BATMAN FOREVER (1995)

MORGAN'S RATING

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 minds of Gotham, including Bruce Wayne's knowledge of his other identity. Meanwhile, Batman and Bruce Wayne are the love focus of Dr. Chase Meridian and former circus acrobat Dick Grayson, his family killed by Two-Face, becomes Wayne's ward and Batman's new partner Robin.

Val Kilmer (Batman/Bruce Wayne), Tommy Lee Jones (Harvey Dent/Two-Face), Jim Carrey (Edward Nygma/The Riddler), Nicole Kidman (Dr. Chase Meridian), Chris O'Donnell (Dick Grayson/Robin), Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth), Pat Hingle (Commissioner Gordon), Drew Barrymore (Sugar), Debi Mazar (Spice), Elizabeth Sanders (Gossip Gerty), Rene Auberjonois (Dr. Burton), Joe Grifasi (Bank Guard), Philip Moon (Newscaster), Michael Paul Chan (Executive), Jon Favreau (Assistant), Don "The Dragon" Wilson (Gang Leader), Ed Begley Jr. (Fred Stickley, uncredited).

COURAGE NOW, TRUTH ALWAYS... BATMAN FOREVER

FACTS

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

RELEASE DATE: June 16th, 1995 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $52.9 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $184.0 million (USA) WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $333.0 million BUDGET: $100 million (USA) - Robin Williams was considered for the role of the Riddler. - Dick Grayson suggests "Nightwing" for a hero name; an in-joke for the comic books, where Dick Grayson now appears as Nightwing, an identity he took after he abandoned the Robin costume in the 1980s. - Jim Carrey reportedly broke around a dozen prop canes and some of his trailer furniture while learning to twirl it around. - Will Shortz, "puzzlemaster" on National Public Radio and editor of the NY Times crossword puzzle, created the Riddler's riddles. - Elizabeth Sanders, who plays Gossip Gerty, is the widow of Bob Kane, the man who created the Batman character. - The scratches on the tails side of Two-Face's coin form the letters HD, the initials of Harvey Dent, Two-Face's former identity. - In the film there is a doctor named Burton. Tim Burton directed the first two movies and produced this sequel. - The Robin costume weighed 41 lbs. - Nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Cinematography. - Nominated for one 1996 Razzie Award for Worst Original Song ("Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me", by U2 and Bono). - Followed by a sequel: Batman & Robin (1997).

DIRECTOR: Joel Schumacher (Batman & Robin) WRITERS: Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchler and Akiva Goldsman, and based on the characters created by Bob Kane. PRODUCERS: Tim Burton and Peter MacGregor-Scott. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Mitchell E. Dauterive. EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Elliot Goldenthal. DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.

QUOTES

[Two-Face decides a victim's fate with a coin toss] Two-Face: Ah. Fortune smiles. Another day of wine and roses. Or, in your case, beer and pizza.

The Riddler: Joygasm!

Two-Face: One man is born a hero, his brother a coward. Babies starve, politicians grow fat. Holy men are martyred, anchovies grow legion. Why? Why why why why why? Luck! Blind stupid simple doo-dah clueless luck!

The Riddler: Now who in the right mind has bats on the brain?

The Riddler: Riddle me this, riddle me that: whose afraid of the big, black bat?

Dick Grayson: I need a name! Batboy, Nightwing, I dunno. What's a good sidekick name? Bruce Wayne: How about Dick Grayson, college student? Dick Grayson: Screw you!

Alfred: I'm sorry to bother you, sir. But I have some rather distressing news about Master Dick. Bruce Wayne: What? Is he alright? Alfred: I'm afraid Master Dick has, uhm, gone traveling. Bruce Wayne: He ran away? Alfred: Actually, he took the car. Bruce Wayne: He boosted the Jag? Alfred: No, sir. Not the Jaguar. The other car. Bruce Wayne: The Bentley? Alfred: No, sir! The *other car*

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"Kilmer makes the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne his own in this well-written sequel...it's this aspect of the film -- the character relationships -- that give it solidity. The loud, razzle-dazzle special effects are overkill." -- Leonard Maltin

The Riddler: For it knowledge is power, then a God am I! [pauses] Was that over the top? I can never tell.

"It's generic Batfare, but the faces are new." -- Desson Howe, Washington Post

The Riddler: You should have let me on the caper. We could have planned it, prepared it, pre-sold the movie rights!

"Satisfying...thrilling." -- Hal Hinson, Washington Post

"Burton went over the edge. Schumacher merely goes over the top. Result? Bigger, battier and better." -- Susan Wloszczyna, USA Today

Batman: I read your work. Insightful. Naive, but insightful. Dr. Chase Meridian: I'm flattered. Not every girl makes a superhero's night table.

"I liked the look of the movie and Schumacher's general irreverence toward the material. But the great Batman movie still remains to be made." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

The Riddler: Tell the fat lady she's on in five.

Two-Face: You have broken into our hideout. You have violeted the sanctity of our lair. For this we should crush your bones into powder. However, you do pose a very interesting proposition: therefore, heads, we accept, and tails, we blow your damned head off!

"Watching the film I kept feeling of my pant legs flapping from the vibration coming up from the floor. For better or worse, Batman Forever is a physical experience." -- San Francisco Chronicle