@@StevenMichaelCunningham I wasn't really a fan of Batman Forever. but I thought Val Kilmer was pretty decent as Batman even though I prefer Michael Keaton and Christain Bale.
I really like Val Kilmer more as Bruce Wayne than Batman. He tries to help Dick Grayson while taking on The Riddler, Two-Face, and his troubled dreams.
He had more of the Voice, Aura, and Gravitas that you would expect to see in a live action version of Batman. Compared to all the other Batman's/ Bruce Wayne's before and after him. You really felt his pain and empathy . Especially for Robin, and seeing himself in him as well. Very underappreciated indeed. The Best Batman in the Worst Batman Movie.
Batman Forever was my very first Batman movie, so Val Kilmer's portrayal will always have a special place in my heart. The man did his best under the circumstances and I'm glad he's finally getting the love he deserves.
When I was a kid, I use to think that Kilmer was the best Batman. But as I became an adult, I changed my opinion… no one can top Keaton as Batman but that’s not to say that I dislike Kilmer now. He was still a great Batman. Unfortunately for Kilmer, playing Batman was quite an unpleasant experience for him. The Batman suit was uncomfortable and he was mad that kids liked the bat mobile more than him as Batman
@@MrClassicmetal when I was a kid, Kilmer was the best Batman. But when I got older I changed my opinion, Keaton was the best Batman. But I respect your opinion
@@MrClassicmetal when I was a kid, Kilmer was the best Batman. But when I got older I changed my opinion, Keaton was the best Batman. But I respect your opinion
Val Kilmer is the Timothy Dalton's Bond in Batman casting. A fitting, competent actor choice who, under a better direction, would've given an amazing and memorable performance.
I don't feel Schumacher is to blame for the direction. We've learned that Joel wanted to do even more to delve into Batman and Bruce's psyche, there is apparently a cut that includes more on those elements which Kilmer excells at. BnR was a nightmare for him, since the Studio did so much to ruin the story he wanted to tell; to the point he started about midway through to work on the outline for the next movie which would have used Scarecrow to great effect to explore Bruce's fears and failures. I think Forever was ahead of its time, with it getting cut down becuase audiences wanted more action and less self reflection.
@@CassidyShadewing I didn't express myself correctly, I'm sorry. Schumacher's previous filmography has proven him as a more than fitting director choice in another reality. By direction I meant the studio's "creative" direction .
@@diogohenriquemagal6960 True, thought I feel executive meddling isn't that bad here. It's kinda understandable when you consider the backlash they got for Returns with parent groups rallying against it for being too violent. And test audiences not interested in some of the introspective stuff. It's BnR where that really ruined everything. Everything Joel did to try and make Forever interesting and fun, just completely stripped away.
And better script. All the other actors were excellent too, but the script was rather cheezy. And why did Jim Carey have to wear that silly wig when his own hair slicked back would have done the trick?
To this day, one of my favorite Batman scenes of all time is the part in "Forever" when Bruce tries to talk Dick out of seeking revenge against Two-Face: "It will happen this way: you make the kill, but your pain doesn't die with Harvey. It grows. So you run out into the night to find another face ... and another ... and another. Until, one terrible morning, you wake up and realize that revenge has become your whole life. And you won't know why." It blows me away that people lump this in with "Batman and Robin"...
@@OkamiiRamii Plus, he's speaking from experience. Remember, he killed the Joker, Penguin, and Catwoman. But, he''s not aware that Catwoman is still alive, so she's technically "dead".
Actually no, he wouldn’t have. Apparently you aren’t aware that playing Batman was quite an unpleasant experience for Val Kilmer. The Batman suit was very uncomfortable and he was mad that kids liked the bat mobile more than him
@@nsasupporter7557 yeah, but no actor thought the suit was a pleasant experience, these are difficult movies to make. I think the point is he would have perfected the part had he decided to do another one.
Man it's crazy I was thinking about this earlier today! For real. As a kid when I saw Val Kilmer as Batman I was honestly like "Mehhh" but as an adult I have real respect for him as an actor. Prince of Egypt, Top Gun. The dude just has it and now whenever I see him it feels hype!
Why was it a guilty pleasure? It was a great movie despite what people say about it today… it was actually about Batman/Bruce Wayne unlike the Tim Burton movies were
@@Wompwompretiga that he didnt treat because he is a christian scientist. That church doesnt believe in medical treatment. James Hetfield from Metallica his parents were the same. His mom died from untreated cancer as a result. He wrote the song The God That Failed about it. Val i think ultimately caved and had something cut out but the damage was done.
I will always have a soft spot for Batman Forever. I know it’s far from the best, but when I was a kid I absolutely loved it. It will always be a good childhood memory for me
I still really like Batman forever the whole film series is a go to for me outside of the Adam west Batman movie and to me a good way to look at the 89-97 film series is like the James Bond movie cause with each actor change it’s still supposed be the same character but each actor brings something different to the role and he is in a way an American James Bond in the since that his technology used to be ahead of its time like bond but as technology has progressed the line has between fantastical technology and believable technology has become blurred like bond cause bond used to get prototypes to test out in movies like in my favorite bond movie the spy who loves me bond road a jet ski in the climax of the movie getting to the bad guys lair
He was my favourite Bruce and 3rd favourite Batman! Acting wise he is by far the best out of all… His role as Doc Holiday always makes me cry like an infant!
