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ExploreYes, of course there is a lot of fuss going into Zack Snyder’s epic clash between the Dark Knight and Man of Steel presented in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It is going to be an insane battle, no doubt about it. Will Clark Kent crush Bruce Wayne, or can antihero Batman outwit one of the oldest of all true heroes? But I believe that it should be more in depth than a single fight, and we as responsible viewers should consider all of the factors when deciding upon a final victor. Don’t forget the smaller, but still equally important details such as: Do either of them forward those annoying chain emails? At dinner, who reaches for the check? Do they both recycle? Which is more engrained in American culture? And which of the two has the better past?
For now, we’ll focus on this last one. But I don’t just mean their backstory; I am talking about their complete cinematic history. I want to know who would take the cake when we compare the best of the Superman movies with the best of the Batman and likewise with the worst between the two. It will really reveal more of the man behind each mask (or pair of glasses?) and who exactly deserves all the super love.
Best of the Best
The Dark Knight (2008)
Christopher Nolan’s gritty reboot is hardly a controversial choice, so we won’t go on and on and on, boring you with hastily rehashed plot summaries and bad Joker puns. You know why you like it. That’s exactly why we like it too. And that’s why it deserved to beat out both Man of Steel (2013) and Superman (1978). Combined with some outstanding performances across the board, it experimented with dark realism half a decade before Henry Cavill donned the red cape, and for the first time, a superhero movie generated some Oscar buzz.
However, the real event on everyone’s mind is the much anticipated Batman v Superman, so the question is: how will Ben Affleck stack up against the legends of West, Keaton, and Bale? The trailers look promising, and he has a lot to bring to the stage and to the role. Like Ryan Reynolds’s most holy conversion from Green Lantern to Deadpool and Chris Evans’s from Human Torch to Captain America, maybe Affleck can keep the momentum moving since his last heroic (and ironic) performance as the fabled Superman… sorta.
Worst of the Worst
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Excuse me for my language, but this movie was just straight silly. With a rousing 12% on Rotten Tomatoes, everyone can more or less agree that this 80s garbage was an embarrassment to the name, and needs to join Jimmy Carter and retire to private life. It seems to simply go out of its way to feature everything we don’t want: Superman fight scenes that don’t include him flying, a suspicious lack of racial diversity, Margot Kidder… need I go on? So despite Clooney’s best efforts, Superman beats Batman in this round.
Don’t agree with our picks? Well that’s too bad because you don’t run a website, but you can still comment below! And of course, don’t forget to check out some of these historic t-shirts!
