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Batman Forever is an Academy Award-nominated 1995 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. It is the third film in the Batman film franchise and the first one directed by Joel Schumacher, who replaced Tim Burton, the director of the first two films in the franchise, Batman and Batman Returns. It is also the first and only film in the franchise to star Val Kilmer as Batman, who replaced Michael Keaton from the first two films. The film also marked the series debut of Robin. The film's cast included Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Chris O'Donnell, Nicole Kidman, Drew Barrymore and Debi Mazar. However, Michael Gough and Pat Hingle, who featured in the first two films, returned to reprise the respective characters Alfred and Commissioner James Gordon in this film.
The film served as a major departure from its predecessor Batman Returns, whose dark tone was rejected in favor of a lighter tone designed to appeal to younger audiences.
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Quotations
We're 5 little items of an everyday sort. You'll find us all in a tennis court.
In... A-E-I-O-U. Vowels.
Poor Edward. I had to save them both. You see, I'm both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Not because I have to be. Now... because I choose to be.
The Bat's stubborn refusal to expire... IS DRIVING US INSANE!
There is no way for me to save them or myself. This is all one giant death trap.
Why yes, of course, you're right, Bruce. Emotion is always the enemy of true justice. Thank you. You've always been a good friend. tosses the coin
You should have let me in on this. We could have planned it, prepared it, pre-sold the movie rights!
Encyclopedia
Batman Forever is an Academy Award-nominated 1995 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. It is the third film in the Batman film franchise and the first one directed by Joel Schumacher, who replaced Tim Burton, the director of the first two films in the franchise, Batman and Batman Returns. It is also the first and only film in the franchise to star Val Kilmer as Batman, who replaced Michael Keaton from the first two films. The film also marked the series debut of Robin. The film's cast included Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Chris O'Donnell, Nicole Kidman, Drew Barrymore and Debi Mazar. However, Michael Gough and Pat Hingle, who featured in the first two films, returned to reprise the respective characters Alfred and Commissioner James Gordon in this film.
The film served as a major departure from its predecessor Batman Returns, whose dark tone was rejected in favor of a lighter tone designed to appeal to younger audiences. This included dramatic changes to the cast, design, and Danny Elfman's score, whose themes were not carried into this film. Batman Forever was commercially successful at the box office. However, it received mixed reviews from critics.
PlotThe film opens with Batman preparing for action. Two-Face, alter ego of former District Attorney Harvey Dent, is holding a hostage in a bank vault. He connects the bank vault by chain to a helicopter, intending to fly it out of the bank. Batman arrives, rescuing the hostage and foiling the robbery by cutting the chain. Two-Face tries to escape but Batman hangs on to the chopper by the chain and is dragged through the City until he climbs slowly on top of the chopper. Two-Face aims at Batman but accidentally shoots the pilot and is forced to take his place at the wheel. Batman bashes his way into the cockpit, but not before Two Face aims to crash the chopper into the "Our Lady of Gotham" statue and locks the wheel. Two Face escapes using the only parachute on board, but Batman luckily manages to dive out of the cockpit and into the river in the nick of time.
Edward Nygma, a researcher at Wayne Enterprises, has developed a device to beam television directly to a person's brain. Bruce Wayne, convinced that mind manipulation would raise too many questions, turns the idea down, but Nygma continues to work on it after hours. When Fred Stickley, the head of the research department, discovers Nygma's clandestine overtime, Nygma knocks out Stickley then uses him to test his device, discovering that he can use it to absorb people's knowledge. Realizing Wayne was right about it being mind manipulation, Stickley fires Nygma, but Nygma murders Stickley, doctors the security tapes to make Stickley's death look like a suicide, and then resigns from Wayne Enterprises.
After having met clinical psychiatrist Doctor Chase Meridian at the robbery, Bruce Wayne invites her to a charity circus event. Two-Face and his cohorts storm the event, bringing a bomb with a two-minute timer. Two-Face, who blames Batman for the attack which left him disfigured, will detonate the bomb unless Batman reveals himself. Wayne attempts to reveal his alter ego to Two-Face, but is unheard over the screams of the audience. Meanwhile, the acrobatic family The Flying Graysons work to remove the bomb via an opening at the summit of the circus tent. The youngest member, Dick, goes ahead of his family and succeeds in pushing the bomb through the hole and out into the surrounding water, but Two-Face fires at the rafters holding the Graysons in the air, causing the rest of his family to fall to their deaths, and Two-Face escapes. Wayne assumes responsibility for Dick and allows him to stay at his home, Wayne Manor. Dick declares his intention to avenge his family's deaths by killing Two-Face, and when he discovers Wayne's secret identity as Batman, he insists on becoming the crime fighter's partner in order to achieve his goal. Wayne is reluctant at first, telling Dick that killing Two-Face won't make the pain go away, but Dick is undeterred, and names his alter-ego "Robin" at the suggestion of butler Alfred.