My favourite part of this movie is when they bust in to Wayne Manor. Clearly they know who he is at this point, so there's no point hiding it, and he just starts beating down henchmen without the suit on. Just Bruce Wayne, kicking ass. Something about that scene was an epiphany, like "Oh yeah...I suppose he could do that."
So glad this is getting talked about . He’s probably my favorite live action bruce wayne in my opinion and was a pretty good batman . Just wish he was in a better movie all around . #ReleasetheSchumacherCut
I was about 10 when Batman Forever came out. I was Riddler that Halloween. I was blown away. I was a 10 year old comic book fan, and I was black, in 1995 or 97, its a fuzzy memory. It was a different time. It was almost frowned upon to be black and into comics and anime. I got sucked into streetlife and hard partying, a place where Love and Comics dont thrive. Eventually I had kids and got clean. When I did, i became more my original self again, and remembered those memories. I revisit that Nostaligia more now. Even to this day at work, I play Seal's "Kiss From a Rose" in my earbuds at work. It reconnects me with that time. Thank you for this. Val Kilmer's Batman is genius. My favorite. Christian is the best, the evolution. But Val's is Legendary.
He’s always been the best batman portrayal imo. Modeled his performance after conroy. Actually smart batman. Very nice subtle distinction between bruce and batman. Only disguises his voice, doesn’t smoke a pack before getting in the batvoice.
I always feel sad for Val after seeing that documentary about him how he had pictures he did as a kid of him as Batman and this was like his dream role in a way and fans always talk bad about Batman Forever but Val for me will always be my Batman since he was the first one I saw as a kid who made me feel like Batman was real
I agree that Val Kilmer is underrated I always liked his Batman better than his Bruce Wayne performance but over time, I’ve come to appreciate this interpretation
He also might be the closest we'll ever get to having an androgynous/queer Batman, at least in the mainstream. Not that that's what I want Batman to be, but with the homosexual Schumacher interpreting him we do get that in the subtext, and as a standalone interpretation it IS interesting. Val is certainly more feminine in appearance than any of the other actors, and his Bruce Wayne's twisted relationship with Edward Nygma takes on erotic/sadistic undertones. I even remember many people joking at the time that with BATMAN FOREVER Batman was turning gay. (Of course, there have been people who've thought he's ALWAYS been gay.) He's not, and never will be, but I think that, in this film at least, allegorically he does come close.
The Sonar suit is also underrated. It’s the only suit that looks like a toy that is also awesome. This movie is great. Just had a bit of tone issues but the story is great. The Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson conflict in the Batcave was peek Batman storytelling.
Vee. I just want to take this moment since I never had the chance before with your other videos but I greatly appreciate you doing all this coverage on Batman Forever & what makes it truly great, I would definitely like to see a video covering Chris O'Donnell's Robin~👍
In the 90s Live Action Batman: Val Kilmer was my Batman, George Clooney was my Bruce Wayne's public persona, and Michael Keaton was Bruce Wayne's real persona.
100% agree. I never really understood the negativity he got for being cast as Batman. And as you said, his portrayal of Bruce was pretty damn good (and also my favorite). It’s funny, I have been talking about this exact subject for so many years with friends and other Batman fans, but there’s this weird mob mentality about hating Batman Forever. Sure, it’s not a perfect movie, but it’s also definitely not a bad movie. I loved that they dug deeper into Bruce’s psyche, I just wish we could see the whole unedited film in its entirety. I saw this in the movie theater opening day when I was a kid, and that edited scene of the animatronic giant bat that he encounters in the cave would have been awesome to see on the big screen and probably would’ve felt emotionally profound I think. Side note: this is the reason I don’t like to compare all the actors who have portrayed Batman on screen, I feel like when it comes to the films, every single portrayal was a different ‘vision’ of Batman. With Tim Burton it was a much more Gothic Batman, with Joel Schumacher, he wanted to gear more towards the 1960s and 70s Batman comics with the neon and all the bright colors and a bit of campiness. With Nolan, it was more grounded in reality, a “what if Batman existed in the real world” take. With Snyder, I think he was aiming for a Batman based on more contemporary comics, and I’m excited to see where Matt Reeves takes the character next. So in my opinion, there is no “best Batman”, just different interpretations of him, and I like all of them for different reasons.
I don't think it was Schumacher himself that wanted to go towards 60s & 70s Batman its WB that wanted to go that direction which is why they hired Schumacher to make it happen
@@Mike-t5r9q unfortunately by the time there were plans for a third film tim burton was basically done with the batman franchise I really enjoyed batman returns
Honestly I've always really liked this movie a lot ever since I was a kid. Love the soundtrack too. There's actually a slightly extended version which in the U.K is the blu ray version. It's like 2 minutes longer than the theatrical cut and has some slightly longer dialogue, and fight scenes. Also been thinking about getting the Hot Toys Batman Forever figures for a while.
I’ve always felt Val was extremely underrated. Batman and Robin was the first Batman movie I ever technically remember watching as a kid but Batman Forever was the one that nailed it with me. His voice to me is the perfect way to do the Batman voice and Robert Pattinson has become my fav Batman ever since the first trailer was dropped at DC’s Fandome. Soon as I heard his voice I screamed “THATS IT THIS IS THE ONE!!!” Bale was an interesting take but it got old over 3 movies and his voice in Batman Begins vs Dark Knight was a big drop off imo. Batman Forever, Batman Begins, and The Batman are the perfect Batman voices in live action imo. They all 3 are the best mixes of both Bruce Wayne and Batman in there performances. Keaton I guess as well. Pretty much everyone except Ben Affleck w the robot voice modulator had a good Batman voice at one point or another.
