Review of Batman Forever (1995) by Ismail K — 01 Aug 2012

Fun! Fun! Fun! Understandably not one for the Batman fans who prefer the darker tones of 'Begins', but 'Forever' is actually closer to Burton's image than Nolan's. Ostensibly dark and brooding, but with fabulous flashes of color (Oscar-nominated cinematography).

The cast is superb, with everyone having a good time. Kilmer is no Keaton, but a good second best. Carrey is perfect as The Riddler, in one of his most quotable roles. The introduction of Robin may camp the series up to undesirable levels, but without him you would not get lines such as "Not just a friend - a partner" etc.

Lee Jones' talents are wasted, as is the character of Two-Face, who would have been better served with a movie of his own (and this was done again in 'The Dark Knight'). The character is fun but a little unbelievable.

The script is superbly contructed and the lines memorable, including some of the best flashback scenes of the series (and probably the most in-depth exploration of Batman's character without wasting important screen time for the real reason for watching - the larger-than-life villains).

Eliot Goldenthal's score changes Elfman's perfect Batman theme but is still close to brilliant. It's incredibly difficult to create a fantastical-looking film which also stands out as a serious character exploration but 'Forever' succeeds brilliantly.