Batman Forever

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne / Batman: After coming across the journal of his father, Bruce Wayne starts questioning his act of vengeance. He struggles with his dual identity as a crime fighter, becoming romantically involved with Dr. Chase Meridian. Kilmer replaces Michael Keaton from the first two films.
• Tommy Lee Jones as Harvey Dent / Two-Face: The former district attorney of Gotham City, half of Harvey’s face is scarred and his brain is damaged when a crime boss throws acid at him during a trial. Driven insane, he becomes the criminal Two-Face and desires to kill Batman, whom he blames for failing to save him.
• Jim Carrey as Edward Nygma / The Riddler: A former Wayne Enterprises employee, Edward resigns after his newest invention is personally rejected by Bruce. He becomes the villainous Riddler, leaving riddles and puzzles at crime scenes.
• Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian: A psychologist and love interest of Bruce. Chase is fascinated by the dual nature of Batman, while her insight into Batman’s nature drives Bruce to question his decision to become Batman. She is held as a damsel in distress in the climax.
• Chris O’Donnell as Richard “Dick” Grayson / Robin: Once a circus acrobat, Dick is taken in by Bruce after Two-Face murders his parents and brother at a circus event. Bruce is reminded when his parents were murdered when he sees the same vengeance in Dick, and decides to take him in as his ward. Dick eventually discovers the Batcave and learns Bruce’s secret identity. Against Bruce’s wishes, Dick becomes his crime fighting partner, Robin.
• Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth: The Wayne family’s faithful butler and Bruce’s confidant. Alfred also befriends the young Dick Grayson.
• Pat Hingle as James Gordon: The police commissioner of Gotham City.
• George Wallace as The Mayor: The unnamed mayor of Gotham City and the successor of Roscoe Jenkins.
• Drew Barrymore as Sugar: Two-Face’s “good” angelic-like assistant. Has short curly blonde hair. She wears a white corset bodysuit with stockings and a fluffy white robe. She shows more of a sweet attitude and tone than a sinister one.
• Debi Mazar as Spice: Two-Face’s “bad” gothic-like assistant/girlfriend. She is clad in a black leather corset with fishnet stockings on her legs with shiny black latex heels and long black leather gloves and appears as of a dominatrix. She wears most of her brunette hair up with red highlights. She speaks in a seductive malevolent tone. Spice has a twisted sense of humor and vile nature.
• Ed Begley Jr. as Fred Stickley: Edward Nygma’s ill-tempered supervisor at Wayne Enterprises. After Stickley discovers the true nature of Nygma’s invention, Nygma kills him and makes it look like suicide. Begley was uncredited for this role.
• Ofer Samra as Harvey’s Thug
• Elizabeth Sanders as Gossip Gerty: Gotham’s top gossip columnist.
• René Auberjonois as Dr. Burton: Head Doctor of Arkham Asylum.
• Larry A. Lee as John Grayson: Dick Grayson’s father and leader of the Flying Graysons
• Glory Fioramonti as Mary Grayson: Dick Grayson’s mother
• En Vogue as girls on the corner who are hoping to see Batman.
• Joe Grifasi as Hawkins: A bank guard and Two-Face’s hostage during the opening scene.
• Michael Paul Chan as Assistant
• Jon Favreau as Assistant

Storyline:

The Dark Knight of Gotham City confronts a dastardly duo: Two-Face and the Riddler. Formerly District Attorney Harvey Dent, Two-Face incorrectly believes Batman caused the courtroom accident which left him disfigured on one side; he has unleashed a reign of terror on the good people of Gotham. Edward Nygma, computer-genius and former employee of millionaire Bruce Wayne, is out to get the philanthropist; as The Riddler he perfects a device for draining information from all the brains in Gotham, including Bruce Wayne’s knowledge of his other identity. Batman/Wayne is/are the love focus of Dr. Chase Meridan. Former circus acrobat Dick Grayson, his family killed by Two-Face, becomes Wayne’s ward and Batman’s new partner Robin the Boy Wonder.

About Batman Forever Movie:

Batman Forever is an American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. It is the third installment in Warner Bros.’ initial Batman film series and serves as a sequel to Batman Returns (1992). Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film stars Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne/Batman, alongside Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face, Jim Carrey as the Riddler, Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian, and Chris O’Donnell as Dick Grayson/Robin.

Plot Summary

In Batman Forever, Gotham City faces new threats from Harvey Dent, also known as Two-Face (Jones), who seeks revenge against Batman for his disfigurement. Edward Nygma (Carrey), a former employee at Wayne Enterprises, becomes the Riddler after his invention to beam television signals directly into people’s brains is rejected by Bruce Wayne (Kilmer). Nygma’s device allows him to extract information from people’s minds, which he uses to uncover Batman’s secret identity.

As Batman attempts to thwart the plans of Two-Face and the Riddler, he also navigates a romantic relationship with psychologist Dr. Chase Meridian (Kidman) and takes in orphaned acrobat Dick Grayson (O’Donnell), who becomes his sidekick, Robin. The film explores themes of duality and identity as Batman confronts his adversaries and his own emotions.

Production Notes

Schumacher aimed for a lighter tone compared to Tim Burton’s darker films, drawing inspiration from the comic books of the Dick Sprang era and the campy 1960s television series. After Michael Keaton declined to reprise his role, Val Kilmer was cast as Batman. The film’s production involved significant visual effects and a vibrant color palette to match its more playful approach.

Reception

Released on June 16, 1995, Batman Forever received mixed reviews from critics. While many praised the film’s visuals, action sequences, and performances—particularly those of Carrey and Jones—others criticized its screenplay and tonal shift from previous installments. Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Batman received a divided response.

Despite the mixed critical reception, Batman Forever was a box office success, grossing over $336 million worldwide and becoming the sixth-highest-grossing film of 1995.

Legacy

Following Batman Forever, Schumacher returned to direct Batman & Robin (1997), with Chris O’Donnell reprising his role as Robin and George Clooney taking over as Batman. While Batman Forever was commercially successful, its sequel faced significant criticism.

Over time, Batman Forever has been reassessed within the context of the franchise. Its colorful aesthetic and memorable performances have earned it a place in pop culture history, particularly Jim Carrey’s portrayal of the Riddler. The film remains a notable entry in the Batman series, illustrating the evolution of the character on screen.

Budget & Box Office Collection: