Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever - A Misunderstood Masterpiece 

Hey! Hope you guys enjoy the video! It's probably my favorite video I've done (outside The Plumber of course). Stay safe. Stay creative. Much love. ❤ And please. #releasetheschumachercut.

"...A total attack againt kids." What kind of 10 year old says that shit?

"It was very violent, it was a total attack against kids" That's not even close to how 10 year olds actually think

Val Kilmer definitely had a great Batman voice

Two thoughts about Forever. 1: The Bruce deleted scenes are amazing and should be spliced into an extended edition. 2: Forever is the Bat movie that feels the most like the Arkham trillogy of games.

Those kids sound like they’re just repeating stuff they were told to say.

"A total attack against kids." LOL what kid says something like that? They definitely overheard their parents complaining about the movie.

Val Kilmer was an amazing Batman. His voice was so perfect. And Jim Carrey was the absolute perfect Riddler.

I absolutely adored this movie growing up, I get chills when he says “not because I have to be...now.....because I choose to be” But I feel like that line would carry so much more weight with those added scenes

Jim Carey’s performance alone makes this movie such a joy to watch

Val Kilmer is so underrated as Batman. His Batman gets overshadowed by the hate this film gets.

This Batman movie has a special place in my heart. I really love Val Kilmer as Batman.

Batman Forever kicks ass I don’t care what anyone says. It’s criminally underrated and that’s not just nostalgia speaking. This video is so spot on thank you for standing up for this classic!

You know Alex is telling the absolute truth when he puts the masterpiece Scooby Doo 2- Monsters Unleashed as his third favorite film when he was little.

Gotta love the irony in Tommy Lee Jones hating Jim Carrey for his "Tomfoolery" and then becoming one of the worst parts of the film by trying to outshine him.

This movie is BEYOND iconic & I will forever defend it to anyone who says otherwise! This movie is a masterpiece within its own right! Jim Carrey's performance alone is utterly magical!

Always appreciated how much Schumacher's Gotham feels like really feels like it's own universe. You can barely tell where it's being filmed half the time. It's just over the top, colorful, and larger than life. And the characters reflect that. Very grounded emotions...in over the top situations. Props to any movie that can create a total escape like that while also feeling human. Also it's just flat out homoerotic with no fucks given. That's pretty brave for the time.

I don't rmb who said this, but it was pointed out that if you look at all 4 of the 90s Batman films together, they actually form a complete character arc for Bruce (in spite of how different the Burton and Schumacher films are tonally) In Batman 89 Bruce is a socially inept weirdo who has basically nothing going for him in his life besides being Batman, a quest for vengeance so obsessive that this Batman never has a no-kill rule. At the end if the movie he kills Joker,the one responsible for him becoming Batman in the first place, but he still can't let go of his desire to go after every criminal out there In Batman Returns Bruce is basically at his lowest point ever, going out as Batman every day and killing every criminal he comes across. But then he meets Penguin and Catwoman, move people who like him, felt a need to right the wrongs of society and take revenge on those responsible. He sees something of himself in both of them, especially Selina. And here Bruce sees how both of these people were completely consumed by this and became total monsters, and seemingly lost themselves as a result. Hence Bruce desides off-screen between Returns and Forver that he will no longer kill, and that he will make an effort to let more people into his life. This is why Batman is so insistent on the no-kill rule in Forever: because this Batman, unlike others, knows from first-hand experience how killing will inevitably lead one down a dark path. And this is also why in Forever and Batman and Robin, Bruce becomes more sociable and even lets Robin and Batgirl into his family. He went from a reclusive loner in 89, to someone who was willing to be better. Mind you this is probably unintentional, but i find that it fits neatly regardless.

Honestly, i never blamed Schumacher for Batman & Robin. I am confident he would have made a dark psychological Batman movie if he had been given a chance. But the studio screwed it up and his career was terribly damaged. It's Sad he didn't have a chance to redeem himself. Nevertheless a good filmmaker... R. I. P. Joel.

