The Ending Of Batman Forever Explained
https://www.looper.com/1040415/the-ending-of-batman-forever-explained/
BY CHRIS HINTON/UPDATED: OCT. 5, 2022 7:05 PM EDTshare
Nothing strikes fear in the hearts of criminals like tight rubber and a masked gaze that would put Derek Zoolander to shame on the runway. On the runway, they'd call it "The Smoldering Bat." Too on the nose? Regardless, Val Kilmer portrays a Batman who is uniquely designed to cause villains to do a quick double-take instead of truly shrieking in fear. The Joel Schumacher-directed "Batman Forever" is a product of the '90s, and it is there that it will remain. It's a time capsule of sorts, where camp and buffoonery meet grit and sexual tension in an often awkward pairing that will share neither the timelessness of Tim Burton's "Batman" nor the evolved and provocatively complex magnetism of Matt Reeves' "The Batman." Still, "Forever" will always remain a part of the Dark Knight's on-screen legacy for better or worse.
"Batman Forever" didn't crash land like its successor, "Batman & Robin." In fact, it was a massive box office smash that surprised audiences with its slick pop sensibility after many were put off by the grim psychosexual grotesquery of Burton's "Batman Returns" (via The Hollywood Reporter). With "Forever," Schumacher and company created a world of cartoonish delights like beach ball-sized bombs, mind-sucking lasers, and Two-Face's ridiculous split-image lair. Meanwhile, the movie attempts to deal with the psyche behind a man who dresses as a bat to protect his city, commenting on the penchant for many to equate tragedy with destiny.
Has it aged well? That's up to each individual fan's patience for its mid-'90s virtues. But underneath all the cringe-inducing dialogue, zany Jim Carrey one-liners, and the strange air of eroticism permeating the film, there's a discussion regarding true emotional turmoil and how one actually copes. Let's dive into the more fascinating elements of the narrative behind "Batman Forever."