Batman Forever
| Batman Forever | |
|---|---|
| File:Batman forever ver7.jpg film poster | |
| Directed by | Joel Schumacher |
| Written by | Screenplay: Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchler, Akiva Goldsman, Bob Kane (comic book) |
| Produced by | Tim Burton, Peter MacGregor-Scott |
| Starring | Val Kilmer Tommy Lee Jones Jim Carrey Nicole Kidman Chris O'Donnell |
| Cinematography | Stephen Goldblatt |
| Music by | Elliot Goldenthal |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release dates | June 16, 1995 |
Running time | 122 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100,000,000 |
Batman Forever is the third of the Batman movies which began with Tim Burton's 1989 version of the character, although it is a major departure from its predecessor in the franchise, Batman Returns. With dramatic changes to such things as the cast, design, and Danny Elfman's theme, which was scrapped completely (the music was composed by Elliot Goldenthal), it starred Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman, in his first and only appearance as the Dark Knight, and marked the series debut of Robin (played by Chris O'Donnell).
Cast
- Val Kilmer — Batman/Bruce Wayne
- Tommy Lee Jones — Two-Face/Harvey Dent
- Jim Carrey — The Riddler/Edward Nygma
- Nicole Kidman — Dr. Chase Meridian
- Chris O'Donnell — Robin/Richard "Dick" Grayson
- Michael Gough — Alfred Pennyworth
- Pat Hingle — Commissioner Gordon
- Drew Barrymore — Sugar
- Debi Mazar — Spice
Plot
 | This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. |
On the second anniversary of the day he captured Two-Face, Batman is summoned by the police to a scene of a major bank theft led by the disfigured villain. Also summoned is the beautiful psychiatrist Dr. Chase Meridian. Batman manages to thwart the robbery and save a security guard, but Two-Face escapes in a helicopter.
The next day, at Wayne Enterprises, Bruce Wayne is accosted by an eccentric scientist named Edward Nygma. Nygma has invented a device that beams signals directly into the human brain, which allows television viewers to feel like they are inside TV shows. But as Nygma begs Bruce for a bit more funding, Bruce sees the Bat Signal through the window, and hastily departs the scene after turning Nygma down. Batman goes to the Signal, and finds Chase, who manages to infatuate Batman, but he does not show it. Back at Wayne Enterprises, a frustrated Nygma straps his ruthless boss, Fred Stickley, to a chair and tests his invention on him. He soon discovers that as a side effect, his invention can use the mental energy of Stickley to make himself more intelligent. Afterward, Nygma wheels Stickley's chair out the window and falling down to a river, presumably drowning him. After a computer-generated forgery of the security tape and an apparent forged suicide note written in Stickley's handwriting (Nygma's machine absorbed that, too), Nygma resigns from Wayne Enterprises and begins leaving riddles for Bruce, and sets up his home in a distant part of Gotham City, where he lives surrounded by a giant robot with a green hat and costume with question marks on them, in addition with a small bobble-head with a smile similar to that of the Joker.
The next day, Bruce pays a visit to Chase and asks her to be his date to the Charity Circus. At the circus, the Flying Graysons are interrupted by Two-Face, armed with a bomb. Chaos ensues, and The Flying Graysons try to disconnect the bomb. The youngest, Dick, successfully manages to push the bomb out of the circus tent and into the water, but finds that Two-Face has killed the rest of his family and escaped. Bruce takes a reluctant Dick in as a foster son, despite Dick's intent to track down and kill Two-Face.
Meanwhile, Nygma, inspired and delighted by watching Two-Face's raid at the circus, decides to become his partner in a new villain identity, which thanks to a certain part of his surroundings, he does. Two-Face is in another part of town, enjoying dinner with his two wives Sugar and Spice, when Nygma walks in. Nygma introduces himself as the Riddler, and manages to save himself from being killed and win Two-Face's approval. He then proceeds to show Two-Face a new and improved version of his previous invention used on Stickley. The two villains make a deal: if Two-Face helps him steal enough priceless goods and money to fund his project , the Riddler will use the "Box" to learn Batman's true identity. Their deal sealed, Two-Face and the Riddler start their rampage.
The next day, on Claw Island, an offshore laboratory island, Nygma reveals his vision to many Gothamites in the form of the Nygmatech Box, planning to place it on every TV in Gotham, and in the future, the world. The Nygmatech Boxes secretly transmit the information from viewers' through the machine on the island into Nygma's brain, increasing his intelligence (but giving him some amounts of pain). Later on, Bruce receives another riddle, the answer to which is chess pawns.