Edward Nygma, who has been stalking Wayne and leaving riddles for him, is inspired and delighted by watching Two-Face's raid at the circus on live television and creates his own alter-ego in the form of The Riddler, a master of puzzles and quizzes. He perfects his brain-manipulation device into a system which beams signals to and from the human brain in order to simulate an immersive television viewing experience. This has the side effect of allowing the Riddler to read viewers' minds, as well as augmenting his own intelligence. Making a deal to use his brain-manipulation device to discover Batman's true identity, he becomes partner-in-crime with Two-Face in order to fund mass-production of the device. Successful, he readopts his Nygma persona and hosts a launch event for a set-top version of his device. Nygma convinces an unwitting Wayne to try it, resulting in Nygma and Two-Face discovering Wayne's alter ego. Two-Face attempts to kill Wayne/Batman, but the appearance of Dick (disguised as Robin) at the end helps to foil the plan. Armed with the knowledge of Batman's true identity, the villains later converge upon Wayne Manor. Unwilling to have Two-Face kill his idol, Nygma (as the Riddler) blows up the Batcave and leaves a final riddle for his nemesis, while Two-Face kidnaps Doctor Meridian.
Bruce and Alfred eventually solve the riddles, each one having a number in it:
1. "If you look for numbers on my face, you won't find thirteen any place." (a clock)
2. "Tear one off and scratch my head; what was once red is now black instead." (a match)
3. "The eight of us go forth, not back, to protect our king from a foe's attack." (chess pawns)
4. We're five little items of an everyday sort; you'll find us all in 'a tennis court'." (vowels- in the words 'a tennis court')
Each number corresponds to a letter in the alphabet, with 1 and 8 being digits for the number 18. 13 being "M", 18 for "R" and 5 for "E", M-R-E, or "Mr. E"- mystery, or enigma- Mr. E. Nygma. Changing into Batman, Bruce asks Alfred whether he should use the Batboat or the Batwing. Dick suggests both as he enters the Batcave- now dressed in a "Robin" costume of Alfred's design. Bruce decides two against two are better odds, and finally agrees to Dick becoming a partner.
Batman and Robin use both vehicles to enter the aquatic lair; however, the machines are destroyed by the Riddler and Two Face. The heroes end up swimming to an island made of metal, where they are separated. Batman fights his way through the Riddler's deadly traps, while Robin finally fights Two Face. He manages to send the villain over the edge of a ledge, where he clings to dear life. Realizing that he cannot kill Two Face, Robin helps him up instead. The villain thanks him by pulling out a gun and trapping him. Meanwhile, Batman finally reaches the Riddler, who sits in a large throne beneath the glass chamber that collects the brainwaves of Gotham's citizens. He reveals Dr. Chase and Robin, imprisoned in large containers over a large, deadly pit.
Riddler, challenging Batman with the greatest riddle of all ("Can Batman and Bruce Wayne actually co-exist?"), gives him the choice of rescuing only one of them. Batman distracts Nygma with a riddle of his own; unable to resist, the Riddler takes his hand off of the control that would drop the two. Batman uses this distraction to hurl a Batarang at the brain-wave hub, shattering both it and the Riddler's massive intelligence. Before Nygma collapses, he springs the trap doors in Robin's and Doctor Meridian's cages, sending them plummeting to their apparent doom. Batman rescues both of them, only to be drawn on again by Two-Face perched on a nearby plank. Before he can shoot them, though, Batman acts on a suggestion of Dr. Chase, who had theorized that Two-Face's coin is his Achilles' heel. He tells Two-Face that he must flip the coin to determine their fates. Two-Face agrees and flips his coin-but Batman hurls a handful of similar coins into the air. Frantic, Two-Face grabs at the coins, but loses his footing and falls to his death. As he drowns, his own coin lands in his palm.
