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Batman Forever

Batman Forever

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $17.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Best Batman
Review: "Batman" may not be forever, but if this film is any indication of what the future holds for the Caped Crusader, he will be fighting crime for a long time to come. Although this is far from a great film, it is definitely the best of the series so far.

The story takes us back to the forbidding confines of Gotham City, where evil is again running amok. The overly-complicated plot is largely the same as in the previous two pictures; only the faces have changed. The bad guys once again want to take over Gotham and kill Batman. He, of course, wants to stop them.

The villains this time are the maniacal Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and his crazed companion, the Riddler (Jim Carrey). Together they chew through the scenery like two fat guys fresh from Jennie Craig. They're not very frightening, but then, they're not supposed to be. Two-Face is, however, rather dull. He could have been dropped entirely from the story without hurting a thing.

The Riddler is much better. After one particularly outrageous scene, Carrey (in character) turns to the camera and asks, "Was that over the top?" The answer is a hearty "Yes--but keep it up!" What makes Carrey special is his boundless comic energy. He's like a shark; if he ever stops swimming he'll die.

In a welcome addition to the series, "Batman Forever" finally introduces Robin (Chris O'Donnell), the Dark Knight's faithful sidekick. It gives a much-needed jolt to the film to see the Dynamic Duo together at last. They're relationship is one of the few emotionally stirring parts of the movie.

The thing that keeps the film from being better is the screenplay. Not only is the plot convoluted and unoriginal, it's not even very interesting. The writers would have done better to come up with something new, not just deliver another rehash of the original "Batman."

The story, though, is not what is important in a film like this. People come to see the characters and, on that score, they won't be disappointed.

Val Kilmer has taken over for Michael Keaton as the title character and he is good. Kilmer brings the humor, charisma and sex appeal to the role that Keaton always lacked. Batman is still too brooding and low-key for my taste, but he is getting better.

Chris O'Donnell furthers the youth movement with his star-making turn as Robin. Sporting close-cropped hair and a newly-buffed body, O'Donnell had the guys cheering and the girls swooning.

Nicole Kidman is ravishing as ever in the improbable role of the abnormal psychology expert. Her character is not given much to do but stand around and look pretty. Fortunately, Kidman is very good at that.

"Batman Forever" is not a great film by any stretch of the imagination. It is, however, a lot of fun to watch.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Super-Villain Showcase Number Three...
Review: I just don't know what it is about me. I consider 'Batman Forever' to be my favorite Dark Knight movie. Yes, the re-casting of Val Kilmer as the new Batman / Bruce Wayne wasn't much help. But, when Michael Keaton lost interest in the role, what can you do? And of course, there was the fleeting romantic interest, Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman), a character that would go the way of Vicki Vale from the first 'Batman'. But at least Robin (Chris O'Donnell) finally gets added to the film mythos. Lord knows the fan base waited long enough.

The prevailing wisdom is that one watches 'Batman' movies mainly for the villains, and not necessarily the hero. And it was the antics of the bad guys that made it enjoyable for me. Jim Carrey just goes nutso as the Riddler, not to be outdone by the unbelievable performance of Tommy Lee Jones as Harvey Two-Face. I loved every plausiblity-stretching moment of them working together to unmask the Batman.

It was almost like the classic 60's 'Batman' TV show, but not quite as campy or corny, though it would get pretty close at times (eventually going overboard in the subsequent 'Batman and Robin'). Howzabout Batman's drive up the side of a skyscraper to escape the charge of Two-Face? Too much. And Batman's rescuing of the Gotham City 2nd National Banks' safe & security guard was pretty hokey, too. But still, I can't stop myself from viewing this 'screen gem' from time to time.

Then there's the moment that defines the entire flick. It was when The Riddler asks a captive Robin & Dr. Chase Meridian, "Was I over the top? I can never tell!"

You sure were, Jimmers. You sure were.

'Late...

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!
Review: I don't know if Burton was on something when he let Schumacher mess around with the story. Hold on, wasn't Burton a producer? Why didn't he exert a little more control over the story? Batman is crazy, but he is not on acid! What was up with all the neon nonsense? Gotham is a dark city. Burton captured it well the first two times. Why did Schumacher feel the need to royally screw up! This is a big disappointment to me because Batman happens to be my favorite hero. Why did Burton agree to Schumacher's ideas? If you're a Batman fan, DON"T WATCH IT! DON'T EVEN REMOTELY THINK TO BUY IT! IT'S NOT WORTH IT!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Actually I'd give it 3 1/2 stars.
Review: Batman Forever certainly doesn't measure up to the first two, but Batman fans would agree that this one still is quite good. Val Kilmer is no Michael Keaton but he is still good Batman. Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carey are wonderful additions as Two-face and The Riddler. The new stylized look mixed in with the old dark look makes Gotham look cool. The only flaw probably is Micaheal Keaton's absence as Batman. But as I said Val kimer is good. Also Robin's entrance is put in well.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't buy this dvd
Review: Don't buy this dvd cause Warner may release this title in a near future again with special features,trailers,notes and etc.Just like they did with Twister,Interwiew with the Vampire...and more to come....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great
Review: Listen up Tim the Enchanter, if the cinematography was so bad how come it got nominated for Best Cinematography at the Oscars? Answer that one! This film did well at the Academy Awards and this movie is very good too. Jim Carrey is outstanding as the Riddler. This is a good film.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Still the Dark Night
Review: Despite what you may have heard, there is absolutely nothing "sunny" about this third installment of Warner Brothers' Batman series. In fact, this film includes one element that fans of the more brooding, gothic version version of Batman have been hoping for-a truly ominous and horrific glimpse of Arkham Asylum. No, Virginia, this is not a Sesame Street version of Gotham City...but it IS highly stylised, perhaps lending it's nightmare vision closer to Blade Runner than to the gritty streets of legends past. It's a great story, somehow bearing more repeat viewings than Tim Burton's films, of which I am a fan. Burton's films are wonderful in that he is always striving for an idea. In the true sense of creative film making, it's very hit-miss. This one hits more than it misses. Here's where it misses: Two-Face- Why do all of Batman's movie villains have to constantly cackle and babble on and on? Two Face was never such a character.

James Gordon- The single most important element in the Batman mythos besides Bats himself is once again a distant afterthought, leaving the Batman a one dimensional entity (Remember, Burton himself did nothing to help this situation-guess Gordon wasn't grotesque enough to make the screen time cut).

Schumacher's obsession with homoeroticism and male body parts. It's amazing how much mileage a director can get out of the penises and rear ends of cartoon characters, or the delight in which he can take in focusing on them.

Despite these flaws, I tend to watch this film time and time again. It has more than enough to reccommend it. Sadly, Schumacher would prove to be the death of the series...but don't let that stop you from enjoying this entry into what was once a very promising screen franchise.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: almost the best
Review: okay. this movie ruled! (of course all the batman movies do) but i found this one almost the best batman movie. it had good actors, and a good plot. you should see it

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Batman Light
Review: Batman Forever is certainly a far cry from the previous two films on virtually all levels. Val Kilmer is the new Dark Knight. Joel Schumacher is the new director. It is entertaining but suffers from a case of overkill.

The tone of the movie is much lighter and colorful. It plays much closer to the comic books than the previous two. Jim Carrey's Riddler goes a bit overboard but generally is on target. Tommy Lee Jones is a great actor but just doesn't have the grasp of Two Face..he's played way too close to the Joker. Having two villians in the film just doesn't work well here.

The introduction of Robin is nicely done but Chris O'Donnell is a little too old for Robin but makes the character just earnest enough to make it work. Nicole Kidman as the token love interest, plays a psycholgist who tries to get under Batman's costume. As For Batman himself, Val Kilmer acquits himself nicely as the Dark Knight and Bruce Wayne.

The production design is colorful to say the least, The new Batmobile is a bit too garish as well. The biggest problem with the film is overkill. Too many lead characters and a very inconsistant script. Some of the dialogue is funny but at times it gets too silly. The action scenes are exciting if not chaotic. Elliot Goldenthal's music is overdone and grating to listen to at times. Joel Schumacher's style is all over this film. He's directed some really good films in the past, and he gives Batman a different style here, but comes dangerously close to camp at times.. which is sadly what he would fill the next Batman movie of.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Um, Batman's not cross-eyed.
Review: At this point, I began to wonder why I bothered, so I skipped it. My brother rented it one night. So I watched this ominously titled film. It is horrible. The script is awful, the performances are just as bad as if Burton was directing it, and the cinematography, while interesting, is intrusive and obnoxious. It is impossible to follow the badly-staged action scenes. Jim Carrey in particular is really, really bad. It introduced the benightedly bad Chris O'Donnell as Robin. So why in the hell does it get the highest rating of the series? Because I enjoyed it. Somehow, all the horribleness of it came together for an entertaining movie. It is also the shortest (oddly enough, the other three are all the exact same length...). The big question is why in the hell did they lose the Batman theme, the best part of the previous films?


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