Man I'd love to see the full 3hr version of this, some kind of producers cut or something since a directors cut is no longer possible, there must be some appetite for it in the Batman fandom
He was such a great Bruce Wayne is Batman was actually good. We just need that Schumacher cut three hour version dark actually serious I think this will fully give this whole movie redemption like the Snyder cut
Val has always been my personal favourite Batman actor I will never get the hate personally. Also the drive-through line is still one of the best lines
Thank you!! I've been saying this for years!! People typically judge who the best batman is by how good the movies are instead of how great the actors were. In my opinion chrisrian bale's batman was only above george clooneys( slightly). Ben affleck's bruce wayne was great with a pretty good batman but not the best. I would have to give this role to kilmer slightly over keaton. Of course if you're a millennial michael keaton is your batman, i get it and i respect it. Val kilmer brought class and a certain amount of mystery to bruce wayne. His batman was intelligent and the he delivered the cheesy lines that they wrote for him very well. Val kilmers batman and bruce wayne( Highly Underrated).
Great vid, i hope more people reappraise Forever. Gotta say the kevin Conroy cameo at the end finally got me and I'm misty eyed typing this, rip you beautiful soul.
Honestly I thought he was like the pin that held this movie that one step from total camp that Batman and Robin pulled out. He wasn't mind blowing but he did just fine.
Dude, you hit the nail right on the head. You said everything I’ve been feeling ever since I first saw BF when I was 15. I think Val was a great Batman and no one will make me feel otherwise.
Batman Forever was the first VHS I bought with my own money when I was a child. It's also one of the movies from my childhood that I enjoy watching again without needing nostalgia to make me like it. I think if I had watched it as an adult without seeing it as a child, I would have liked it. I cannot say the same for Batman & Robin.
@@nsasupporter7557 one thing val got down was bruce's "public face" down hes supposed to act like the rich aristorats, even come across a bit pompous like bale did with his wayne...when vee showed val as bruce and batman that clearly shows val got it perfectly
Spot on! Not going to say much because you covered it pretty well. And Kilmer was certainly more than just "good". And I felt his batman line delivery was great. My favorite being his riddle to the riddler, followed by "Exactly!". Sounded quite close to Conroy's Batman voice.
I’ll forever (🥁) attribute my love for Batman to Val Kilmer in the role. I was born a year after Batman ‘89, so 2:42 even though I went back to watch the Burton films and eventually grew to love Keaton in the role, Val was Batman to me now that I look back on it. My best memory of childhood was my dad taking me to see Batman Forever when I was 7, so yeah, Val Kilmer will always have my admiration and respect as the Caped Crusader.
This is how the rasp should be done. You want enough similarity that the audience can see Bruce is Batman but not so similar that they sound exactly the same. Unless you saw both voices side by side like the audience does, you wouldnt know they were the same. Look at Kevin Conroy as Batman, his bruce wayne abd Bats are so different but similar. All he does is put authority into his Batman voice and make Bruce more light-hearted or even kind. Its a small difference that goes a long way. Its better than the garbling marbles "WHERE ARE THE OTHER DRUGS GOING?" voice
You were able to beautifully put into words what I have been thinking for years! At 11, I watched Forever before the Keaton movies. So, if for that alone, Val Kilmer's Batman will "forever" hold a special place in my heart
I was born in the early 80s so I've been around for all the Batman films from Michael Keaton 1989 to Robert Pattinson the Batman. Michael Keaton is my absolute favorite I loved Batman 89 and Batman Returns. I was 14 when Batman Forever was released in theaters. And honestly I had absolutely no problem with it. I've been a fan of Val Kilmer since I was a little kid first seeing him as madmartigan in Willow and Iceman Top Gun. Val Kilmer is an extraordinary actor. Batman Forever had a great cast of actors a kick-ass soundtrack and a well-thought-out story. And personally the panther black batsuit is my second-favorite designed to Keaton's 89 suit. Also Chris O'Donald made a great Dick Grayson Robin. The Love Theme Song Kiss From a Rose by Seal was an instant classic and remains as such to this day.
I love your content ! I would be vert curious to see what you would propose for your OWN version of Batman ! Like if you did your own movies or show … i think that would be a incredible video
I've always seen Forever as taking the best elements from '66 and '89, while adding some more stuff from the comics. Because of that, you get this amazing portrayal of Bruce/Batman, a decent approximation of Frank Gorshin's Riddler with parts of something original, and something that would've been better with Billy Dee Williams. Though to be fair, most Two-Face comics at the time just rehashed two (ha) stories, his origin, and his getting his face fixed, so they weren't going to get anything good from the comics on that one.
I greatly loved Val Kilmer as batman! Definitely and underrated Batman and an underrated movie. But I think history will be kind to this story if they treat it as a one off like you said. For a while its almost treated as though Val Kilmer batman didn't exist. Im glad that is starting to change.
