All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Average User Score: 6 (198 sources)

Submit Movie Review

Review this film

Tell the world what you think of Batman Forever

Your Score:

reset score

Write Your Review:
When writing your review, remember to keep the language clean.

Submit Review Cancel

scotchex2

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (0)

Batman Forever is the first of the two Joel Schumacher Batman movies. Although I love Batman, I can't say I especially enjoy the Schumacher movies.

Comic book movies walk a fine line between the realistic and the ridiculous. We want...
[+] Read Full Review

Batman Forever is the first of the two Joel Schumacher Batman movies. Although I love Batman, I can't say I especially enjoy the Schumacher movies.

Comic book movies walk a fine line between the realistic and the ridiculous. We want to see over-the-top comic book craziness, but if you take it too far then the suspension of disbelief is shattered. That's what happened here.

In the first Batman, the Joker is the main source of craziness, but here everyone is over the top. The Riddler, Two-Face. Even Robin and Batman are played much campier.

I actually want a certain amount of comic book crazinees in these stories, but Schumacher didn't know when to draw the line. Batman movies need a grounding in realism for the crazy characters to contrast with. Otherwise the whole thing dissolves into camp silliness.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted sep 2, 2008 4:00 am pt

BlueBanana92

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (0)

Even though I think this could be better it is one of my favourite movies. As a big fan of The Riddler I think Jim Carrey did quite a good job, Two-Face though wasn't the best, although I like Tommy Lee Jones. Apart from a lot of Batman fans I...
[+] Read Full Review

Even though I think this could be better it is one of my favourite movies. As a big fan of The Riddler I think Jim Carrey did quite a good job, Two-Face though wasn't the best, although I like Tommy Lee Jones. Apart from a lot of Batman fans I know I actually liked Val Kilmer. All in all this is an okay movie but it lacks a story of the origin of the villains.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted mar 27, 2008 9:08 pm pt

shadowblade223

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (0)

this is a great batman movie. My parents bought me lots of batman forever merchandise during the summer and sometimes I saved up money and bought the action figures.

I was 5 years old when I went to see this,and was amazed at...
[+] Read Full Review

this is a great batman movie. My parents bought me lots of batman forever merchandise during the summer and sometimes I saved up money and bought the action figures.

I was 5 years old when I went to see this,and was amazed at everything being neon,my favorite actor jim carrey as the riddler,and tommy lee jones as two-face. I thought the two villains were way more awesome then the btas versions.

This was the 2nd jim carrey movie I saw and I really wanted to see it,and this was the 2nd batman movie I saw in theaters.

The fight scenes were great,the stunts were great,showing two-face's transformation on the news was cool,and having robin in the 3rd movie of the series was awesome.

I bought the mcdonalds cups,coloring books,action figures,vhs,the novelization,and then finally the two disc special edition dvd.

I thought they should've kept the giant bat in the movie though,because that was an awesome looking and way realistic anamitronic bat.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted mar 17, 2008 7:10 am pt

Lynxan1

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (0)

This allmost makes it, I think this one melds a bit of the old TV show in, weather this works for you is totaly up to you. Throw in anyone as Batman, it's the villains that at the end of the day that are entertaining me. I do think they had...
[+] Read Full Review

This allmost makes it, I think this one melds a bit of the old TV show in, weather this works for you is totaly up to you. Throw in anyone as Batman, it's the villains that at the end of the day that are entertaining me. I do think they had Two-Face getting way too caught up with what the Riddler doing.

Ow well, far better then the one that would come after, but not as good as the ones before.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted jan 14, 2008 7:46 am pt

BritishBeef2015

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (0)

This is where the Batman movies before batman begins started to go down hill abit. Though this is a watchable movie it could have been so much better if Michael Keaton had of stayed on as batman and they had not brought robin into it and kept it...
[+] Read Full Review

This is where the Batman movies before batman begins started to go down hill abit. Though this is a watchable movie it could have been so much better if Michael Keaton had of stayed on as batman and they had not brought robin into it and kept it abit more dark, Jim Carrey makes this movie as the riddler as he does a great job, i imagen if it had of been jim carrey working with Michael keaton would have been so much better and tommy lee jones as two face was great. Val Kilmer was not great as batman as he had hard boots to fill after keaton. Nicole Kidman looked beautiful in this movie and did her part well. Worth a watch but could have been so much better.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted jan 2, 2008 9:24 am pt

sporkman5353

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (0)

Batman Forever is a good movie, dont get me wrong, but i felt that it got past everything the easy way. It never shows an in depth detailed origin of two face and the character of both him and riddler was too crazy, and not the way they were...
[+] Read Full Review

Batman Forever is a good movie, dont get me wrong, but i felt that it got past everything the easy way. It never shows an in depth detailed origin of two face and the character of both him and riddler was too crazy, and not the way they were supposed to be, more like Joker crazy. Its a batman movie so it cant be that bad (excluding batman and robin) but this is definetly reccomended for batman fans.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted oct 8, 2007 2:48 am pt

sporkman5353

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (0)

Batman Forever is a good movie, dont get me wrong, but i felt that it got past everything the easy way. It never shows an in depth detailed origin of two face and the character of both him and riddler was too crazy, and not the way they were...
[+] Read Full Review

