James Logan High School
The dynamic duo of Batman and Robin explodes on the summer screen in "Batman Forever," leaving many bat freaks barely satisfied.
With tons of advertising, the end result falls short of the public's expectations. Yet many fail to see that the screenplay, written by Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchler and Akiva Goldsmen, should compensate the wounds. Along with the direction of Joel Shoemacher, they develop the classic pair of superheroes and villains with romantic nostalgia and depth truly deserving of the legend.
Although there are some sticky parts here and there, "Batman Forever" crosses the spectrum of Hollywood theatrics.
With an experienced cast set in Gotham City of the Detective Comics (DC) Universe Batman, Val Kilmer, along with his new side-kick Robin (Chris O'Donnell), attempt to shut down the villainous pair of Two-Face, (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey). In the middle of this pair of opposing forces is psychologist Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman), who brings the seductive-romantic element to this action flick.
Shoemacher's casting is excellent, maybe even kismet. Both Jones and Carrey fill the multi-dimensional minds of the villains and even complement each other like yin and yang. The move from aging Michael Keaton to youthful Kilmer was also a better choice to fill the suit of Bruce Wayne.
At times, the attempt to resurrect past elements of the classic Batman show left the audience with a stale remembrance of the past, which should have been left alone. Also, putting real people in the roles of fictional superheroes who do great acts of heroism should be left up to the comic book writers and artists. It would be best if Hollywood left comic book characters in the comic books and not on the silver screen where reality seeps through.
Although a bit dissatisfying, "Batman Forever" is the movie this summer. Those ranging from baby boomers down to the smallest bat freak can enjoy the movie. The story line is never short of intellectual wit and deceiving twists around the human psyche.