My honest opinion, Val Kilmer’s Batman Bruce Wayne, is an emotional, sad, passionate, and strong, like I feel his sadness and hurt, and uses this pain to make the passion to become the strong, and confident Batman. I like this Video’s take. George Clooney’s Batman is…. George Clooney imitating Adam West…. if the 90’s era Batman was more like the 60’s era Batman, the more cheesy moments, not the cool ones. I feel Mike Keaton is somewhere in the middle of Val & George.

This is what YT is for. The raw passion here was wild-I’ve held a lot of these thoughts since my own childhood loving Schumacher’s Batman. Have always believed Kilmer is the best and I’ll DIE on this hill. Well done, fellow Schumacherian! 🦇🖤💛

I can’t imagine being a kid and not liking Batman returns. That was always my favorite one when I was a kid, all the awesome costumes and set pieces were mind blowing.

Younger me: This is a cool story of Batman and Robin Older Me: Hey Nicole Kidman!!!

I did not watch this film as a kid. I watched it last week, as the 25 year old I am now. And I thought it was bloody fantastic. The colours, the zanyness, the campyness and Jim Carrey's batshit insane, incredibly entertaining performance. I watched it with my Batman loving friend in his living room with all the lights in the room set to reflect the colours onscreen, and that made for such an immersive lightshow. Only thing I disliked was how Twoface was just trying to be another unhinged insane supervillain but we already had Carrey for that, so he was just a much lesser version of him.

*I saw this masterpiece in theaters as a kid in 1995. I loved it then, I love it now.* 💯

I find it ironic that other Schumacher movies are actually dark yet his Batman movies aren’t

"Bruce needs Richard Grayson." Thank you for that particular phrasing.

Damn, this is beautiful. Not gonna lie, when you talked about Robin’s meaning to Bruce I started full on shedding tears. Amazing video!

This movie was much deeper than anyone gives them credit for

Holy crap, the "It wasn't my fault..." part really hit me like truck.

I didn't like this film until I took a an abnormal psychology class in high school, and seeing it through that lens really made me appreciate Batman Forever

Val Kilmer is definitely the best Batman I’ve seen in live action. His performance reminds me a lot of myself. That feeling of helplessness and solitude. The feeling that, no matter how hard you try, you’ll never fit in with everyone else around you. You force yourself to put on a facade because it’s the only way people will ever talk to you. I think that’s why Batman has always been my favorite superhero since he feels the most human.

Watching this made me smile so much, I've watched this movie over 300 times - literally. After school as a child every day I'd watch it on VHS tape - I knew every single line in the whole movie and I'd say each line along with the characters from start to finish. Now I'm 33 years old and you know what I still love this movie no matter what anyone says about it.

The one thing about this movie, is how Batman seems so mystical and mysterious. Just the way he’s portrayed in this film makes him feel beyond human. I might be biased due to nostalgia, but if the deleted scenes were included it could’ve been a great film.

BANGER dude, absolute BANGERR

People tend to forget that Batman forever was a huge and very popular and very much loved and well accepted Batman sequel upon its release and it was loved extraordinarily until they release of Batman and Robin at which point people began to rope Batman forever into the same bin with Batman and Robin and the true reputation of Batman forever was then lost forever.

The most ironic thing in this whole story is how the movie itself is a representation of an Identity Crisis. It wants to be both a bright, zany and campy fun ride, while also being one of the best introspections on the mind of a broken man. The deleted scenes really show something that could be, the amazing cinematography combined with possibly the most complete film story of Batman/Bruce ever made. And yes, I love Kilmer as Batman/Bruce. More than just the already good social outcast that is Keaton's Bruce, Kilmer portrays that awkward, not-so-good emoting, split man struggling to find his genuine self while also providing by far the best voices for Bruce and Batman we've ever seen on live-action films (and I strongly stand by that). I have to genuinely thank you for this video, I'm not that big a fan of video essays but this addressed everything I've ever wanted about this movie.

never hated this movie... shame Joel suffered so much hate over it.

Me: "I need time to make dinner". *Hitop films releases a video on Batman Forever* Me: "... I'll get Drive Through."