Batman Forever was the first movie i saw in theaters when i was 4 and is my second favorite in the franchise, ive always thought it was a different Batman than the previous, i hope one day Warner Bros make a Schumacher cut and cut all the scenes that connects it to Burtons batman and make it its own officially or maybe with the upcoming Flash movie this will be the case, thatd be great
As a kid, I loved Batman Forever. Still do to this day. Keaton might have been the first and he IS Batman, but Forever needs more love. Burton's Batman was way darker, but Schumacher's Batman was a whole party. I don't think people understand just how huge Forever was at release unless they experienced the build first hand. It was everywhere in advertising, even the soundtrack as well was advertised on TV. The music of Batman Forever, as well as the score is fantastic on all fronts and is just as good as the Elfman score from the previous films. McDonald's had special glass Batman cups. Plus the toy companies had a field day in merch. Pretty sure got a few of those toys myself. Forever had one of the highest opening days if not THE highest of all time. 15 million dollars. It wasn't just a movie. It was a spectacle. Everybody and their brother wanted to be a part of Batman & Robin because of Forever's success.
Val Kilmer was the best thing about this movie. He saved the movie for me. My favorite line he deliver was "If Bruce Wayne could have given his life for your family, he would have".
I agree. Not only is he the most underrated Batman, but probably the most underrated Batman movie. This one, I think, stuck closest to the traditional Comic Book/Saturday Morning Cartoon style.
As a kid with no understanding of the comics, just watching these 4 movies in order, I always thought it was so cool seeing the public lauding over Batman in the 3rd and 4th movies.
The Batman casting reflects the James Bond casting; Keaton: the Sean Connery of Batman, who set the standard Kilmer: the George Lazenby of Batman, who was way better than people care to admit, but is ultimately forgotten Clooney: the Roger Moore of Batman, the silliest and campiest of the Batmans Bale: the Timothy Dalton of Batman, the darkest of the Batmans, who helped steer the series in a new direction Affleck: he's the only one who defies this trend as he's not the best, but not the worst Pattinson: the Daniel Craig of Batman, perhaps the most screen accurate to the source material At least, that's how I always saw it.
Back when I was growing up, Kilmer was my fav batman and Forever was my fav installment. His Bruce Wayne was immaculate and his Batman was the coolest looking.
In my opinion, I love these movies, they were the first ever movies I saw and it never left my mind, yea I might be wrong but God damnit I love these damn movies
I always loved how in Batman Forever Robin did become Knightwing and let’s not forget this same exact suit was used in Ed Boon and Warner Games Injustice 1&2
Val was great as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. It's too bad we didn't see him in more films.
He did a great job but he made a smart choice saying no to batman and Robin
He needs genome therapy, vegan fitness & regenerative medicine each as a focus to this day..
@@StevenMichaelCunningham I wasn't really a fan of Batman Forever. but I thought Val Kilmer was pretty decent as Batman even though I prefer Michael Keaton and Christain Bale.
I really like Val Kilmer more as Bruce Wayne than Batman. He tries to help Dick Grayson while taking on The Riddler, Two-Face, and his troubled dreams.
I agree! I said that even back then. His Batman was OK but Val Kilmer really shined as Bruce.
as Bruce Wayne, he seemed a tad too 'cool' -needed shorter hair.
Val Killer Batman is definitely underrated and very underappreciated too
Forever ever is a top 5 batman movie
Definitely not lol
He had more of the Voice, Aura, and Gravitas that you would expect to see in a live action version of Batman. Compared to all the other Batman's/ Bruce Wayne's before and after him. You really felt his pain and empathy . Especially for Robin, and seeing himself in him as well. Very underappreciated indeed. The Best Batman in the Worst Batman Movie.
Totally right I still love this film I understand why it's underappreciated because of batman and Robin
@@lbonvillain-wm4dsprove your non subjective take. The burden is on you.
Batman Forever was my very first Batman movie, so Val Kilmer's portrayal will always have a special place in my heart. The man did his best under the circumstances and I'm glad he's finally getting the love he deserves.
When I was a kid, I use to think that Kilmer was the best Batman. But as I became an adult, I changed my opinion… no one can top Keaton as Batman but that’s not to say that I dislike Kilmer now. He was still a great Batman.
Unfortunately for Kilmer, playing Batman was quite an unpleasant experience for him. The Batman suit was uncomfortable and he was mad that kids liked the bat mobile more than him as Batman
@@nsasupporter7557 I never liked Keaton as Batman. To me it was just a weird choice for that role.
@@MrClassicmetal when I was a kid, Kilmer was the best Batman. But when I got older I changed my opinion, Keaton was the best Batman. But I respect your opinion
@@MrClassicmetal when I was a kid, Kilmer was the best Batman. But when I got older I changed my opinion, Keaton was the best Batman. But I respect your opinion
@@MrClassicmetal the only actor who truly sucked as Batman was George Clooney… and I guess Affleck
Val Kilmer is the Timothy Dalton's Bond in Batman casting. A fitting, competent actor choice who, under a better direction, would've given an amazing and memorable performance.
I don't feel Schumacher is to blame for the direction. We've learned that Joel wanted to do even more to delve into Batman and Bruce's psyche, there is apparently a cut that includes more on those elements which Kilmer excells at. BnR was a nightmare for him, since the Studio did so much to ruin the story he wanted to tell; to the point he started about midway through to work on the outline for the next movie which would have used Scarecrow to great effect to explore Bruce's fears and failures. I think Forever was ahead of its time, with it getting cut down becuase audiences wanted more action and less self reflection.
@@CassidyShadewing I didn't express myself correctly, I'm sorry. Schumacher's previous filmography has proven him as a more than fitting director choice in another reality. By direction I meant the studio's "creative" direction .
