Batman Forever
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VHS Movie Reviews of Batman Forever
Movie Review: Joel Schumacher Loves Pretty Neon Colors!
Summary: 2 Stars
The executives at Warner Brothers wanted a new take on the Batman franchise. You want a new take, you hire a new director. Here comes Joel Schumacher into the boardroom.
Executives- "Hi Joel, we'd like you to direct this movie. We thought Batman Returns was too dark, do you think you can lighten up Batman for us? Add some color? That's what we're looking for."
Schumacher- "Color? I love color! Do you guys like pretty neon colors?"
Executives- "We sure do!"
Schumacher- "Great, because pretty neon colors are my favorite thing in the world! Batman movies should be nothing but pretty neon colors!"
Executives- "We agree with your vision Joel. You're hired!"
Schumacher- "Yipee! I'm an artist!"
The rest is history. Batman Forever is a big, bloated mess of a summer popcorn movie but it gets the job done for the most part. That's if your idea of the job done is sucking out your brain cells endlessly for more than 2 hours. Was the subplot with the Riddler's brain drain machine a self-criticism by Schumacher of this infantile movie?
The problem with the Batman movies, ( until finally Batman Begins broke the rules ), is that the directors never wanted to take Batman seriously as a mythic character. They wanted to keep him shoe-horned as a comic book superhero with explosions and junk. That and they had too many villians, not enough Batman! Val Kilmer wanted to take a more serious approach to the character but his director was working towards a totally different goal and they did not see eye to eye. Nicole Kidman is good in the movie too, although she plays the alluring femme with far too much self-conscious air. Tommy Lee Jones is absolutely awful as Two-Face, just like his make-up. If you like Jim Carrey, you'll love his manianical over the top Riddler performance, he steals every scene he's in, the prima donna!
Too much color, too much noise, too much crud, too much of everything. Not enough of Danny Elfman's classic score. Actually Elfman's music is completely erased in favor of Elliot Goldenthal's not very interesting orchestral bloating. You can't blame them, they wanted a new Batman, they wanted a new sound. Batman Forever is a loud summer vehicle and easily forgettable were it not for all the noise but hey, at least this movie is not a shameful disgrace like Schumacher's follow up Batman & Robin, one of the worst debacles of the decade.
Movie Review: Lighter Than Burton's Projects, And That Is A Good Thing.
Summary: 5 Stars
In a franchise, when there is a change of director or lead actor, there usually is a division of opinion. I've noticed some think the Batman movies were better with Tim Burton directing and Michael Keaton playing Bruce Wayne/Batman. While I preferred Keaton to Val Kilmer, this movie was 1) close enough to the original to fit in the series, and 2) was more likeable to me with Schumacher's approach.
One thing that interested me in this movie were the villains. Two Face never made it to the TV series I grew up with, but he was my favorite comic book villain. The Riddler did not have much time in the comics that I saw, but I loved Frank Gorshin's Riddler from the TV series.
Tommy Lee Jones' Two Face took me by surprise. My impression of the comic character was more of a somber, sinister, intellectual man who was disfigured (and the animated Batman of the early '90's fit that image). Jones portrayal was as over the top as Jack Nicholson's Joker. I wasn't expecting it, but I liked it.
As far as the Riddler: my first impressions of Jim Carrey were negative (not based on seeing "In Living Color" or any of his previous movies, which I never watched), and thus I was disappointed to see he got the role. Watching the movie, though, made me a fan of Carrey's. Yes, I still like Gorshin's better, but this is close.
There was only one thing I did not like about Kilmer's performance as Bruce Wayne, and that was his hair color (it did not matter after he put Batman's cowl on). Kidman was great as the love interest. Chris O'Donnell did an excellent job as Robin. Drew Barrymore did okay in her small role. Hinkle and Gough returned for round three, and fared as well as they did previously.
As far as comparing the story with the comic book/TV series: The series did not deal with the origins of Batman and Robin. In the movie, Dick Grayson's family died as heroes, trying to save the lives of the circus audience from Two Face's bomb. In the comics, I don't recall the same heroism in the deaths of the Graysons.
The first two movies clearly avoided any allusion to the TV series. Not so with this one . . . there is a hilarious scene that makes fun of the TV Robin.
This was my favorite of the three, and I would recommend it. It has the action of the second movie, but it does not have the same gloominess of Burton's two movies.
Movie Review: Sucks.
Summary: 1 Stars
Where to start? The villian Two Face is wasted in a characterization that has virtually NOTHING to do with the comic equivalent (he's not supposed to be colorful and over the top, cracking stupid one-liners--never has, never will be). Jim Carrey is irritatingly manic as the Riddler, almost as if he was trying to out-Joker Nicholson. But Carrey's role is one of the high points of the film!! (if they hadn't made him a stupid mad scientist and Carrey had taken it down just ONE notch, it could've been great). Kilmer is neither good nor bad as Batman/Bruce Wayne, he's just there (incidentally I remember reading somewhere that Kilmer's turn was called the best casting of Bruce Wayne ever seen on screen by Batman creator Bob Kane).
Can I say anything good about this film? The redesigned batmobile looks kinda "kewl"---until it drives up the side of a building.
The franchise probably needed a change following Tim Burton's overly dark and uncharacteristic films; this is a berserk 180 degree turn from the world of Burton into the world of Schumacher: into neon, sillyness, camp, crotch-shots, 60's TV-styled Batman, and leads the way to "Batman And Robin", the most maligned and probably the most abysmal comic-book film of all time. Until the mighty and much-welcomed "Batman Begins" restart years later, it's all downhill from here for movie Bats.
Movie Review: Chicks dig the car
Summary: 4 Stars
(3.5/5 stars) Val Kilmer gives it a go as the Dark Knight, this time with Joel Schumacher at the helm. Both of those decisions turn out to be poor, with Kilmer seriously miscast and Schumacher bringing corny humor and neon lights to the party. "It's the car, right? Chicks dig the car." Come on, neither Bruce Wayne nor Batman would utter these inane lines! And what is the deal with Schumacher's obsession with Batman's body parts (nipples, butt, etc.)?! No! No! No! There are some good aspects of the movie, however, especially the roots of Robin's origin and Jim Carrey's energetic performance as the Riddler. Neon aside, the film features some decent visuals and action. Nicole Kidman and Drew Barrymore are always pleasant to watch, though this is worth watching for Jom Carrey's performance alone. Movie Review: Best Movie in Batman Series
Summary: 4 Stars
This Movie is tied with begins as best in the series! Jim Carrey makes an excellent Joker, and the Batman Robin tandum is played out to perfection. It is also more true to the actual story than Batman Begins.