That ending though, #SHEESH 😭

I loved Batman Forever as a kid and always used to watch it on VHS. So many memories of this movie and nostalgia. Watching it now today, I see more problems with it but I would still give the movie a B-, 8/10 at best. Definitely the most underrated live action Batman film of all time and the most forgotten. It's really entertaining and really does feel like a comic book come to life. It's like 80% 60's Batman campiness but 20% Tim Burton darkness to it. Chris O' Donnell was a good Robin, Nicole Kidman was a interesting, sexy and good love interest for Bruce, Kilmer was truly underrated because he was actually a great Bruce Wayne👏 and a good Batman. However, Jim Carrey was the G.O.A.T of the film, with so much energy and charisma, which made him both a unique take on the character and made a amazing Riddler💯... Plus Seal's Kiss From A Rose is timelessly LEGENDARY🦇 I will always have a soft spot for this film...Forever🦇........... P.S..... #ReleaseTheSchumacherCut 🙏

with such heavy themes of duality two face was literally the perfect villain, too bad it’s also the biggest problem in the film

The thing about the "McDonald's has toys for kids but this isn't a kid movie. It's violent" was said by the some of the same kids who later went to see LOTR, and thought that was epic. Go figure.

Hey, man. I watched Batman Forever today in the third day of my one-Batman-movie-a-day in preparation for the new one. I loved it, just as I always have. Then I came here to look for any reviews that didn’t seem likr the same hate filled ones we’ve always had, and I found yours. It made me cry a lot, we share many opinions and you brought up a lot of things I had never thought about. I just had an amazing and heartbreaking 48 minutes. Thank you.

Thanks for the video and thank you Joel Schumacvher - I've recently finished the man's entire filmography and he deserves more credit; bold and willing to explore all facets of the human experience - he also got great performances from his actors. He's severely underrated in my opinion and deserves way more cred.

“This unseen, unwanted eccentric, self hating, genius, loner is obsessed with someone who doesn’t exist”- That is a extremely realistic statement

Val Kilmer is the closest to Kevin Conroy’s Batman voice. He’s underrated Bruce Wayne/Batman

Damn, man, I LOVED this and Batman + Robin when I was a little kid! Watched 'em both all the time and thought they were the coolest movies ever. Even as a 30 year old now I have a soft spot for them. They're unique. They're bat shit.

You know being a die-hard Burton fan, you sold me on this one. I remember watching this one multiple times and enjoying it as a standalone film. It was campy, outrageous, and just visually entertaining. It was everything that the Burton films weren't. It reminded me of the Adam West show on steroids. I would have loved to see Jim as the Joker, but his Riddler was pretty amazing. I think Tommy being more serious and sadistic would have balanced out Jim's over the top performance. But I really have more respect for this film after watching this. Too bad Batman and Robin was just a dumpster fire and couldn't follow up to this.

"I didn't want him to actually murder. Because I thought that Batman should be above that." Damn...Schumacher understood Batman way more than I ever gave him credit for. I'm sorry for hating on you Joel.

Holy shit, this was so fucking good. Clearly so much heart and effort was put into this. Incredible job, I will now go and watch Batman Forever

I just want to say that your video has massively changed my outlook on this movie. I never "hated" it exactly, but I just couldn't reconcile it with '89 and Returns. Now I can see it as a conclusion to a trilogy started in '89 (Batman and Robin doesn't deserve to be a part of it), and is wrapped up nicely and neatly by Forever. I really hope we get a Schumacher cut some day! Thanks for the great video!

I’m from Pittsburgh and that ending really hit me. Thank you. :)

If only Billy Dee Williams could’ve reprised his role as Dent with an origin of the Two-Face, this film would be perfect, imagine him playing up his double-crossing Lando character but actually becomes a swindling villain

Playing GTA as a kid.... "This isn't kid friendly" Proceeds to go for 5 stars

It's about time someone stood up for this underated diamond of a picture

I loved this movie as a kid and love it even more now. It's the kind of earnest, genuine cheese you just don't get anymore (if this movie were made today every joke would come with a wink to the audience). Even still, it has plenty of honest, dramatic moments and takes the time to ask why Batman is who he is. True, it's not perfect; TLJ could have reeled it in a bit as Two-Face instead of trying to be another Joker, and there are some contrivances in the climax, but it's a comic book movie! Who actually wants Batman to be realistic? My favorite aspect has got to be the visual design though. Joel's vision of Gotham is a neon art deco nightmare and I utterly adore it. The gaudy statues, the improbable lighting, the sheer architectural decadence pouring out of every single corner, it's something clearly made by a man with vision and a helluva lot more fun to look at than Nolan's "ok what if Gotham was just Chicago?". It's criminal that people lump this movie in with Batman and Robin. It's the ultimate comic book movie.