Dick follows Alfred and finds the Batcave, leading him to realize that Bruce is Batman. Dick explains his desire for revenge to Bruce and demands to be trained as Batman's partner, but Bruce refuses to endanger his life.
That night, Bruce, Dick, and Chase attend a party where Nygma reveals his new Nygmatech Superbox, which sends holograms into the human brain. Bruce decides to take a look inside the Superbox and it begins exploring his brain. Suddenly, Two-Face and his goons break into the party. Bruce changes into Batman, chases Two-Face, and falls into a trap. He is rescued by Dick, in his circus attire. In their next meeting, the Riddler and Two-Face deduce from the Superbox's data that Bruce is Batman.
Back in the Batcave, Bruce declares that he is going to cease being Batman, encouraged both by Chase's claim that it's a curse and to protect Dick from harm. Angry and frustrated, Dick takes his things and runs away just as Chase arrives for dinner. Alfred is attacked by a group of thugs led by the Riddler and Two-Face. Two-Face's goons go to the living room and fight Bruce and Chase while the Riddler destroys the Batcave with a series of grenades. Two-Face shoots at Bruce, grazing his head and knocking him out.
Later, Bruce wakes up in bed, and is informed by Alfred that Chase has been abducted, Dick has run away, the Batcave and Batmobile have been destroyed, and that there is another riddle. Linking all the riddles' components together, he is able to deduce the riddle-sender as Edward Nygma. Since his costume was also destroyed in the Riddler's rampage, he sees an opportunity to test an improved, though possibly unsafe prototype costume. As Bruce is preparing to attack the villains head-on, Dick turns up in an all-new costume made by Alfred. Calling himself "Robin," he offers his support, and the dynamic duo form an alliance to bring the Riddler and Two-Face to justice, using prototype vehicles that were not destroyed in the attack.
Arriving at the artificial island, Batman and Robin split up. As Batman escapes and climbs his way to the top, Robin encounters Two-Face and manages to kick him off the high ground, but he no longer wishes to watch Two-Face die. Therefore, he pulls the villain back up, only for Two-Face to pull a gun on him.
Meanwhile, Batman finally makes his way to the top of the pole and into a large room where he confronts the Riddler. Two-Face enters, and the Riddler reveals Chase and Robin trapped in plastic containers hanging over a chasm. Batman refuses to play by the Riddler's rules, and distracts him with a riddle. He throws a Batarang straight into the brainwave generator, which destroys his palace and causes all of the brainwaves that the Riddler stole from Nygmatech box users to be sucked out of his brain, rendering him helpless. The Riddler presses the release buttons, which sends Chase and Robin falling down the chasm. Batman drops down after them, and saves both just before they crash. Batman, Robin, and Chase then make their way back to the top of the chasm, where Batman and Robin begin to untie Chase just as Two-Face appears, pointing a gun at them. He flips his coin, and as he does so, Batman tosses a handful of coins at him. Two-Face frantically tries to catch his own coin and, flailing, falls into the water below and meets a watery death as his coin comes heads up in his hand. The Riddler, meanwhile, is still alive, but he has become crazy, and rarely speaks. He is sent to Arkham Asylum, and will remain there for life.
Outside Arkham, Bruce learns that Edward's insanity will keep his identity safe. He thanks Chase for giving him a new dream, and they establish their romantic relationship with a passionate kiss.
The film ends with the Bat Signal shining, and Batman and Robin running into the night, ready to fight another crime. Template:Endspoiler
Background
While the previous two films had been directed by Tim Burton, Batman Forever was directed by Joel Schumacher, who made changes to the established designs and thematics of the first two films.
The villains in the movie are The Riddler, played by Jim Carrey, and Two-Face/Harvey Dent, a role played in the original 1989 movie by Billy Dee Williams, but assumed here by Tommy Lee Jones. Also in the movie is Dr. Chase Meridian, played by Nicole Kidman; the movie proved to be Kidman's breakout role and put her on the road to superstardom.
Picking up a few years after the events of Batman Returns, this sequel follows Two-Face's alliance with The Riddler and their resulting plan to destroy Batman. It also tells the origin story of Robin, who was not seen in either of the two previous films; As in the comic books, Robin is a circus performer whose family is murdered (although, in the film, his family is killed by Two-Face, rather than an ordinary gangster) and becomes Bruce Wayne's ward and Batman's partner in crime-fighting. The Riddler, meanwhile, is portrayed as a vengeful, obsessive former engineer who once worked for Bruce Wayne.
