Batman Forever

This was perfectly fine in its day. To this day, I still like to remind myself of the local variations of Val Kilmer's antagonists, because Batman Forever is simply cast unusually well in terms of the supporting roles. Tommy Lee Jones is excellent, Jim Carrey and Riddler are one and the same soul... and of course, the sexy Dr. Chase Meridian, played by the ethereal Nicole Kidman. Unfortunately, it goes downhill a bit with Chris O'Donnell, but Sugar and Spice are there, and so is good old Alfred Pennyworth. (02/03/2009)

Joel Schumacher excelled in the more costume-focused, circus-like Batman films, where the priority was to make the story as bizarre as possible. He successfully transferred this to the screen. Bizarre costume madness, where everyone is grotesque. Burton is also a visual madman, but he too understood that Batman should be done darker. Val Kilmer is not superb, nor is it a miracle. The film as a whole is. (05/22/2014)

Val Kilmer does not remember this role too fondly, it's not surprising. Only the visual effects and Nicole Kidman stand out. Joel Schumacher is a person without comic book imagination. Being just a skilled craftsman is not enough. And let’s not speak about the sequel. (10/13/2013)

The only thing that keeps this film borderline watchable is the great Carrey, otherwise, Schumacher messed up everything he could. The cast is horrible, the visuals are awful, the plot is awkward, the atmosphere is bland, and it's unworthy of Batman. Yet, when compared to the following episode, it is still within the limits of good taste. (01/24/2007)

Paradoxically, the far more derided Batman and Robin was a lot more fun – it was even more stupid, but it was somehow aware of that, and at times it was very cute in its own imbecility. Batman Forever has a better story and some sort of attempt at a darker Gotham signature, but most of it is unbearably boring and scattered in shabbily connected episodes. Kilmer is alright as Batman and Carrey and Jones are great actors, of course, but their uncontrolled creations can’t hold a candle to the uniqueness of Nicholson and Ledger, who were considerably better in the way they balanced their dark clowns (though they worked with far more sophisticated concepts and scenarios). I can’t understand how Schumacher, a director of several impressive hits, could fall so low. Batman’s poetics is not for everyone, it seems. 40% (02/07/2021)