Batman Forever [VHS]

Batman Forever [VHS]
by Joel Schumacher

Batman Forever [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Chris O'Donnell, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Tommy Lee Jones, Val Kilmer
Director: Joel Schumacher
Producer: Benjamin Melniker
Producer: Kevin J. Messick
Producer: Michael E. Uslan
Writer: Akiva Goldsman
Writer: Bob Kane
Writer: Janet Scott Batchler
Writer: Lee Batchler
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Original recording reissued
Running Time: 121 minutes
Release Date: 2001-05-01
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Studio: Warner Home Video

VHS Movie Reviews of Batman Forever [VHS]

Movie Review: The beginning of the end for the original series
Summary: 2 Stars

Batman [Val Kilmer] comes back to face Two-Face [Tommy Lee Jones] and The Riddler [Jim Carrey] who've aligned in an attempt to take over Gotham City with a damaging brain device. Along the way, Batman meets Dick Grayson [Chris O Donnel] who eventually becomes Batman's sidekick Robin. While Carrey is a perfect choice for The Riddler and Kilmer is ok as Bruce Wayne/Batman [Despite having blonde hair], This installment in the series suffers greatly from its poor story, Tommy Lee Jones' annoying performance as Two-Face, Chris O Donnel's equally annoying performance as the annoying-in-general Robin [Batman should always work alone], and the very campy direction that new director Joel Schumacher decided to take with this sequel. Like the 60's series, Batman and Robin spew boring one-liners, Robin acts silly, and the whole atmosphere seems too colorful. Another thing that dogs this film down is the horrible score by Elliot Goldenthal [Elfman should've been brought back to conduct the score]. The movie as a whole is overblown and too hollywoodized for a Batman film. Gotham City here looks much too glamorous as opposed to the dark, gothic look of Gotham in the first two films. The action scenes are tolerable at best, But the movie ultimately brings shame to Batman's legacy. And Nicole Kidman's Chase Meridian character serves no purpose whatsoever [Chase was never even a character in the Batman comics before or since]. If you're a fan of the 60's Batman tv show, You might like this movie. But, If you're like me and prefer a dark version of Batman, Skip this one and especially disregard the next film, Batman and Robin.

Movie Review: Batman Jim Carrey style
Summary: 4 Stars

This is a great film simply because it combines two of my most favorite things Batman and Jim Carey. This film features the dynamic duo, Batman and Robin and the Riddler who is played by jim Carey. Even though this is a relativley serios movie Jim Carey still manages to be funny with his Ace Ventura style commedy. Some parts of this movie are cheesy, like the batmobile, because it was made in the 90's. But I still recommend you add it to your collection.

Movie Review: Gotham City on Acid
Summary: 3 Stars

Batman, what happened? This film and its sequel are classic examples of when the studio gets involved. After the breakout success and positive reviews of the first film, which was dark and moody, the sequel was given mixed reviews but was still a success. Just not as big as the first. Burton did have a story treatment in mind for a third film, coincidentally also involving the Riddler, but Warners didn't want him to return. Instead, we get Joel Schumacher, who claimed he's wanted to do an adaptation of Batman: Year One and claims to be a fan of the character. In my opinion, if this was so, he wouldn't have put nipples on the Bat-suit (saying he was inspired by statues of the Greek gods) and, even though he probably was pressured into it, making the film more like the 60s Adam West series (though a favorite of mine, in this day and age, the campy image cannot work). I do like Val Kilmer as Batman/Bruce Wayne, as we actually get to see more of Wayne outside the costume and his emotional struggle to have a romance with Nicole Kidman. Chris O'Donnell wouldn't have been my first choice to play Robin. He complains to much and comes across more as a brat. And when he's trying to leave Wayne Manor after Gordon leaves him there, Wayne is practically begging Grayson to stay (no offense to anyone but Batman and Robin have been trying to escape the whole gay thing since the 1950s and putting that kind of innudendo and having a gay director at the helm doesn't help the matter). Billy Dee Williams' (who played Harvey Dent in the first film) has been paid off (a clause in his contract stated he could return as Two-Face) and is replace by Tommy Lee Jones, who plays the character way over the top. This is where the animated version tops live-action. The characterization (again Jones played him over the top but the script is to blame as well), is way off; referring to himself in the plural and repeatedly flipping his coin to get the result he wants instead of being psychologically bound to what the coin lands on. Jim Carrey, though a favorite actor of mine, doesn't work as the Riddler for me. Again, this is where the animated version tops live-action. Riddler comes across as a carbon-copy of the Joker. Instead of playing the animated version/comics version of a subtly psychotic criminal genius who can't help himself but leave riddles to his crimes, we pretty much get Frank Gorshin's interpretation; a highly-energetic giggling "menace" (though Gorshin's version was clearly more insane than Carrey's, just listen to that laugh). And Riddler's scheme comes across as something the Mad Hatter would do. If I had done this film, Riddler would've been the established criminal and Mad Hatter would've been the obsessed Wayne Enterprises employee (much like his B:TAS debut episode minus being obsessed Wayne). Nicole Kidman is alright as Chase Meridian (and I can actually believe her as a doctor and I like better in this as this was before she became an over-rated Oscar-winning actor), but she keeps on jumping back and forth between Bruce and Batman. In the first two films, Vicki Vale was attracted to Bruce and Catwoman was attracted to both. I don't think a doctor would have that much fixation. Michael Gough is still good as Alfred and Pat Hingle is actually in this movie! The story is OK but I think they could've done better. Two-Face's attack on Batman in the Batmobile makes no sense as it doesn't add to the story (just an excuse to show some explosions and the car driving up the wall) and a lot of stuff (like the Sonar suit [which, for a prototype, doesn't do anything], Bat-Wing and Bat-Boat) come across as nothing more than toy advertisements. The production design of this movie is terrible! While Burton's design had more style, this is blown out of proportion. With Burton, Gotham was a dark, mysterious city that Batman could work in and use to his advantage. In this, Gotham is lit up like a Christmas tree and you can see Batman coming for miles away, especially in the Batmobile. Now to the music, Elliot Goldenthal me-wait a minute! Elliot Goldenthal? Why does that name sound famil-oh my God! Its the man who screwed up the Beatles! So we meet again Mr. Goldenthal, what kind of musical travesty do you have in "score" for us this time (I know, a bad pun, but I'm using it on a bad composer)? Well for starters, he throws out his musical superior's (Danny Elfman) classic theme which can be interpreted as heroic and dark and we get...a theme that's not as memorable. In fact his score is anything but memorable. He just composed a few pieces of music and then tracked (much like the whole Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones, but Lucas and Williams planned to do that) his music for the rest of the film. Well, below-par music for a sub-par film.

