Batman Forever
Director: Joel Schumacher
Cast: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Chris O’Donnell
“Batman Forever” continues the story of the dark protector of Gotham as he battles the dynamic duo of the Riddler and Two-Face while also trying to win the heart of the beautiful Chase Meridian. Although this rendition lacks the darker tone and brooding essence of Batman’s character that was defined in the preceding movies, it redeems itself in other areas, thus making it a worthy addition to the Batman saga.
While the first two films focused more on defining the broad picture of who Batman was, “Batman Forever” concentrates more on the intimate psychology of Batman’s character. Batman’s newest love interest, Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) plays a vital role in helping Bruce come to terms with the psychological side of his secret life as Batman. While she is fascinated by Batman’s dark psyche and the residual pain of Bruce’s tragic past, this is only the professional side of their relationship. On a more personal level, while Batman’s first love, Vicky, could not handle his secret life and Selina Kyle was his soul mate that understood him completely but loved him enough to let him go, Chase seems more attracted to the romantic notion of loving both Bruce Wayne and Batman. While she appreciates both sides of Bruce’s identity, and the couple share a believable chemistry, their relationship is more of a romantic fairy tale rather than true love.
The marriage of psychology and comedic expression that is brought to life in the dynamic duo of Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and the Riddler (Jim Carrey) is hilarious. While these villains are not as deeply sinister as the Joker, or as emotionally scarred as the Penguin, they find an almost maniacal joy in achieving their ultimate goal: to destroy Batman. Two-Face represents an individual having something of a dual personality which is expressed by the human and animal sides of his character. His fractured personalities are represented in an extreme, literal sense with the opposing facets of his character being manifested simultaneously. This duality is symbolized by Two-Face’s obsession with his coin and his referring to himself as a plural rather than a singular entity. The irony of the Riddler character is while his initial desire is to emulate Bruce Wayne, his character is twisted into something much more malevolent and he is consumed by his desire to destroy Batman after he fails to become Gotham’s dark hero.
Batman Forever utilizes humor to convey the story and to breathe life into the characters. While this is a marked change from the first movie, the humor is done in a way that makes the film enjoyable while still allowing the audience to appreciate the story of Batman. The cast is completely changed from the original movies, but the casting, particularly in the case of the villains, breathes life into the movie and strengthens the story arcs. The intellectual mind can appreciate the psychology behind Batman while the more relaxed viewer can enjoy the comedy and the explosive scenes between their favorite characters.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Joel Schumacher
Cast: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Chris O’Donnell
“Batman Forever” continues the story of the dark protector of Gotham as he battles the dynamic duo of the Riddler and Two-Face while also trying to win the heart of the beautiful Chase Meridian. Although this rendition lacks the darker tone and brooding essence of Batman’s character that was defined in the preceding movies, it redeems itself in other areas, thus making it a worthy addition to the Batman saga.
While the first two films focused more on defining the broad picture of who Batman was, “Batman Forever” concentrates more on the intimate psychology of Batman’s character. Batman’s newest love interest, Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) plays a vital role in helping Bruce come to terms with the psychological side of his secret life as Batman. While she is fascinated by Batman’s dark psyche and the residual pain of Bruce’s tragic past, this is only the professional side of their relationship. On a more personal level, while Batman’s first love, Vicky, could not handle his secret life and Selina Kyle was his soul mate that understood him completely but loved him enough to let him go, Chase seems more attracted to the romantic notion of loving both Bruce Wayne and Batman. While she appreciates both sides of Bruce’s identity, and the couple share a believable chemistry, their relationship is more of a romantic fairy tale rather than true love.
The marriage of psychology and comedic expression that is brought to life in the dynamic duo of Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and the Riddler (Jim Carrey) is hilarious. While these villains are not as deeply sinister as the Joker, or as emotionally scarred as the Penguin, they find an almost maniacal joy in achieving their ultimate goal: to destroy Batman. Two-Face represents an individual having something of a dual personality which is expressed by the human and animal sides of his character. His fractured personalities are represented in an extreme, literal sense with the opposing facets of his character being manifested simultaneously. This duality is symbolized by Two-Face’s obsession with his coin and his referring to himself as a plural rather than a singular entity. The irony of the Riddler character is while his initial desire is to emulate Bruce Wayne, his character is twisted into something much more malevolent and he is consumed by his desire to destroy Batman after he fails to become Gotham’s dark hero.
Batman Forever utilizes humor to convey the story and to breathe life into the characters. While this is a marked change from the first movie, the humor is done in a way that makes the film enjoyable while still allowing the audience to appreciate the story of Batman. The cast is completely changed from the original movies, but the casting, particularly in the case of the villains, breathes life into the movie and strengthens the story arcs. The intellectual mind can appreciate the psychology behind Batman while the more relaxed viewer can enjoy the comedy and the explosive scenes between their favorite characters.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.