A different but still valid Batman (Batman Forever (DVD))

Member Name: shaneo632

Product:	Batman Forever (DVD)
Date:	19/09/09 (10 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun and over the top

Disadvantages: Too campy

note: also appears in part on Flixster and The Student Room

Batman Forever is a film that I loved as a kid, and that very much embodies most of its appeal - it pales considerably when faced with Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton's iterations, but it's also a lot more fun and less self-serious than the dark Burton versions, and it does have an impressive visual style, even if it's a lot more flamboyant than we're used to and therefore may turn people off. I still maintain that it's quite an underrated film, although certainly no masterpiece.

Batman Forever sees Batman aka Bruce Wayne (Val Kilmer, who was quite notorious for being difficult to work with on set) trying to take down evil villain Two Face aka Harvey Dent (Tommy Lee Jones in a frenzied performance), who wants revenge on Batman after he caused his face to get scarred with acid. Also, the eccentric genius Edward Nigma (Jim Carrey, the film's true highlight) has gone overboard, his insanity causing him to don the alias of The Riddler, who taunts Batman with numerous difficult challenges.

This isn't as mature or dark as either Nolan or Burton's Batman films, but it is colourful, vibrant, and energetic. The main complaint is how director Joel Schumacher has just made things a lot sillier and more camp - particularly how he attached bat-nipples to the suit and really made everything extremely outlandish. Nevertheless, it is a pretty fun film in its own right, and very well designed artistically - the cinematography of the cityscapes in particular is immense.

Yes, it's Schumacher, yes it has bat-nipples and the like, but I got a real kick out of this as a piece of entertainment. Carrey makes a superb Joker, and as long as one doesn't take this too seriously, one can have a lot of fun with it.

Summary: A bit daft but good fun