#ReleaseTheSchumacherCut Batman Forever, a misunderstood masterpiece.

When I think of Gotham, the most vivid images I have are these neo-gothic-classiquesque giant statues amidst this green and pink and purple chaos Schumacher gave us. This is Gotham for me. No other take on the city gets even close to this.

I remember seeing this in theaters like it was yesterday. This was always my favorite Batman movie and I'm glad to see all the love it's been getting lately.

I like the little detail of the red book being a part of Bruce Wayne’s exploration of the cave. It’s akin to Carl Jung’s red book, where part of it emphasizes that we have to face our demons and integrate with them to be whole and stronger. Bruce Wayne integrated his Bruce Wayne identity with the Batman identity.

That deleted scene with the giant bat flying at bruce was dope . They should've left that but it was too scary compared to the rest.

As an adult I prefer the Burton films, but lets be honest, Forever was the one we all watched as kids.

This is a masterpiece of a documentary. Every time i watched one of yours videos i can feel the love you put on, thank you so much.

Val is my favorite Batman. Before Ben, I felt he gave the most to Bruce and Batman and made both awesome.

"This unseen, unwanted eccentric, self hating, genius, loner" literally how every redditor likes to think of themselves

Jesus Christ this video made me want the Schumacher Cut. I didn’t even care before this video. The power you wield, Alex, is beyond compare

Real insightful 13:35 and it just doesn’t stop from there. As a kid I watched this all the time on vhs. Now as an adult with your breakdown, I see the heartfelt internal conflict all the characters go through.

I did have Batman Forever on a VHS, and this was my Batman growing up, before I even watched the animated series. Looking back at it, it is super campy, and there are many parts that don't quite hold up; but the visual style, the score (oh god, this score is genius), Jim Carrey as the Riddler... and that effing scene of Dick parkouring down to the Batcave for the first time. Man, that scene was the coolest shit ever as a kid. Also, the theme of Bruce figuring out why he's Batman in the first place seems really relevant now in the light of the new Batman.

You can't out-mug Jim Carry. The man's got an extra joint in his jaw that grants him super-human mugging powers.

It always bugged me when people treated this movie like it was the same quality as Batman and Robin

As someone who has a very rigid view of how a Batman film should be, I was about to turn this video off upon hearing Batman Forever being showered with praise but thank God I didn’t. The context that you provided as well as hearing Joel air out his intentions for the film has given me a new found appreciation for the beauty in art that I/others may not personally like. And THAT ending 👌🏿, big up Pittsburgh, you, Carl & Joel 🌹.

6:59 Hearing Joel Schumacher say this gives me life force.

The best part of this video is clearly Alex saying, “My man” when Joel said Batman should not kill. This video convinced me that Val Kilmer did indeed bring something to the role of Bruce Wayne / Batman.

That ending at the end really got me, your professor sounds like a rad dude and so does Joel Schumacher.

I remember getting Batman Forever on VHS for Christmas in 1996(I think) and I know I had to have drove my grandma nuts because I watched it every day. This and it's sequel are such an important part of my formative years. Thank you for making this.

I was 25 years old when this came out. I loved it then and I love it now. I enjoy all four Batman films for various different reasons, but honestly Batman Forever is my favorite of the four. Even though I feel that the 1989 film is overall the best entry, my personal favorite that I return to most is Batman Forever.

Batman Forever was that movie I watched OVER AND OVER AGAIN as a kid. It was my favorite Batman movie. And I have spent the years since defending Val Kilmer's Batman, Jim Carrey's Riddler, and Joel Schumacher's colorful and creative direction. Glad to see these thoughts vindicated through your essay. Hopefully, more people will come around on the genius of Joel Schumacher because of it. It's just a shame it had to happen after his death. RIP The Legend.