Movie Review: Think of it as a big screen remake of the 1960s TV series.
Summary: 4 Stars

This is where the series began to veer off course. After Batman Returns
failed to make the ridiculous amount Warner Bros. hoped it would (it actually did very well), the studio blamed Burton for making it too
dark and violent for the little kiddies. They wanted a lighter Batman that was more family friendy (doesn't that sound stupid?) Well, this is what you get: Cheesy dialogue, sets that are too bright anf flashy for OZ, and a Director who values eye candy (if you can even call it that) over plot. So why did I give this film 4 stars? Two reasons: Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones. The movie is worth seeing for their performances. Also, Chris O Donell is a decent Robin, but I think that story (like most of the Batman saga) will be handled better once they get to it in the current Dark Kmight saga. Warner Bros. got lucky here. There's something worth watching in this film. Unfortunately, the next installment didn't have any redeeming qualities that could save it, and thus Batman died....until 2005, when a much more talented Director showed the world what a Batman movie should be.

Movie Review: Campy, but better than Batman & Robin!
Summary: 4 Stars

Many people hate Batman & Robin. I hate it.

Instead of Batman & Robin, GET THIS!

It is so much better, you don't have to worry about forgetting what the plot was like in Batman & Robin, two decent villains, the Riddler played the ridicously funny Jim Carrey, Two-Face played by Tommy Lee Jones.

Robin is introduced in the movie. He is a little annoying sometimes but still makes a good sidekick.

Two-Face: This Two-Face is a LOT less scarier than the one in The Dark Knight (incredibly awsome movie). He flips coins to determine the fate of his victims.

Riddler: He worked at Wayne Enterprises, but had his invention rejected, so he started leaving Riddles to Bruce Wayne, and tries to kill Batman for rejecting (he used a mind control device to find out Bruce Wayne is Batman).

Chase Meridian: Someone who meets Bruce Wayne, and tries to help Batman and Robin stop Two-Face and the Riddler

Also, Val Kilmer plays a GREAT Batman, a lot better than George Clooney, but not as great as Michael Keaton.

It is a little campy, just like Batman & Robin. Batman and Batman Returns were very dark compared to this movie. You really don't need this movie to know that Tim Burton's Batman films were dark!

Still, it's a good movie with a good cast: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Chris O'Donnell, Michal Gough, and Pat Hingle.

Definately buy this over Batman & Robin, but make sure to also buy Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Begins, and MAKE SURE to buy the best Batman film, THE DARK KNIGHT!

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Summary of Batman Forever [VHS]

When Tim Burton and Michael Keaton announced that they'd had enough of the Batman franchise, director Joel Schumacher stepped in (with Burton as coproducer) to make this action-packed extravaganza starring Val Kilmer as the caped crusader. Batman is up against two of Gotham City's most colorful criminals, the Riddler (a role tailor-made for funnyman Jim Carrey) and the diabolical Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones), who join forces to conquer Gotham's population with a brain-draining device. Nicole Kidman plays the seductive psychologist who wants to know what makes Batman tick. Boasting a redesigned Batmobile and plenty of new Bat hardware, Batman Forever also introduces Robin the Boy Wonder (Chris O'Donnell) whose close alliance with Batman led more than a few critics to ponder the series' homoerotic subtext. No matter how you interpret it, Schumacher's take on the Batman legacy is simultaneously amusing, lavishly epic, and prone to chronic sensory overload. --Jeff Shannon

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