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Batman For-2-years Favorite Movie Quote: "Young men don't need encouragement; they need guidance." Of the four Burton/Schumacher numbers, if I was forced to pick one of them to be locked in a room with for one year, this would be the one. Don't confuse hate the least with like the most, it's simply got the best Batman (Val Kilmer) and, though he often breaks into a schtick as if to compete with his ally, the best villain of these turds, Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones). In this installment, Bruce Wayne (Kilmer) once again is struggling with trust and commitment issues stemming from the loss of his parents. What gives the plot - beaten flatter than hammered sh*t at this point - more gravity than the others is Robin (Chris O'Donnell), written in with actual story responsibilities as opposed to marketing silliness (see: Batgirl in Batman and Robin). It is the parallel of Dick Grayson's (O'Donnell) situation that enables Bruce to get over his 30-year itch. The heroes also re-assume some of the spotlight from the villains, Two-Face (Jones) and the Riddler (Jim Carrey), with the inclusion of the most interesting female character of these four Bat-flicks, Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman). There are plenty of complaints to go around with yet another cheesy iteration of the dark knight saga, but at least the characters start to breath a bit. Jim Carrey is often ridiculously over the top (with hints of what could have been) but unlike the other villains attempting to destroy Batman/Bruce Wayne, Carrey's Riddler wants to BE Bruce Wayne; in true stalker form, he must destroy his obsession so that he can be free. Tommy Lee Jones obviously felt upstaged by his co-star Carrey; when the two are on screen together Lee is hammy and madcap (not his forte), but when he's in his own element he has moments of real menace though, admittedly, with little purpose. Like the Riddler, Chase also harbors a bit of an obsession for Bruce, though unknowingly as she pines for Batman. The nugget of real value that I find in Batman Forever, however, is the relationship between Mr. Wayne and Mr. Grayson. It's no secret that Robin is universally loathed by the fanboy community - if you've seen the '60's show you should understand why - as he seldom has anything to offer the caped crusader and gives a strange NAMBLA vibe. Aside from the animated series, where Robin is also pretty cool, Batman Forever offers a relationship between the two that makes a great deal of sense. Like a parent who deeply regrets the way that he handled a past loss, Bruce wants a better life for Robin; Robin wants revenge on Two-Face for killing his parents. In the end, Robin doesn't need encouragement but guidance. Don't get me wrong, the visuals from this flick make me want to be the arch-villain from the Care Bears movie that removes all color from the world, but for me the priority always lies with the characters making connections and interacting in a realistic manner. Batman Forever isn't a good movie, but it's more watchable than the others of this four-pack. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait forever for Chris Nolan to come along. email this review to a friend
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