@@diogohenriquemagal6960 True, thought I feel executive meddling isn't that bad here. It's kinda understandable when you consider the backlash they got for Returns with parent groups rallying against it for being too violent. And test audiences not interested in some of the introspective stuff. It's BnR where that really ruined everything. Everything Joel did to try and make Forever interesting and fun, just completely stripped away.
@@CassidyShadewing that's what happens when a movie is ONLY made to sell toys. Nobody could've saved BnR under Warner's new mandate
And better script. All the other actors were excellent too, but the script was rather cheezy. And why did Jim Carey have to wear that silly wig when his own hair slicked back would have done the trick?
I loved Val as Bruce. I wish we could see in the extended cut of Forever
To this day, one of my favorite Batman scenes of all time is the part in "Forever" when Bruce tries to talk Dick out of seeking revenge against Two-Face: "It will happen this way: you make the kill, but your pain doesn't die with Harvey. It grows. So you run out into the night to find another face ... and another ... and another. Until, one terrible morning, you wake up and realize that revenge has become your whole life. And you won't know why." It blows me away that people lump this in with "Batman and Robin"...
Omg. Finally! Someone understands! This phrase always gives me goosebumps
@@OkamiiRamii
Plus, he's speaking from experience. Remember, he killed the Joker, Penguin, and Catwoman. But, he''s not aware that Catwoman is still alive, so she's technically "dead".
If Val got a chance at a proper sequel, he would have grown into the role
Actually no, he wouldn’t have. Apparently you aren’t aware that playing Batman was quite an unpleasant experience for Val Kilmer. The Batman suit was very uncomfortable and he was mad that kids liked the bat mobile more than him
@@nsasupporter7557 yeah, but no actor thought the suit was a pleasant experience, these are difficult movies to make. I think the point is he would have perfected the part had he decided to do another one.
Man it's crazy I was thinking about this earlier today! For real. As a kid when I saw Val Kilmer as Batman I was honestly like "Mehhh" but as an adult I have real respect for him as an actor. Prince of Egypt, Top Gun. The dude just has it and now whenever I see him it feels hype!
Batman Forever is a great guilty pleasure movie, it’s fun, charismatic, charming, and Val is fantastic.
Why was it a guilty pleasure? It was a great movie despite what people say about it today… it was actually about Batman/Bruce Wayne unlike the Tim Burton movies were
It's the best of the bunch from that era. Val Kilmer is a better Batman/Bruce Wayne than Keaton, and Jim Carey was _awesome_ as the Riddler.
@@MrClassicmetal I wouldn’t go that far. Even though it was good, it wasn’t as good as the first movie from 1989… that was the best Batman movie ever
It's the best, and most faithful to the character, Batman film of all time. "Guilty pleasure" 🙄
I didn't grow up in the 90s but my uncle had vhs tapes of every Batman movie, and I loved val Kilmer I'm glad you made this video for him❤❤
I loved his Batman voice. To me, it sounded similar to Kevin Conroys.
It’s a pretty good portrayal for Val!!!! He does what he could despite the mediocre material he had to work with!!!
All the substance was cut out on him. There was a lot more brooding and grappling with his identities. All cut to make it kid friendlier
It sucks he's as sick as he is....
@@Wompwompretiga The Christian scientists are a hell of a drug
@@bloodlinefilms no, throat cancer.
@@Wompwompretiga that he didnt treat because he is a christian scientist. That church doesnt believe in medical treatment. James Hetfield from Metallica his parents were the same. His mom died from untreated cancer as a result. He wrote the song The God That Failed about it. Val i think ultimately caved and had something cut out but the damage was done.
Val deserves more appreciation
Yes 💯
I will always have a soft spot for Batman Forever. I know it’s far from the best, but when I was a kid I absolutely loved it. It will always be a good childhood memory for me
I still really like Batman forever the whole film series is a go to for me outside of the Adam west Batman movie and to me a good way to look at the 89-97 film series is like the James Bond movie cause with each actor change it’s still supposed be the same character but each actor brings something different to the role and he is in a way an American James Bond in the since that his technology used to be ahead of its time like bond but as technology has progressed the line has between fantastical technology and believable technology has become blurred like bond cause bond used to get prototypes to test out in movies like in my favorite bond movie the spy who loves me bond road a jet ski in the climax of the movie getting to the bad guys lair
That Bob Kane line in this video was hilarious bro. Great video.
He was my favourite Bruce and 3rd favourite Batman! Acting wise he is by far the best out of all… His role as Doc Holiday always makes me cry like an infant!
I'm your huckleberry
Batman Forever, though flawed, is wildly underrated. Always happy to see people showing love to any part of it.
Val Kilmer is an incredibly good actor.
Yeah he is
Still waiting for the Schumacher cut 🖤💙💚🦇🙌
"You can trust Bob Kane, because he was in the room when Bill Finger was making the character" 😂
Yeah, I men, it's true.
Batman Forever will always be my favorite Batman movie.
At 2:14 that stiff neck suit poses & full body head turn is so hilarious and look like such a real struggle
My favourite part of this movie is when they bust in to Wayne Manor. Clearly they know who he is at this point, so there's no point hiding it, and he just starts beating down henchmen without the suit on. Just Bruce Wayne, kicking ass. Something about that scene was an epiphany, like "Oh yeah...I suppose he could do that."