Batman returns to the now-destroyed Riddler's lair and finds Edward, his mind now enfeebled by the brainwave reversal. He answers Nygma's riddle saying "I had to save them both. You see, I'm both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Not because I have to be, but because I choose to be". But one wonders if The Riddler even heard or understood the answer - just after Batman tells him the answer, the Riddler is screaming in terror as he sees a bat flying towards him.
The Riddler is later committed to Arkham Asylum, and Doctor Chase is asked to consult on his case. She is told that he has been screaming for hours that he knows who Batman is. Wondering if The Riddler has indeed remembered the information taken from Bruce Wayne's brain concerning Batman's identity, she goes to Nygma's cell. She identifies herself and then asks Riddler if he remembers her. When he answers yes, Riddler offers to reveal the identity of Batman to her if she says please. She does so, and The Riddler responds by telling her that he thinks he himself is Batman, and as if to prove his point, he starts flapping his arms as if to imitate a bat. Doctor Chase then meets Bruce Wayne outside and tells him his secret is safe. Kissing him, she tells him "don't work too late". The film ends with the image of a Bat-signal, with Batman and Robin running as if appearing from the signal itself towards the camera. As their flowing capes come together, the screen fades to black and goes to the closing credits. This ending is similar to both Batman Returns, and Batman & Robin
Cast- Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne / Batman: After coming across the journal of his father, he starts questioning his act of vengeance. As such, he struggles with duality and his dual identity as a crime fighter. He comes to matches with Doctor Chase Meridian, though decides to return upon "The Flying Graysons Massacre." In December 1993, Joel Schumacher had seen Tombstone, and was most impressed with Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday. Schumacher felt for him to be perfect for the role, though at the time, the role was still Michael Keaton's. In July 1994, Keaton decided not to return for a sequel after Batman Returns, due to "creative differences." Schumacher supported Keaton's reason, saying "some people don't want to play superheroes the rest of their life. Even Sean Connery left James Bond." William Baldwin (previously worked with Schumacher on Flatliners) was reported to be a top contender, though just days after Keaton dropped out, Kilmer was cast. Kilmer took the role without even knowing who the new director was and without reading the script (possibly thinking Tim Burton was still set to direct).
- Tommy Lee Jones as Harvey Dent / Two-Face: Formerly the good District Attorney of Gotham City, half of his face is scarred by acid after the conviction of a mob boss. As such, this leads to events that showcase him as Batman's newest enemy Two-Face. In the original Batman, District Attorney Harvey Dent was played by Billy Dee Williams. Williams accepted the role with the knowledge and expectation that Dent would eventually become Two-Face: he reportedly had a clause put into his contract reserving the role for him in any sequels, which Warner Brothers had to buy out. Jones was always Schumacher's first choice for the role after working with him on The Client. Jones claims he was sent the script and was cautious to accept, but ultimately decided to as a favor for his son Austin.
- Jim Carrey as Edward Nygma / The Riddler: An employee at Wayne Enterprises nursing an obsession with Bruce Wayne and a high opinion of his own genius, though it is an accidental side effect of his experimentation with 3-D TV that causes him to be fired by his boss as the invention is too dangerous – it directly taps into the human brain. Traumatised by this and Wayne's rejection of his business proposal, he kills his boss and adopts a secret identity as a stalker of Wayne. In response to Wayne's saying that the mind-control aspect "raises too many questions", the compulsive Nygma becomes the villainous Riddler, leaving riddles and puzzles at scenes of crime while modelling himself on his idol in his public role as head of a successful new business empire (NygmaTech) to rival Wayne Enterprises. It was in October 1993 when Robin Williams stated he was in talks for the role, and commented on his enthusiasm. Williams had previously expressed interest for the role of The Joker in Batman, although he lost out to Jack Nicholson and expressed interest in the role a second time in The Dark Knight, but lost out a second time to Heath Ledger was cast. Ultimately in June 1994, Carrey was cast after Williams turned down the role. Schumacher had known Carrey since the mid 1980s, roughly ten years before he became commercially famous. After his role in , Warner Brothers and Schumacher felt for him to be perfect for the part. Michael Jackson had previously opted hard to land the role but was ignored. Matthew Broderick also expressed interest in the role.