Batman Forever is a good movie, dont get me wrong, but i felt that it got past everything the easy way. It never shows an in depth detailed origin of two face and the character of both him and riddler was too crazy, and not the way they were supposed to be, more like Joker crazy. Its a batman movie so it cant be that bad (excluding batman and robin) but this is definetly reccomended for batman fans.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted oct 8, 2007 2:47 am pt

Reaganfan

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (1)

I feel that Batman Forever was a good movie. It was not that bad and it's not that good. I like the action and I mostly hate the nipple on Batman and Robin Costume. Val Kilmer did a good job playing Bruce Wayne and Batman. It was the last good...
[+] Read Full Review

I feel that Batman Forever was a good movie. It was not that bad and it's not that good. I like the action and I mostly hate the nipple on Batman and Robin Costume. Val Kilmer did a good job playing Bruce Wayne and Batman. It was the last good Batman movie til Batman Begins came to theater. It was so cool to see two-face in a live action movie. I give it 3 stars. I don't hate this movie, I think it was a good movie.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted aug 21, 2007 2:13 am pt

Michael3312000

-1

Agree (1)

Disagree (0)

Forever is the start of the decline of the Batman film franchise. It's still good but doesn't match the first two done by Tim Burton.

Report Abuse

Posted jul 22, 2007 7:01 pm pt

Wez286

-1

Agree (0)

Disagree (0)

I liked this movie, dont know why but i just did. Jim Carrey was a great pick to play the riddler but the edition of Robin could have been done better...

Popcorn entertainment at its best.

Report Abuse

Posted jun 12, 2007 7:59 pm pt

• [+] Dallas Observer
  
  80
  Unlike Burton, Schumacher doesn't let his stylistic and thematic fascinations run away with him; he keeps one hand on the wheel at all times. The result isn't as emotionally daring and visually outrageous as Burton at his best, but it's better paced and more consistently entertaining from one sequence to the next.

  by Matt Zoller Seitz | Read Full Review »
• [+] Entertainment Weekly
  
  75
  Although the film's frenetic rhythm is reminiscent of an "Indiana Jones" picture, visually Schumacher directs it like a musical, turning each image into eye candy, weaving one lush set piece into the next, as if he were the Vincente Minnelli of blockbusters.

  by Owen Gleiberman | Read Full Review »
• [+] ReelViews
  
  75
  It's lighter, brighter, funnier, faster-paced, and a whole lot more colorful than before.

  by James Berardinelli | Read Full Review »
• [+] Rolling Stone
  
  75
  Schumacher's method is to use a lighter touch, to stay closer to the cartoon that Bob Kane created for DC Comics in 1939 and to temper Burton's nightmare world with an accessible, brightly colored TV palette.

  by Peter Travers | Read Full Review »
• [+] San Francisco Chronicle
  
  75
  It's an art-direction, Dolby-sound, special-effects extravaganza, a grand-scale effort that's more awe-inspiring than completely successful as entertainment.

  by Mick LaSalle | Read Full Review »
• [+] Film Threat
  
  70
  If the first two "Batman" movies (1989/1992) were the storm, then Batman Forever (1995) is the rainbow at the end of it. After seeing so much dark and doom, it's also refreshing to see some beaming color.

  by Clint Morris | Read Full Review »
• [+] Los Angeles Times
  
  70
  Working as much like a circus ringmaster as a director, Joel Schumacher has brought several critical qualities to the mix, starting with much more of a pop culture sensibility and a sense of fun than Tim Burton, who directed the first two pictures, and he has a stylish visual sensibility as well.

  by Kenneth Turan | Read Full Review »
• [+] TV Guide
  
  63
  At best, Batman Forever is mildly diverting, brainless fun that feels like a long trailer for a better film.

  by Staff(not credited) | Read Full Review »
• [+] USA Today
  
  63
  With an ace pop mechanic like Joel Schumacher now in charge of our hero's bruised psyche, the patient not only survives but thrives in the garishly garnished but never groaningly gruesome Batman Forever. [16 Jun 1995, Pg.01.D]

  by Susan Wloszczyna | Read Full Review »
• [+] Chicago Sun-Times
  
  63
  There is no rhythm to the movie, no ebb and flow; it's all flat-out spectacle.

  by Roger Ebert | Read Full Review »
• [+] Washington Post
  
  60
  Carrey lights up an otherwise over-scripted, over-frenetic potboiler.

  by Desson Thomson | Read Full Review »
• [+] Washington Post
  
  60
  Sometimes thrilling, but rarely inspired, it is thoroughly-almost perfectly-adequate.

  by Hal Hinson | Read Full Review »
• [+] Variety
  
  60
  Yet while Schumacher has largely accomplished the goal of delivering a cinematic comic book, he's also left the movie hollow at its core -- a distinction that may not trouble Saturday-night audiences but that nonetheless dulls the film's impact beyond its sheer and unrelenting visual grandeur.

  by Brian Lowry | Read Full Review »
• [+] Newsweek
  
  50
  The movie does have somewhat more lilt and levity, much of it due to Jim Carrey as the Riddler. But there's still plenty of murk, physical and metaphysical, and more psychobabble about Bruce Wayne's obsessions and repressions.

  by Jack Kroll | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
  
  50
  Alas, Schumacher doesn't ride on the momentum; worse, he's not an action director, and the film grinds to a dead stop every time it tries to speed up.

  by Rick Groen | Read Full Review »