Batman Forever 1995

Janet Maslin, New York Times: The film recovers from that initial confusion to get stronger as it goes along, and to shape up as a free-form playground for its various masquerading stars. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: Joel Schumacher submits to the Wagnerian bombast with an overly busy surface, and the script by Lee and Janet Scott Batchler and Akiva Goldsman basically runs through the formula as if it's a checklist. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: This loud and boisterous comic book confidential is serviceable enough to satisfy. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: By now, Jim Carrey is doing sarcastic takes on his own sarcasm, and there's something funny and a little scary in that. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: It's lighter, brighter, funnier, faster-paced, and a whole lot more colorful than before. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: It's great bubble gum for the eyes. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: A grand- scale effort that's more awe-inspiring than completely successful as entertainment. Read more

Time Out: The second sequel to Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster makes its predecessors appear models of subtlety and coherence. Read more

Brian Lowry, Variety: As for Kilmer, he gamely steps into the dual Batman/Wayne role but can't get much traction, finding, as Michael Keaton had, that beyond a stern jaw there's not much to be done with it, since the suit does most of the work. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Carrey lights up an otherwise over-scripted, over-frenetic potboiler. Read more