So glad this is getting talked about . He’s probably my favorite live action bruce wayne in my opinion and was a pretty good batman . Just wish he was in a better movie all around . #ReleasetheSchumacherCut
I was about 10 when Batman Forever came out. I was Riddler that Halloween. I was blown away. I was a 10 year old comic book fan, and I was black, in 1995 or 97, its a fuzzy memory. It was a different time. It was almost frowned upon to be black and into comics and anime. I got sucked into streetlife and hard partying, a place where Love and Comics dont thrive. Eventually I had kids and got clean. When I did, i became more my original self again, and remembered those memories. I revisit that Nostaligia more now. Even to this day at work, I play Seal's "Kiss From a Rose" in my earbuds at work. It reconnects me with that time. Thank you for this. Val Kilmer's Batman is genius. My favorite. Christian is the best, the evolution. But Val's is Legendary.
I still listen to kiss by a rose because of this film
I love kilmers batman voice it fits batman so well
He’s always been the best batman portrayal imo. Modeled his performance after conroy. Actually smart batman. Very nice subtle distinction between bruce and batman. Only disguises his voice, doesn’t smoke a pack before getting in the batvoice.
I always feel sad for Val after seeing that documentary about him how he had pictures he did as a kid of him as Batman and this was like his dream role in a way and fans always talk bad about Batman Forever but Val for me will always be my Batman since he was the first one I saw as a kid who made me feel like Batman was real
I agree that Val Kilmer is underrated
I always liked his Batman better than his Bruce Wayne performance but over time, I’ve come to appreciate this interpretation
He also might be the closest we'll ever get to having an androgynous/queer Batman, at least in the mainstream. Not that that's what I want Batman to be, but with the homosexual Schumacher interpreting him we do get that in the subtext, and as a standalone interpretation it IS interesting. Val is certainly more feminine in appearance than any of the other actors, and his Bruce Wayne's twisted relationship with Edward Nygma takes on erotic/sadistic undertones. I even remember many people joking at the time that with BATMAN FOREVER Batman was turning gay. (Of course, there have been people who've thought he's ALWAYS been gay.) He's not, and never will be, but I think that, in this film at least, allegorically he does come close.
@@SeasideDetective2I never saw it that way
@@mew10521 me niether 🤔 i think some guys were just secretly attracted to Val lol
I was 9 when this came out and we watched it over and over it’s a classic, many good actors and crew having a blast.
The Sonar suit is also underrated. It’s the only suit that looks like a toy that is also awesome. This movie is great. Just had a bit of tone issues but the story is great. The Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson conflict in the Batcave was peek Batman storytelling.
Great new video. Vee. I actually really like Batman Forever. especially Val Kilmer's portrayal of the character. :)
Vee. I just want to take this moment since I never had the chance before with your other videos but I greatly appreciate you doing all this coverage on Batman Forever & what makes it truly great, I would definitely like to see a video covering Chris O'Donnell's Robin~👍
Forever is just slept on honestly. It was my first introduction to the Batman movies and it holds a special place in my heart.
In my opinion, val kilmer is one of the best actors to portray both bruce wayne and batman.
I felt this the other day when rewatching Batman forever definitely underrated 👍
In the 90s Live Action Batman: Val Kilmer was my Batman, George Clooney was my Bruce Wayne's public persona, and Michael Keaton was Bruce Wayne's real persona.
To this day I think Kilmer played the best combination of Bruce/Batman..wish he would've done the next one.
11:03 that got me! You deserve a like for that.
Much love for Val. An extraordinary talent.
100% agree. I never really understood the negativity he got for being cast as Batman. And as you said, his portrayal of Bruce was pretty damn good (and also my favorite). It’s funny, I have been talking about this exact subject for so many years with friends and other Batman fans, but there’s this weird mob mentality about hating Batman Forever. Sure, it’s not a perfect movie, but it’s also definitely not a bad movie. I loved that they dug deeper into Bruce’s psyche, I just wish we could see the whole unedited film in its entirety. I saw this in the movie theater opening day when I was a kid, and that edited scene of the animatronic giant bat that he encounters in the cave would have been awesome to see on the big screen and probably would’ve felt emotionally profound I think. Side note: this is the reason I don’t like to compare all the actors who have portrayed Batman on screen, I feel like when it comes to the films, every single portrayal was a different ‘vision’ of Batman. With Tim Burton it was a much more Gothic Batman, with Joel Schumacher, he wanted to gear more towards the 1960s and 70s Batman comics with the neon and all the bright colors and a bit of campiness. With Nolan, it was more grounded in reality, a “what if Batman existed in the real world” take. With Snyder, I think he was aiming for a Batman based on more contemporary comics, and I’m excited to see where Matt Reeves takes the character next. So in my opinion, there is no “best Batman”, just different interpretations of him, and I like all of them for different reasons.
I don't think it was Schumacher himself that wanted to go towards 60s & 70s Batman its WB that wanted to go that direction which is why they hired Schumacher to make it happen
@@Mike-t5r9q yep I watched the documentary behind batman forever the bosses at Warner bros wanted a different direction for the third film
@@angelaholmes8888 yeah WB are complete morons because I would if loved to see a third Tim Burton batman film. Darker is better
@@Mike-t5r9q unfortunately by the time there were plans for a third film tim burton was basically done with the batman franchise I really enjoyed batman returns
Honestly I've always really liked this movie a lot ever since I was a kid. Love the soundtrack too. There's actually a slightly extended version which in the U.K is the blu ray version. It's like 2 minutes longer than the theatrical cut and has some slightly longer dialogue, and fight scenes. Also been thinking about getting the Hot Toys Batman Forever figures for a while.
