Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
Batman faces off against two foes: the schizophrenic, horribly scarred former District Attorney Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, and the Riddler, a disgruntled ex-Wayne Enterprises inventor seeking revenge against his former employer by unleashing his brain-sucking weapon on Gotham City's residents. As the caped crusader also copes with tortured memories of his parents' murder, he has a new romance, with psychologist Chase Meridian.
Batman Forever is a campy, neon-soaked departure from Burton's gothic tone. Val Kilmer is serviceable but lacks depth, while Jim Carrey's over-the-top Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones's scenery-chewing Two-Face overwhelm the film. The plot is cluttered and tonally inconsistent, juggling too many villains and a rushed romance. Cinematography leans into garish production design with some visual flair but is more style than substance. As a sequel it recycles familiar superhero beats without adding much originality. The ending resolves conflicts too neatly and rushes through its climax. A crowd-pleasing but shallow entry in the franchise.