- Nicole Kidman as Doctor Chase Meridian: A psychologist and love interest of Bruce Wayne, who's more obsessed with Batman. Rene Russo was originally cast to play Doctor Chase Meridian when Keaton was still attached to the project as Batman. However, when Keaton dropped out of the project and was replaced by Kilmer, Russo was deemed too old to play his love interest and was replaced by Kidman. Robin Wright turned down the role while Jeanne Tripplehorn and Linda Hamilton were both considered. Schumacher had been a fan of Kidman's work since Dead Calm, at which she auditioned for Julia Roberts's role in Flatliners. Schumacher then felt her to be perfect for the role of Doctor Chase Meridian, though Warner Brothers was cautious, calling her "not sexy enough."
- Chris O'Donnell as Richard "Dick" Grayson / Robin: Once a circus acrobat, he is adopted by Bruce after Two Face murders his parents and brother at a circus event. Bruce is reminded when his parents were murdered upon seeing the same in Dick. Dick eventually discovers the Bat-cave and learns Bruce's secret identity. In his wake, he becomes his crime-fighting sidekick, Robin. Daniel Waters and Tim Burton convinced Warner Brothers to keep Robin out of Batman Returns and save him for the third installment. Marlon Wayans was originally cast in the role before being dropped out, and was indeed signed and paid for the sequel. Ultimately the decision was made to cast someone else, with Wayans being paid without any acting what-so-ever. The casting of Robin required a nation-wide search, as well as a casting call notice in London. Schumacher claims he met with actors Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Alan Cumming, and Toby Stevens. Chris O'Donnell, a fan of the Batman TV series as a child was cast in June 1994, beating out Leonardo DiCaprio.
- Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth: The faithful butler of Bruce and Dick.
- Pat Hingle as Commissioner James Gordon: The police commissioner of Gotham City.
- Drew Barrymore as Sugar: Two-Face's mistress who represents his "good side."
- Debi Mazar as Spice: Two-Face's mistress who represents his "bad side."
- En Vogue
A small role as a group of prostitutes. - Ed Begley Jr. as Fred Stickley: The head of Wayne Enterprises / Edward Nygma's boss [uncredited].
Production| "I always hated those titles like Batman Forever. That sounds like a tattoo that somebody would get when they're on drugs or something. Or something some kid would write in the yearbook to somebody else. I have high problems with some of those titles." | | — Tim Burton on the title of Batman Forever |
Warner Bros. always felt that even though Batman Returns was a box office success, it did not meet expectations. As a result the studio decided to re-tool the franchise to be more conspicuously aimed towards children. Batman co-creator Bob Kane even supported the decision. Producer Peter MacGregor-Scott cited the film as "Saturday Night Fever on acid".
Tim Burton claimed he had one meeting that lasted for half an hour with Warner Brothers regarding a sequel. He told them basic ideas he had in mind, though they both peaceably agreed that Burton should serve as producer. Burton states that he was not interested in directing a third Batman film, and did not approve of the creative direction the franchise was taking. Warner Brothers sought Joel Schumacher as their first choice to be Burton's replacement as director, and Schumacher took the role after getting approval from Burton, a friend of his. At one point John McTiernan was a candidate to direct before Joel Schumacher took over from Tim Burton..
Schumacher originally had in mind an adaptation of Frank Miller's . The studio rejected the idea as they wanted a sequel, not a prequel, though Schumacher was able to include very brief events in Batman's past. Burton and Schumacher together hired Lee and Janet Scott-Batchler to write the script which introduced a psychotic Riddler with a pet rat accompanying him. The story elements and much of the dialogue still remained in the finished film, though Schumacher felt it could be "lighted down." He hired Akiva Goldsman, whom he previously had worked for on The Client to write the second draft.
Schumacher hired Barbara Ling for production design, claiming that the film needed a "force" and felt Ling could "advance on it." Schumacher wanted a design that was not to be any way connected to Batman and Batman Returns, and instead was to be inspired by the images from the Batman comic books seen in the 1940s/early 1950s and taken from that of New York City architecture in the 1930s, with a combination of modern Tokyo.
Schumacher told Ling he wanted a "city with personality," with more statues, as well as various amounts of neon. The Batmobile was also given a makeover in comparison to that seen in Batman and Batman Returns. The design team spent six weeks on five different concepts before coming up with Schumacher's choice. Two cars were constructed, one for stunt purposes and one for close ups with both showcasing a V8 engine. The Batcave introduced new technology seen in the previous two films that included what Schumacher calls, "a more suitable atmosphere." This included a turntable for the Batmobile and a moat surrounding the cave.
