Every franchise has its tipping point; a moment which sends it into a new direction that, for better or worse, is something that will define its future. Batman Forever was one of those fixed points in franchise history, and it's a thorn that's sat in the series' side for as long as the title suggests. Which means it's perfect for the Honest Trailer roasting that you can watch below.
There is some brutal honesty in this trailer for the 1995 Joel Schumacher-directed follow-up to the much darker, definitely more Tim Burton-styled Batman Returns. There was undoubtedly some interesting choices made, like the decision to cast Chris O'Donnell as a Robin that embodied the edgy '90s era of which Batman Forever was truly a product. Not to mention that Tommy Lee Jones' approach to the Two-Face role was as questionable as the set design for his lair. Even the casting of Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne/Batman is held up to scrutiny, and it's something that still raises debates to this day.
Yet despite all of the candy colored crazieness that Batman Forever gave its audience, it did seem to contribute three lasting pieces of entertainment. The first being the iconic "Batman giving a thumbs up from the Batwing" GIF that even the folks at Screen Junkies have used. Quite honestly, as far as approval GIFs go, you really can't go wrong with Val Kilmer's gesture. Also, Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" really does hold up even in the most trying and jaded times this world has to throw at us. One would think that if this song were to sneak its way into Justice League's final cut at the last minute, there'd be some goodwill won out of the deal.
But the most important part to Batman Forever's lasting appeal is the fact that it's simply not Batman and Robin, which followed two years later. Sure, Batman Forever is a bright and silly romp, especially when compared to the darker, more gothic tone of Tim Burton's revered duology, but it isn't the disastrous franchise killing entry that its successor would eventually go on to become. Its victory is courtesy of a technicality, but that's still something. Besides, it's hard to argue that, as his new Honest Trailer approved nickname implies, Jim Carrey really did do some heavy lifting to keep Batman Forever afloat. And hey, let's not forget that this was the first step towards paving the way for Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy.
You can see the latest cinematic iteration of Batman back in action when Justice League hits theaters in early shows tomorrow night. But if you already have your tickets, then feel free to plan out the rest of your movie year with our 2017 release schedule.