At the time the third Batman film went into production, it was initially going to be directed by Burton with Michael Keaton. The film was to have Bruce Wayne enlisting the assistance of an orphan by the name of Robin, in bringing down the villainous Riddler, not expecting to meet with a new love interest to complicate matters. Rumors claimed Micky Dolenz was the Riddler and that Robin Williams was offered the role, but turned it down, with a possible return of Catwoman (who survived the events of Batman Returns). Renee Russo was cast as Keaton's love interest. After initial casting with Marlon Wayans he actually signed on to portray Robin and costume tested for the film. But Warner Bros. ultimately threw out Burton after they realized the tone of the film was to be similar to Batman Returns. When Schumacher came on board as the new director, he threw out most of Burton's decisions and ideas, starting from scratch. As a result, Marlon Wayans' contract was actually paid out in full by Warner Bros. and Chris O'Donnell was cast as Robin instead. Tommy Lee Jones was then cast as Two-Face to replace Burton's choice of Billy Dee Williams, although Burton never intended on using the character in the film but had left it open as a possibility in future installments. Schumacher approached Robin Williams to play the Riddler, who after some deliberation turned down the role. Instead Schumacher cast Jim Carrey. Renee Russo was deemed too old to play Kilmer's love interest, and therefore was replaced by Nicole Kidman.
After some negotiating, Keaton left the film as he was unhappy with the script being lighter-in-tone and the absence of Tim Burton. Due to its huge success, Batman Forever was followed two years later by Batman and Robin.
Riddles
The following riddles are from this movie, most told by the Riddler, only one was told by Batman.
1 Q. If you look at the numbers on my face, you won't find 13 anyplace. What are they?
A. The numbers of the clock (1-12).
2 Q. What once was red is black instead?
A. A lighted match.
3 Q. The eight of us go fourth, not back to protect our king from a foe's attack. What are we?
A. The chess pawns.
4 Q. We're five little items of an everyday sort. You'll find us all in a tennis court. What are we?
A. The vowels (A,E,I,O,U, and sometimes Y).
The riddles above we're told by the Riddler. This last one was told by Batman.
5 Q. I see without seeing. To me darkness is as clear as daylight. What am I?
A. A person as blind as a bat (Note: this a figure of speech. Bats can actually see well).
Critical reaction and box office
The film's budget was approximately $90 - $100 million and earned $184,031,112 in total domestic sales and $152.5 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo[1]) surpassing the ticket takings for Tim Burton's Batman Returns, making it the most commercially successful movie of the summer of 1995 and second-best of that year (next to Toy Story). It was also the third highest grossing Batman movie as of 2005 (after the 1989 original and 2005's Batman Begins). This success came as a surprise to the filmmakers, who were constantly told by the studio that no one wanted a Batman movie and it was only going to be a moderate success.
Drastic makeover
Batman Forever obtained generally mixed reviews. Much of the negative reaction came from the drastic makeover of the franchise (most of it led by Joel Schumacher at the will of the Warner Bros. executives)[citation needed] Due to the fact that Batman Returns earned less than the original, Warner Bros. insisted the movie to be more "family friendly" to improve merchandising turnover. This included deleting over 30 minutes of footage, including Two-Face escaping from Arkham Asylum, the resolution to the Red Book subplot, and a sequence in which Bruce Wayne confronts a section of the Batcave with a giant bat. Further editing rearranged the first half of the film to start it off with an action scene. The end results reflected the third Batman movie with an overall tone that seemed to be lighter in comparison to its Burton predecessors.
Val Kilmer as Batman
There was debate about the performance of Val Kilmer[citation needed]; some critics charged that Kilmer, while physically fit to play Batman, more so than his predecessor Michael Keaton had been, gave a wooden performance as Bruce Wayne. Other critics though, such as Roger Ebert, had kind words for Kilmer. Batman creator Bob Kane said in a Cinescape interview that of all the actors to have played Batman up to that point (Before the Series was rebooted in 2004), he felt Kilmer had given the best interpretation.
Film critic Leonard Maltin (who heavily criticized the dark tone contained in Batman Returns) complimented Kilmer's portrayal when he reviewed the film for his expanding collection of film reviews, as well as being very favorable of the film as a whole. Defenders of Batman Forever praised the movie for portraying Batman as a more heroic, less ruthless, and more human character than in the Tim Burton films[citation needed]. The film also brought the film interpretation of Bruce Wayne more into line with his comic book counterpart, showing him as a seasoned celebrity of the media and a very public figure rather than the neurotic recluse of the previous films.
