Ben Affleck’s Batman may have received quite a bit of criticism from fans worldwide in the beginning, but all the years that followed eventually had fans yearning to see more of the actor donning the cape of the Caped Crusader. If anything, his Batfleck quite literally delivered one of the most unforgettable arcs of the beloved character of all time, superior to many before him.
Of course, many might ask now: What about Christian Bale’s Dark Knight? Well, yes, Bale’s iteration stemmed from his understanding of the character was one of the best too, no doubt. But there’s something different about Affleck’s hero and the way he brought him to life that makes him far superior to past iterations of the character: The way he connected with Bruce Wayne.
Why Ben Affleck’s Batfleck is Superior to All Past Iterations of Batman
Back when Affleck was officially announced to become the new Caped Crusader in the SnyderVerse, not everyone was happy. To say the least, a lot of fans saw this as a setback as they argued just how old and dark his version of the character would be, with the backlash even claiming the actor wouldn’t look good in the role in the first place.
But it wasn’t long before Ben Affleck shut all of those arguments down with his brilliant performance as the character; one that quite literally surpassed a lot of fans’ wildest imaginations. While his portrayal was one, it went on to go down as one of the most iconic iterations of the Dark Knight – one that would be remembered for years to come with fans yearning for more.
The reason behind his Batfleck standing out was a rather simple one: He understood the dynamic of and connected with his version of Bruce Wayne on a much deeper level.
This was especially evident during his 9-year-old interview with Studio Ciné Live where he not only talked about his character arc but also explained his thought process. Affleck said, via THR:
[Batfleck] play[s] a bit more with the billionaire playboy side of the character. He lives that life at full tilt. He courts many women, owns many cars, and parties a lot. He does that as a way to fill the void in his soul. Moreover, past incarnations dealt with a straightforward search for justice. This time, Batman’s reasoning is clouded by frustration, bitterness, and anger.
Needless to say, the mere part where he pointed out that “past incarnations [of the character] dealt with a straightforward search for justice” is enough to emphasize that Affleck’s understanding of a flawed, broken Batman was miles ahead of, perhaps, all the past actors who got to embody the superhero. And, as arguable as it may seem, this includes Christian Bale‘s Dark Knight too.
Ben Affleck’s Take on His Batfleck Being Compared to Christian Bale’s Dark Knight
During the same interview, the Air actor also went on to talk about how his iteration of the character stood differently as compared to what Christopher Nolan presented through his Dark Knight Trilogy. He said: “Nolan used his Batman to tell a finite story. My version is different, but remains faithful to the mythology and all the themes associated with it.”
He then compared his character arc of the superhero with the one Bale brought to the table with his trilogy, saying: “Nolan’s [Dark Knight] isn’t part of a universe where other superheroes exist as well. Here — because we’re working towards the Justice League — there’s Superman, and it’s a world populated with super beings. This situation generates an altogether new reality.”
That, of course, is as true as ever, for when Affleck’s Batfleck originally came out, it was as unpredictable and baffling as ever. All of this being said, call it Zack Snyder‘s genius or simply Affleck’s outstanding understanding of the character to a whole other, deeper level, the Batfleck will still reign supreme to all the others before him – even Bale’s Dark Knight.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and The Dark Knight Trilogy can currently be streamed on Prime Video.
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