I still have the VHS, poster and batmobile toy from this movie. The little lightbulb still works too.
At least one thing that works about the shot at 12:44 Is that he faces away from Chase. Shows you he's still keeping his secrets from her.
I’ve always felt Val was extremely underrated. Batman and Robin was the first Batman movie I ever technically remember watching as a kid but Batman Forever was the one that nailed it with me. His voice to me is the perfect way to do the Batman voice and Robert Pattinson has become my fav Batman ever since the first trailer was dropped at DC’s Fandome. Soon as I heard his voice I screamed “THATS IT THIS IS THE ONE!!!” Bale was an interesting take but it got old over 3 movies and his voice in Batman Begins vs Dark Knight was a big drop off imo. Batman Forever, Batman Begins, and The Batman are the perfect Batman voices in live action imo. They all 3 are the best mixes of both Bruce Wayne and Batman in there performances. Keaton I guess as well. Pretty much everyone except Ben Affleck w the robot voice modulator had a good Batman voice at one point or another.
Man I'd love to see the full 3hr version of this, some kind of producers cut or something since a directors cut is no longer possible, there must be some appetite for it in the Batman fandom
He was such a great Bruce Wayne is Batman was actually good. We just need that Schumacher cut three hour version dark actually serious I think this will fully give this whole movie redemption like the Snyder cut
Val has always been my personal favourite Batman actor I will never get the hate personally. Also the drive-through line is still one of the best lines
Val Kilmer is a legend. Definitely the best looking Bruce Wayne/Batman. The guy looked sharp!
Thank you!! I've been saying this for years!! People typically judge who the best batman is by how good the movies are instead of how great the actors were. In my opinion chrisrian bale's batman was only above george clooneys( slightly). Ben affleck's bruce wayne was great with a pretty good batman but not the best. I would have to give this role to kilmer slightly over keaton. Of course if you're a millennial michael keaton is your batman, i get it and i respect it. Val kilmer brought class and a certain amount of mystery to bruce wayne. His batman was intelligent and the he delivered the cheesy lines that they wrote for him very well. Val kilmers batman and bruce wayne( Highly Underrated).
awesome video sir! enjoyed this a lot
Great vid, i hope more people reappraise Forever. Gotta say the kevin Conroy cameo at the end finally got me and I'm misty eyed typing this, rip you beautiful soul.
Honestly I thought he was like the pin that held this movie that one step from total camp that Batman and Robin pulled out. He wasn't mind blowing but he did just fine.
He is my childhood favorite batman and one of my personal favorite batman.
He’s at the top of my list. I grew up with his Batman (born in the early 90s).
Dude, you hit the nail right on the head. You said everything I’ve been feeling ever since I first saw BF when I was 15. I think Val was a great Batman and no one will make me feel otherwise.
Batman Forever was the first VHS I bought with my own money when I was a child. It's also one of the movies from my childhood that I enjoy watching again without needing nostalgia to make me like it. I think if I had watched it as an adult without seeing it as a child, I would have liked it. I cannot say the same for Batman & Robin.
I've always loved Batman Forever. I was 7 when that movie came out and it was a constant watch for a Batman fan in the 90s.
I was 8 when it came out and it was just as big as Dark Knight when it came out… unfortunately, everybody craps on it today
@@nsasupporter7557 one thing val got down was bruce's "public face" down hes supposed to act like the rich aristorats, even come across a bit pompous like bale did with his wayne...when vee showed val as bruce and batman that clearly shows val got it perfectly
@@Chuck_EL agreed, Val Kilmer was a good Batman/Bruce Wayne, unfortunately it was an unpleasant experience for him
10:56 “you can trust bob kane cause he was in the room when bill finger invented Batman”.. lol
Spot on! Not going to say much because you covered it pretty well. And Kilmer was certainly more than just "good". And I felt his batman line delivery was great. My favorite being his riddle to the riddler, followed by "Exactly!". Sounded quite close to Conroy's Batman voice.
I always felt like Batman Forever and The Mask could of been in the same movie and it would of worked! I think it was even filmed at the same time
I loved his Batman when I was a kid
I’ll forever (🥁) attribute my love for Batman to Val Kilmer in the role. I was born a year after Batman ‘89, so 2:42 even though I went back to watch the Burton films and eventually grew to love Keaton in the role, Val was Batman to me now that I look back on it. My best memory of childhood was my dad taking me to see Batman Forever when I was 7, so yeah, Val Kilmer will always have my admiration and respect as the Caped Crusader.
This is how the rasp should be done. You want enough similarity that the audience can see Bruce is Batman but not so similar that they sound exactly the same. Unless you saw both voices side by side like the audience does, you wouldnt know they were the same.
Look at Kevin Conroy as Batman, his bruce wayne abd Bats are so different but similar. All he does is put authority into his Batman voice and make Bruce more light-hearted or even kind. Its a small difference that goes a long way.
Its better than the garbling marbles "WHERE ARE THE OTHER DRUGS GOING?" voice
Absolutely! I cant agree more. love him and he is a perfect batman
Val Kilmer is awesome Batman and Bruce Wane.
Very interesting. I NEVER felt they were the same Batman..anymore than the TV SERIES..or the various animated versions.