The end was magnificent. R.I.P Joel

The biggest issues with nolans batman and snyders movies, is they totally erased that baman is a comic book hero, while joels movies on the other hand embraced the fact. speaking of Joe the studios ddint fully allow him to see his vision

You put a lot of heart and passion into your videos alex, i wanna thank you for that. And Thanks to Carl and Thanks to Joel. Rest In Peace.

Why do I feel like I just got a history lesson on real life from a comic? Oh yeah, it's because as my wonderful loving dad always says "life is based upon movies and movies upon life."

Batman Returns was my favorite as a kid. What kind of kid would say "this is too violent for me". Dude, Mortal Kombat for example, was a hit with everyone at that time because of one thing, violence.

This is one of those films that deserves a director's cut and a reevaluation. There's no other film like it. That was nice how you tied everything together at the end.

This video is amazing. Batman forever was always one of my favorite Batman movies. I also loved Batman and Robin . I have a high appreciation and genuinly love them. I view them as genuine love letters to the 1966 tv show . I think a huge amount of the bitterness twords them is they exist out of necessity of destroying another man’s vision (Tim Burton) and turning off one of Hollywood’s best talents from being Batman again (Michael Keaton ). Yeah these films exist out of bad faith basically . I blame WB for that. But when I look at it from what the filmmaker and the crew made I just can’t hate them. They are fun, colorful , and genuinely funny movies . They give me joy. I do have my criticisms (stairs at the unnecessarly sexual enduendos on most of those suit designs (minus the masterpiece that is the sonar suit) but also many things in it I appreciate a lot. Sure I’m not at all a fan of the bat nipples as I stated . But I love the script and direction style. This is what I imagine Adam West’s show would look and feel like as big budget hollywood movies imo . I admire them for what they are and I have genuine love for them despite all the dirt.

I still enjoy the movie, but it wasn’t my ideal Batman movie.

I thought I was alone about my feeling about this film. Thank you for pointing out things better than I ever could have. What a movie and what a masterful video!

I’ve always enjoyed this film. If you pay close attention Christopher Nolan took elements and little details from this film and it inspired some of his choices. It’s entertaining and thought provoking in my opinion and it’s part of my must watch movies during the month of October. And you saying Spider-Man 2 is your favorite Spider-Man is just so true. Dude, we could definitely be friends, you read my mind on so many different topics and films. Thank you for your videos.

Alright, but nobody really trashes 'Batman Forever' that much. The real issue is with the 1997 movie 'Batman & Robin'. That's where Schumacher really dropped the ball.

"Dark Knight in Shining Armor" was an underrated line in this video

Kilmer is a terrific actor. It’s too bad his personal life caused him to drop out of fame. Hopefully he can have a revival; similar ironically to Michael Keaton in real life.

The Robin suit in these movies kicks so much ass, I love the design.

i love joels movies because he was the only director who embraced the fact that batman is a comic book hero, noland and synder never showed it, eben burtons movie didnt fully show it

Burton's Movie: Badass Schumacher: Bat-ass

This man is swiftly roughing up my immeasurably smooth brain.

Man the quality of this video is amazing. I love all the concepts and ideas you talk about and question. You are killing it

If they had only seen “The Batman” or “The Dark Knight”

Joel Schumacher directed dark movies such as The Lost Boys, Flatliners and let's not forget the classic Falling Down. A movie with a darker tone then all the Batman films put together

Sucks when studios try to make everything so kid friendly. The argument of having toys for kids to a movie that isn’t for kids is completely pointless when you realize that Alien and Terminator had toys made of them. Also a kid can handle a lot more than people think.

Alex, this was amazing and touching. Thank you! Batman Forever came out when I was a junior in college. I saw it in our makeshift campus movie theater and the movie audio was mastered so loudly that it distorted the speakers. It was EVERYWHERE. I absolutely devoured it, especially Two Face's first scene. I think that was the first monologue that I ever memorized and constantly repeated. I got something out of that that stuck with me. I thought Riddler was just overdone. I was grudgy about the departure from Batman Returns, which I also loved, but it was just so damn fun. The soundtracks for this and for Batman and Robin were also incredible! This was an event in super hero film history, for better or worse. Thank you for walking through all this, for helping me better see why I loved it (and why I consider it so corny). Have a good one.