s donning the Batsuit is no different. The actor acknowleded that he worked regular 16-hour days while he was filming Gone Girl in order to fit the intense training regimen he went through to physically embody the character.

Months of strict dieting and exercise were just part of his training. He has also spoken about his research on the original Batman comics, past movies and even talked to past Batman actors about their time in the iconic gig.

Yes a lot of this muscle is padding, but Affleck definitely bulked up for the role — putting on 14kg of muscle.

THE MOVIE

Loosely based on the 1986 Frank Miller comic The Dark Knight Returns, the Batman in Batman v Superman is an older, darker character. Jilted by years of crime fighting and seeing the worst the world has to offer, Affleck’s Batman is a haunted hero operating at the end of his tether.

Batman v Superman brings together the worlds of some of DC’s favourite superheroes and suddenly Batman is just a mere mortal in a world of super beings. His distorted view of the world allows him to believe that even a god-like man synonymous with being good is a danger to society. Affleck’s character fears the world and Superman, something we have not seen in this character to date.

Affleck’s stunning portrayal of Batman’s alias, the philandering Bruce Wayne, also deserves a mention. The human side of Batman has historically been what has separated his character from his superhero counterparts. He is indeed a hero, but a hero, like all humans, that has flaws.

Ben Affleck plays Bruce Wayne superbly. Picture: Clay Enos/Warner Bros Pictures

In this film, Bruce Wayne is an older, more cynical character than we’ve seen previously. Director Zack Snyder has referenced Affleck’s less youthful visage as a choice in casting, giving him not only the physical bearings of age but also life experience that a younger actor may not have brought to the role.

And I can’t acknowledge Affleck as the best Batman ever without giving a nod to his physical characteristics. Again Snyder cast specifically, recognising Affleck’s stature and build as perfect for the role, which was refined with strenous training.

When Affleck’s casting as one of DC’s most perpetually popular superheroes was announced, the fans went into a spin and critics hammered the choice.

Now that the movie is out, audiences have seen the new dimension that Affleck brought to this character. Something that I argue has been a long time coming.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

Ben Affleck IS Batman. He absolutely killed it.

Originally published as Is Ben Affleck the best Batman ever?