

Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman), whose expertise has grown into fetishist obsession. Schumacher wastes no time in ensuring fans this is an unmistakably different vision for the series when several minutes are devoted to Val Kilmer's Batman thwarting the bizarre sexual advancements of Dr. The end result is perhaps the most expensive, absurdly flamboyant phantasmagoria of comic book stereotypes, bathed in a garish, sensationally hypnotizing array of colors thanks to the talents of cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt.

However, for Batman Forever, Schumacher complied with studio execs' thirst for the family-friendly market, turning in a laughably cartoonish and ultimately preposterous version of the Dark Knight. And this is where director Joel Schumacher steps in, a filmmaker noted for his tonally-somber, mature-themed and psychologically-complex thrillers, such as The Lost Boys, Falling Down and A Time to Kill. That meant essentially course-correcting Tim Burton's darker fantasy, character-driven direction, established in the aforementioned sequel.

decided to take the franchise in a more suitable-for-children direction while increasing its merchandising potential. Despite the financial success of Batman Returns, Warner Bros.
