BATMAN FOREVER (1995)

Directed By: Joel Schumacher 

Based On Characters Created By: Bob Kane 

Story By: Lee Batchler & Janet Scott Batchler 

Written By: Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchler & Akiva Goldsman 

Cinematographer: Stephen Goldblatt

Editor: Mark Steven & Dennis Virkler 

Cast: Val Kilmer, Jim Carrey, Tommy Lee Jones, Nicole Kidman, Chris O’Donnell, Drew Barrymore, Debi Mazar, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle, Rene Auberjonois, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Michael Patrick Chan, George Wallace, Joe Grifasi, Kimberly Scott, Bob Zmuda, Jessica Tuck

Batman must battle former district attorney Harvey Dent, who is now Two-Face and Edward Nygma, The Riddler with help from an amorous psychologist and a young circus acrobat who becomes his sidekick, Robin.

This is a film I will admit I hated when I first saw it in theaters. Whereas once the first action sequence with an attempted theft of a vault and then Batman bringing the vault back. I realized these films were going somewhere new and I probably wasn’t going to follow it too far. Though over the years I have learned to accept it for what it is.

I had only seen the movie once in a theater. It took me years to ever rewatch it again.

Looking back at the film now. It’s Funny but at that time I found the Different direction insulting almost sacrilegious. As it was too cheery and too bright. It also shows how deeply I took and felt those first two Batman movies.  Whereas at that time owns still fanboy without the internet, but full of passion.

This film is obviously the studio getting more involved and wanting a more marketing-friendly film and one less gloomy, dark, and gothic than Tim Burton’s vision. As here even the soundtrack with memorable singles from various artists at the time. Seems More commercial and it is one of the more memorable successes of the film.

You immediately notice the differences in style of the direction of the movie. as this film is a lot more colorful and with Val Kilmer taking over the title role. His Brice Wayne seems more like a playboy and he doesn’t do horrible in the role. He adds to the more comedic atmosphere of the film. As he comes off too self-aware in the film, but that makes him a better Bruce Wayne. 

This is way more family-friendly even with the more campy attitude and nipples on the bat suit. That leaves the film a little more fetishistic with the costumes as the film

Is already campy making it hilarious and seeming more like a live-action cartoon. As truly there is no dramatic depths. It seems the characters are of all types and make decisions only motivated because the script says so. 

Take for instance Nicole Kidman’s character a noted psychiatrist who seems to become a nymphomaniac whenever Batman is around. For no reason. Which comes off more embarrassing for her. Or Tommy Lee Jones as Two Face, yet we only really see the personality of his angry, manic, criminal come out. He is Played one-sided Which while we see the origin of the riddler, Two Face is already a fully formed menace as soon as the film begins.

The actors seem over the top as each one seems to try and top one another. While that might have been expected from Jim Carrey playing THE RIDDLER 

The film has an all-star cast that has Drew Barrymore in a small supporting role though is on the movie throughout. So she ends up being more. Guest star. She plays sugar to Debi Mazar’s spice (though Mazar has barely any lines) they are more atm candy for the villains rather than having anything to actually do like be sidekicks or criminals themselves. 

There is a whole action sequence devoted to a gang dressed in neon paint. This is an impressive action sequence but seems over the top and that is the point of this film. 

To have this film be a production that feels like one. Where we see all the money spent, the energy used just to entertain the audience. A true popcorn movie. This is a movie made for the movie fans, not the comic book fans. 

Even as it feels more lien what the studio wanted. A comic book version, even if not the actual comic book version of the dark knight but rather one of many interpretations. So that this film feels fully like a circus with so much going on and the radical bright colors and it feels stuffed. As to never slows down. 

This is the first time I remember Batman smiling in a movie. The film does offer impressive action sequences and impressive stunt work.

I have always been a fan of director Joel Schumacher with this film it was selling out to a certain degree,  it even before this as he was gaining clout more for directing dramatic thrillers. Especially two highly acclaimed John Grisham Novel adaptations. This seemed like a risk, but looking at his filmography her had never called himself an auteur or artist and most of his moves were studio made and mainstream. So he wasn’t as much of a rush as I had built up in my head, but with this film he clearly let his vision be seen and made took the film in a certain direction that by the next film Would be a parody of itself almost. Though here he tried and was truly subversive on the studio's dime and for that one has to applaud him.

So this movie leaves me with mixed feelings. As it isn’t necessarily good, but it was pivotal, and looking back upon it I can appreciate it for the ridiculous nature of it all. Even as I really disliked it when it came out. Especially as around the time I was a fan of Joel Schumacher. Though the film gives the studio what it wants in a brighter and more commercial-friendly film, Schumacher got what he wanted and put his little hints and jokes to truly make it all the campier. So each party got what they wanted and it was still a hit.

GRADE: C