Batman Forever MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 Content: -1

The newest Batman installment finally delivers the dynamic duo of Batman (Val Kilmer) and Robin (Chris O'Donnell). Robin is an orphan who loses his circus performing family, thanks to the evil schemes of grotesquely scarred Harvey Two Face (Tommy Lee Jones). Batman and Robin team up to bring Two Face to justice. Then, Two Face finds an ally in the Riddler played by Jim Carrey, a disgruntled, psychopathic employee of Bruce Wayne's (alias Batman) corporation. As Harvey and the Riddler try every imaginable way to destroy Batman, intense fighting, shooting and property destruction fill the screen at a frantic, unrelenting pace. And Director Burton's fantastic lighting effects, spectacular sets and weapons gadgetry are a sight to behold. Jim Carrey almost steals the show with an amazingly bizarre performance. And it appears that Batman may settle down to domestic life when he falls for Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman), a beautiful female psychologist. All the action takes place under the cloak of night, but it is lit up with glitzy, splashy lighting of countless varieties. Considering its fast-paced action sequences and fantastic special effects, Batman just might keep on running forever in the theatres this summer.

Gotham is indeed a city of the night where almost every character seems to have a split personality. The schizophrenic Two Face, the envy-filled Riddler and the psychologically troubled Batman, make for a dark film. Added to this are relentless hand battles, shooting, and mass destruction of property. In one horrifying incident, the Riddler's mind is accidentally destroyed with a mind manipulation device he has developed. Overall, the violence is not gory or unusually explicit, but it is so prevalent that it amounts to exploiting violence to entertain. The relationship between Batman and Dr. Meridian evolves into romance, but no sexual relations are shown. However, wearing revealing clothes, she becomes seductive in some scenes.Also, she and Batman exchange suggestive remarks such as Batman asking her if she is trying to get under his cape. The Riddler also indulges in some sexual quips and on one occasion grabs his crotch briefly for laughs. To its credit, the dialogue contains no obscenities or profanities, but several mild crude words are spoken.Good does win over evil, and Batman admonishes Robin that revenge will not resolve his anger. Although less intense than previous sequels, BATMAN FOREVER seems to fly too far in the direction of gratuitous violence and sexually suggestive content, particularly for those under 13.

Preview Reviewer: Greg Wilson and John Evans
Distributor: Warner Bros., 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91522