Every DC Comics movie ever, ranked from worst to best

2. Batman Returns

Without a doubt the strangest comic book movie ever made, Batman Returns is the sequel to Tim Burton's revolutionary 1989 franchise-starter. It's also much more of a Burton movie, leaning into the weird, the bizarre, and unusual to gift audiences with a unique gift full of unadulterated wonder.

Batman Returns wasn't all that well-received when it was first released because of how out-there it was, but it wasn't known then what a trendsetter it would become. The film mixed its comic book source material with elements of fantasy, detective fiction, and sci-fi, adopting some mature themes to tell is story too. It dialled back on the action and turned up the horror, making for the perfect nightmarish blend.

Michael Keaton took his Caped Crusader to even greater heights, thriving with very few lines of dialogue, as the stoic protector of Gotham City was somehow the movie's most sane character. It was the perfect foil for the larger-than-life villains of the piece. The undead revenge-driven Catwoman captivated in every scene that she was in, but she was matched by the chilling Penguin, who somehow derived glee from every drop of upset that he orchestrated. To say Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito outdid themselves with these performances would be an understatement.

Batman Returns is a nightmare come to life, it's eerie festive fun, and it's the brilliance of Burton and Batman together, making it quite possibly the perfect Batman movie.