You were able to beautifully put into words what I have been thinking for years! At 11, I watched Forever before the Keaton movies. So, if for that alone, Val Kilmer's Batman will "forever" hold a special place in my heart
I was born in the early 80s so I've been around for all the Batman films from Michael Keaton 1989 to Robert Pattinson the Batman. Michael Keaton is my absolute favorite I loved Batman 89 and Batman Returns. I was 14 when Batman Forever was released in theaters. And honestly I had absolutely no problem with it. I've been a fan of Val Kilmer since I was a little kid first seeing him as madmartigan in Willow and Iceman Top Gun. Val Kilmer is an extraordinary actor. Batman Forever had a great cast of actors a kick-ass soundtrack and a well-thought-out story. And personally the panther black batsuit is my second-favorite designed to Keaton's 89 suit. Also Chris O'Donald made a great Dick Grayson Robin. The Love Theme Song Kiss From a Rose by Seal was an instant classic and remains as such to this day.
Yet one of the absolute finest performances.
I love your content ! I would be vert curious to see what you would propose for your OWN version of Batman ! Like if you did your own movies or show … i think that would be a incredible video
Val Kilmer level is perfectly between Keaton's and Clooney's
Love Batman Forever as is the Most Underrated of the Batman Movies and Val Kilmer is a Underrated Batman that in my Opinion He’s Solidly Good.
Val kilmer played a confident yet vulnerable bruce wayne
FINALLY!! A video on my favorite batman !
I've always seen Forever as taking the best elements from '66 and '89, while adding some more stuff from the comics. Because of that, you get this amazing portrayal of Bruce/Batman, a decent approximation of Frank Gorshin's Riddler with parts of something original, and something that would've been better with Billy Dee Williams. Though to be fair, most Two-Face comics at the time just rehashed two (ha) stories, his origin, and his getting his face fixed, so they weren't going to get anything good from the comics on that one.
That Bob Kane quip was gold!
I greatly loved Val Kilmer as batman! Definitely and underrated Batman and an underrated movie. But I think history will be kind to this story if they treat it as a one off like you said. For a while its almost treated as though Val Kilmer batman didn't exist. Im glad that is starting to change.
Batman Forever was the first movie i saw in theaters when i was 4 and is my second favorite in the franchise, ive always thought it was a different Batman than the previous, i hope one day Warner Bros make a Schumacher cut and cut all the scenes that connects it to Burtons batman and make it its own officially or maybe with the upcoming Flash movie this will be the case, thatd be great
This was a very good analysis of Batman Forever and the character Batman/Bruce Wayne
i literally just finished watching this movie, what a eerie coincidence i stumble upon this video!
Yes! Video on Batman Forever’s Robin!
As a kid, I loved Batman Forever. Still do to this day. Keaton might have been the first and he IS Batman, but Forever needs more love. Burton's Batman was way darker, but Schumacher's Batman was a whole party.
I don't think people understand just how huge Forever was at release unless they experienced the build first hand.
It was everywhere in advertising, even the soundtrack as well was advertised on TV.
The music of Batman Forever, as well as the score is fantastic on all fronts and is just as good as the Elfman score from the previous films.
McDonald's had special glass Batman cups.
Plus the toy companies had a field day in merch. Pretty sure got a few of those toys myself.
Forever had one of the highest opening days if not THE highest of all time. 15 million dollars.
It wasn't just a movie.
It was a spectacle.
Everybody and their brother wanted to be a part of Batman & Robin because of Forever's success.
Val Kilmer was the best thing about this movie. He saved the movie for me. My favorite line he deliver was "If Bruce Wayne could have given his life for your family, he would have".
Great video analysis. Makes me want to rewatch this film now
I agree. Not only is he the most underrated Batman, but probably the most underrated Batman movie. This one, I think, stuck closest to the traditional Comic Book/Saturday Morning Cartoon style.
As a kid with no understanding of the comics, just watching these 4 movies in order, I always thought it was so cool seeing the public lauding over Batman in the 3rd and 4th movies.
The Batman casting reflects the James Bond casting;
Keaton: the Sean Connery of Batman, who set the standard
Kilmer: the George Lazenby of Batman, who was way better than people care to admit, but is ultimately forgotten
Clooney: the Roger Moore of Batman, the silliest and campiest of the Batmans
Bale: the Timothy Dalton of Batman, the darkest of the Batmans, who helped steer the series in a new direction
Affleck: he's the only one who defies this trend as he's not the best, but not the worst
Pattinson: the Daniel Craig of Batman, perhaps the most screen accurate to the source material
At least, that's how I always saw it.
So, Affleck can't be Pierce Brosnan? Because the same analogy could apply to his Bond that applies to Affleck's Batman too.
@@NeoConnor1 You've got a point.
Val Kilmer did a great job as batman/Bruce Wayne and I really enjoyed batman forever his performance and the film are so underappreciated
Awesome portrayal
One of my favourites of the 90's
Great video 😎👍
Batman Forever is my favorite
Thank you! you just saved me a watch
Back when I was growing up, Kilmer was my fav batman and Forever was my fav installment. His Bruce Wayne was immaculate and his Batman was the coolest looking.
In my opinion, I love these movies, they were the first ever movies I saw and it never left my mind, yea I might be wrong but God damnit I love these damn movies
Yeah, Batman Forever, it's getting rave reviews, just like all your Batman reviews, Vee, keep em coming
I always loved how in Batman Forever Robin did become Knightwing and let’s not forget this same exact suit was used in Ed Boon and Warner Games Injustice 1&2
Those McDonald's glasses were dope though.
definitely THE underated and underappreciated batman of them all