Batman (Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton) faces both Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey). As Bruce Wayne, he finds himself guardian of recently orphaned Dick Grayson (Chris O’Donnell), who naturally gets himself a costume and becomes Robin. At least Alfred (Michael Gough) is still around.
With Burton out of the directing chair, and Warner’s disappointed with its revenue from Batman Returns, director Joel Schumacher was free to strip away the goth flavor and create a children’s movie. There’s no troubling themes or artistry. Batman has been reduced to two hours of caramel corn.
Jim Carry and Tommy Lee Jones compete to see who can chew the most scenery. Neither play characters, but merely loud clowns. Both are annoying to anyone out of middle school, but their non-stop lowest denominator jokes won over the grammar school set. I can’t stand either of their performances, but I understand why they are in the picture. The same can’t be said by Val Kilmer. Michael Keaton had created a disturbed Dark Knight. Kilmer doesn’t do anything at all. He’s invisible in the part, being neither an action hero nor a comic. He just exists.
Nicole Kidman is sexy but is given nothing to do. Unfortunately, Chris O’Donnell is given something to do as Robin. The actor was twenty-five and looked it, giving the film a weird vibe as he pretends to be a teen—naturally a troubled and smart-assed one. O’Donnell takes on Carry and Jones and wins as most irritating, though Schumacher really deserves that award.
My ranking is quite generous, mainly because I don’t have a 1½ Reel rating. This isn’t a film to watch. But as background, or with a remote control in your hand and a lot of use of the FF button, it isn’t too bad an experience.
Batman Forever follows Batman and Batman Returns, and was followed by Batman & Robin. The character was rebooted into Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. And he has been again rebooted into Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Batman first appeared on the big screen in a pair of 1940s serials. He returned in 1966 in Batman: The Movie.
I have ranked the eight theatrical portrayals of Batman.