Batman Forever (1995, Val Kilmer, Nicole Kidman)

Some unfairly blame director Joel Schumacher for the demise of the Batman franchise (he went on to direct Batman and Robin two years later and the Caped Crusader remained buried until last year’s Batman Returns ) but this is a worthy successor to Tim Burton’s two films (who acted as producer on this one). Val Kilmer plays the super hero, less troubled than in Burton’s films and more comfortable with his crime-fighting role. This time, he faces two villains, a sidekick and yet another woman who’s in love with Batman but not with his alter-ego, Bruce Wayne.

The villains are Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones), a former district attorney whose acid scarred face has sent him mad and The Riddler (played by Jim Carrey, who brings his range of manic facial tics to the role) who blames Wayne for his plight. The sidekick is Robin (Chris O’Donnell), a young circus acrobat whose parents are killed by Two-Face. Bought under Wayne’s wing, he rebels until he learns of his guradian’s crime-busting identity. And psychiatrist Dr Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) is the woman intrigued by Batman’s persona and physique. The film flows along with a pace that never loses the viewer, alternating all-action set pieces with scenes between Batman/Wayne/Meridian that ooze repressed passion. O’Donnell is chirpy as Robin, who soon learns to handle the various Bat vehicles but Jones and Carrey come close to stealing the film, as villains often do, with their dastardly plan to use TV waves to subjugate the citizens of Gotham City and plunder the city’s fortunes for themselves.

production details
USA | 121 minutes | 1995

Director: Joel Schumacher
Writers: Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchier, and Akiva Goldsman

cast
Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian
Ed Begley Jr. as Fred Stickley (uncredited)
Jim Carrey as Edward Nygma / The Riddler
Rene Auberjonois as Dr. Burton
Drew Barrymore as Sugar
Tommy Lee Jones as Harvey Dent / Two-Face
Debi Mazar as Spice
Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon
Chris O’Donnell as Dick Grayson / Robin
Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth
Elizabeth Sanders as Gossip Gerty
Joe Grifasi as Bank Guard
Philip Moon as Male Newscaster
Jessica Tuck as Female Newscaster
Dennis Paladino as Crime Boss Moroni
Don Wilson as Gang Leader
Kimberly Scott as Margaret
Eileen Seeley as Martha Wayne
Michael Paul Chan as Executive
Jon Favreau as Assistant
Bob Zmuda as Electronic Store Owner
Rebecca Budig as Teenage Girl
Ria Coyne as Socialite
Ramsey Ellis as Young Bruce Wayne