Batman Forever is a 1995 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. It is the third film in the Batman film franchise and the first one directed by Joel Schumacher, who replaced Tim Burton, the director of the first two films in the franchise, Batman and Batman Returns. It is also the first and only film in the franchise to star Val Kilmer as Batman, who replaced Michael Keaton from the first two films. The film also marked the series debut of Robin. The film's cast included Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Chris O'Donnell, Nicole Kidman, Drew Barrymore and Debi Mazar.
The film served as a major departure from its predecessor Batman Returns, whose dark tone was rejected in favor of a lighter, more campy tone designed to appeal to younger audiences. This included dramatic changes to the cast, design, and Danny Elfman's score, which was scrapped completely.
Batman Forever was commercially successful at the box office. However, it received mixed reviews from critics. The next film, which was also directed by Joel Schumacher, Batman & Robin, was a critical and commercial failure and today holds the reputation as the film that would prevent further film projects from being made until Batman Begins.
Production
"I always hated those titles like Batman Forever. That sounds like a tattoo that somebody would get when they're on drugs or something. Or something some kid would write in the yearbook to somebody else. I have high problems with some of those titles."
— Tim Burton on the title of Batman Forever
Warner Brothers always felt that even though Batman Returns was a box office success, it did not meet expectations. As a result the studio decided to re-tool the franchise to be more conspicuously aimed towards children. Batman co-creator Bob Kane even supported the decision. Producer Peter MacGregor-Scott cited the film as "Saturday Night Fever on acid".
Tim Burton claimed he had one meeting that lasted for half an hour with Warner Brothers regarding a sequel. He told them basic ideas he had in mind, though they both peaceably agreed that Burton should serve as producer. Burton states that he was not interested in directing a third Batman film, and did not approve of the creative direction the franchise was taking. Warner Brothers sought Joel Schumacher as their first choice to be Burton's replacement as director, and Schumacher took the role after getting approval from Burton, a friend of his.
Schumacher originally had in mind an adaptation of Frank Miller's Batman: Year One. The studio rejected the idea as they wanted a sequel, not a prequel, though Schumacher was able to include very brief events in Batman's past. Burton and Schumacher together hired Lee and Janet Scott-Batchler to write the script which introduced a psychotic Riddler with a pet rat accompanying him. The story elements and much of the dialogue still remained in the finished film, though Schumacher felt it could be "lighted down." He hired Akiva Goldsman, whom he previously had worked for on The Client to write the second draft.
Schumacher hired Barbara Ling for production design, claiming that the film needed a "force" and felt Ling could "advance on it." Schumacher wanted a design that was not to be any way connected to Batman and Batman Returns, and instead was to be inspired by the images from the Batman comic books seen in the 1940s/early 1950s and taken from that of New York City architecture in the 1930s, with a combination of modern Tokyo.
Schumacher told Ling he wanted a "city with personality," with more statues, as well as various amounts of neon. The Batmobile was also given a makeover in comparison to that seen in Batman and Batman Returns. The design team spent six weeks on five different concepts before coming up with Schumacher's choice. Two cars were constructed, one for stunt purposes and one for close ups with both showcasing a V8 engine. The Batcave introduced new technology seen in the previous two films that included what Schumacher calls, "a more suitable atmosphere." This included a turntable for the Batmobile and a moat surrounding the cave.
For the costume design, producer Peter MacGregor-Scott claimed that 146 workers were at one point working together. Batman's costume received a new design as well. Scott also quoted that Schumacher wanted to bring somewhere along the lines of a more "MTV organic, and edgier feel" to the suit. Various suits were designed for specific purposes, such as one where as Val Kilmer sits in the Batmobile and various others for stunts and close ups. Ventilation was placed in the suit and according to costume designer Ve Neill, Kilmer had "a more stature feel than Michael Keaton" which served as a minor problem.
Neill quoted that Schumacher wanted Chris O'Donnell to be a heartthrob to teenage girls, thus the reason why his ears were pierced. Jim Carrey went through over 50 different spandex outfits and over 100 different props for his cane. He stated while practicing, he would continuously damage walls, ceilings, and cabinets. Elliot Goldenthal was hired to compose the film score even before the first draft of the script was written. He stated he was told by Schumacher as not to listen to Danny Elfman's previous score, and instead compose a different orchestral piece.
Schumacher commented on working with Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jim Carrey, "I was told that Val was difficult and wasn't [right] for me. Jim Carrey was a gentleman, and Tommy Lee was threatened by him. I'm tired of defending overpaid, over privileged actors. I pray I don't work with them again." Bob Kane remained on the set almost every single day during filming.
Reception
Batman Forever opened on June 16, 1995 in the United States in 2,893 theaters, accumulating $52,784,433 over its opening weekend. The film went on to gross $336,531,112 worldwide. It is the third highest grossing Batman film to date, behind Tim Burton's Batman and Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, though it did have a higher opening weekend than Batman Begins. The opening weekend gross was a record at the time and the studio beat their goal of making more money than Batman Returns. Batman Forever was the second highest grossing film of 1995, only losing to Toy Story.
Roger Ebert depicted the film as highly entertaining, though felt that the definitive Batman film had yet to be made. Brian Lowry of Variety cited the film as a poor attempt to "save" the Batman film series. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone called the film a "sour taste," and mocked the formation of how it transferred back to the campy Batman TV series. Comic book veterans took heavy negative feedback against the film as well. Scott Beatty called Tommy Lee Jones' performance "a Joker knock-off rather than a multi-layered rogue," while Lee Bermejo cited it as "unbearable." One scene depicts Two-Face flipping his coin until he gets a result he wants. In the comics, a key element of his split personality is that he unquestioningly accepts the result of a single coin toss concerning any decision he makes. Overall, the film holds a 44% rating at Rotten Tomatoes which gives it a certified "rotten."
The "Cream of the Crop" rating at Rotten Tomatoes stands at 69%. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle supported the film calling it "A grand-scale effort that's more awe-inspiring than completely successful as entertainment." Desson Thomson of the Washington Post gave a positive review, though complained about Jim Carrey stealing screen time, as the same went with Gillian Gaar from "Film.com."
The filmmakers claimed they were indeed aware of reports that Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones had "stolen the show." Jones quoted, "I don't want to be too fussy about language, but the idea of stealing scenes or stealing movies is nothing that I am comfortable with at all. I don't think that way. I look at the job at hand and try to do as well as I can with that job." Carrey stated, "I just hope I am doing it right; is it coming together? You can't think about that stuff because that would be, like, capsize time."
When asked about the nipples on the Batman and Robin suits, (as well as Dick Grayson sporting an earing and the enlarged codpieces), Joel Schumacher stated that he never knew that it would lead to such a big controversy. He also went as far as to say "people need to get out more" than noticing small glitches such as the nipples.
Batman Forever was nominated for three Academy Awards, the most out of any Batman film to date. Though not winning any, the awards included Best Cinematography, Best Effects/Sound Effects Editing (losing to Braveheart on both nominations), and Best Sound (losing to Apollo 13). The song "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 was nominated for "Best Original Song Written for a Motion Picture" at the Golden Globe awards as well as the MTV Movie Awards and as "Worst Original Song" at the Razzie Awards. Other nominations for the MTV Movie Awards included: "Best Villain" (Both Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones), "Most Desirable Female" (Nicole Kidman), "Most Desirable Male" (Val Kilmer) and Seal was nominated as well for his song "Kiss From a Rose." Elliot Goldenthal was given a Grammy Award nomination for his work.