For the costume design, producer Peter MacGregor-Scott claimed that 146 workers were at one point working together. Batman's costume received a new design as well. Scott also quoted that Schumacher wanted to bring somewhere along the lines of a more "MTV organic, and edgier feel" to the suit. Various suits were designed for specific purposes, such as one where as Val Kilmer sits in the Batmobile and various others for stunts and close ups. Ventilation was placed in the suit and according to costume designer Ve Neill, Kilmer had "a more stature feel than Michael Keaton" which served as a minor problem.
Neill quoted that Schumacher wanted Chris O'Donnell to be a heartthrob to teenage girls, thus the reason his ears were pierced. Jim Carrey went through over 50 different spandex outfits and over 100 different props for his cane. He stated while practicing, he would continuously damage walls, ceilings, and cabinets. Elliot Goldenthal was hired to compose the film score even before the first draft of the script was written. He stated he was told by Schumacher as not to listen to Danny Elfman's previous score, and instead compose a different orchestral piece.
Schumacher commented on working with Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jim Carrey, "I was told that Val was difficult and wasn't [right] for me. (...) Jim Carrey was a gentleman, and Tommy Lee was threatened by him. I'm tired of defending overpaid, over privileged actors. I pray I don't work with them again." Bob Kane remained on the set almost every single day during filming.
ReceptionBatman Forever opened on June 16, 1995 in the United States in 2,893 theaters, accumulating $52,784,433 over its opening weekend. The film went on to gross $336,531,112 worldwide. It is the fourth highest grossing Batman film to date, behind Tim Burton's Batman and Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, though it did have a higher opening weekend than Batman Begins. The opening weekend gross was a record at the time and the studio beat their goal of making more money than Batman Returns. Batman Forever was the second highest grossing film of 1995, only losing to Toy Story.
Roger Ebert depicted the film as highly entertaining, though felt that the definitive Batman film had yet to be made. Brian Lowry of Variety cited the film as a poor attempt to "save" the Batman film series. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone called the film a "sour taste," and mocked the formation of how it transferred back to the campy Batman TV series. Comic book veterans took heavy negative feedback against the film as well. Scott Beatty called Tommy Lee Jones' performance "a Joker knock-off rather than a multi-layered rogue," while Lee Bermejo cited it as "unbearable." One scene depicts Two-Face flipping his coin until he gets a result he wants. In the comics, a key element of his split personality is that he unquestioningly accepts the result of a single coin toss concerning any decision he makes. Overall, the film holds a 44% rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
The "Cream of the Crop" rating at Rotten Tomatoes stands at 69%. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle supported the film calling it "A grand-scale effort that's more awe-inspiring than completely successful as entertainment." Desson Thomson of the Washington Post gave a positive review, though complained about Jim Carrey stealing screen time, as the same went with Gillian Gaar from "Film.com."
The filmmakers claimed they were indeed aware of reports that Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones had "stolen the show." Jones quoted, "I don't want to be too fussy about language, but the idea of stealing scenes or stealing movies is nothing that I am comfortable with at all. I don't think that way. I look at the job at hand and try to do as well as I can with that job." Carrey stated, "I just hope I am doing it right; is it coming together? You can't think about that stuff because that would be, like, capsize time."
When asked about the nipples on the Batman and Robin suits, (as well as Dick Grayson sporting an earing and the enlarged codpieces), Joel Schumacher stated that he never knew that it would lead to such a big controversy. He also went as far as to say "people need to get out more" than noticing small glitches such as the nipples. Schumacher was also questioned for his focusing on Batman's behind when he is getting dressed into Batman.
Batman Forever was nominated for three Academy Awards, the most out of any Batman film to date. Though not winning any, the awards included Best Cinematography, Best Effects/Sound Effects Editing (losing to Braveheart on both nominations), and Best Sound (losing to Apollo 13). The song "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 was nominated for "Best Original Song Written for a Motion Picture" at the Golden Globe awards as well as the MTV Movie Awards and as "Worst Original Song" at the Razzie Awards. Other nominations for the MTV Movie Awards included: "Best Villain" (Both Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones), "Most Desirable Female", "Most Desirable Male" and Seal was nominated as well for his song "Kiss from a Rose." Elliot Goldenthal was given a Grammy Award nomination for his work.
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