One of the biggest complaints about the Burton films was their portrayal of Batman killing his adversaries (especially in Batman Returns) without showing much remorse.[citation needed]
Two-Face and Riddler
Others accused Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones of giving cartoonish performances as the Riddler and Two-Face[citation needed] (Carrey himself even stated, though non-judgmentally, that this film "didn't take itself as seriously" as the past films had.) In one scene, Two-Face repeatedly flips his coin until achieving the desired outcome; in the comics, Two-Face always adheres to results of a single coin toss when a decision must be reached.
Reactions to Carrey's performance were generally similar, though some complained that his portrayal was too over the top, and had more in common with the Joker than with the comic book version of the Riddler[citation needed]. In fact, after the Riddler proclaims megalomaniacally, "For if knowledge is power, then a god am I!" he pauses, then reflects, "Was that over the top? I can never tell."
Criticism of his portrayal aside, Carrey's manic performance was a large part of the film's box office success.
Gotham City and Bat-Gadgets
A prominent criticism of the film's atmosphere centers on the constant use of neon lights, black lights, and glow-in-the-dark elements[citation needed], which seemingly reaches its peak with the street gang Dick Grayson fights halfway through the film.
Charges of Homoeroticism
Batman Forever has been regarded by some as homoerotic, especially after Garry Willis, a conservative columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, sardonically bashed the movie's campiness and perceived homoerotic motifs ("'Batman Forever' is a Gay Old Time," Chicago Sun-Times, 1995). One source of this controversy is the introduction of nipples on the chest of the Batsuit worn during the majority of the film, as well as the humorous close-ups of Bruce Wayne while donning the Batman costume, including the close-up shots of the groin and buttocks. Similar charges would be brought up in the sequel, Batman & Robin.
Sequel
Joel Schumacher, a big Frank Miller fan, wanted to make a prequel of the Batman series based closely on Batman: Year One. When Forever became a huge success, Warner Bros. decided to make a campier Batman movie as the sequel. This became Batman & Robin, which was a critical and box office embarrassment.
Trivia
- Like Batman Returns, Batman Forever took place on a holiday. While Batman Returns took place around Christmas, Batman Forever took place around halloween.
- Dick Grayson/Robin has a brother along side his parents. In most of the comics, Dick is portrayed as being an only child.
Home Video
The film was first released on VHS and Laserdisc in October 1995.
Batman Forever was given a "bare bones" DVD release when the medium was introduced in 1997-1998. However, in 2005, the newest feature film, Batman Begins, spawned Warner Bros. to release a Two-Disc Special Edition set of all four Burton-Schumacher films in Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997. This included 14 of the 30 minutes of deleted scenes known to exist. The Region 2 DVD restores more than a minute of cut footage. The uncut version was certified 12 by the BBFC, higher than the cut version's PG.
Soundtrack
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
Hit singles from the soundtrack include "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 and "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal, both of which were nominated for MTV Movie Awards. "Kiss From a Rose" (whose video was also directed by Joel Schumacher) reached #1 in the U.S. charts as well.
The soundtrack itself, featuring additional songs by The Flaming Lips, Brandy (both songs also included in the film), Method Man, Nick Cave, Michael Hutchence (of INXS), PJ Harvey, and Massive Attack, was an attempt to (in producer Peter MacGregor-Scott's words) make the film more "pop." The soundtrack was hugely successful, selling almost as many copies as Prince's soundtrack to the 1989 Batman film.
In 1996, "Kiss From a Rose" won three Grammies for best male pop vocal performance, best record and best song.
Track listing
- "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" - U2 – 4:46
- "One Time Too Many" - PJ Harvey – 2:52
- "Where Are You Now?" - Brandy – 3:57
- "Kiss From a Rose" - Seal – 3:38
- "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" - Massive Attack & Tracey Thorn (Smokey Robinson cover) – 4:06
- "Nobody Lives Without Love" - Eddi Reader – 5:05
- "Tell Me Now" - Mazzy Star – 4:17
- "Smash It Up" - The Offspring (The Damned cover)– 3:26
- "There Is a Light" - Nick Cave – 4:23
- "The Riddler" - Method Man – 3:30
- "The Passenger" - Michael Hutchence (Iggy Pop cover) – 4:37
- "Crossing the River" - Devlins – 4:45
- "8" - Sunny Day Real Estate – 5:27
- "Bad Days" - The Flaming Lips – 4:39
Score album
A second album, featuring over 40 minutes of Elliot Goldenthal's "Original Score", was released two weeks after the soundtrack album, see this page.
References
See also
External links
