Batman Forever 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Batman Forever 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Warner Brothers has released Director Joel Schumacher's 1995 Superhero film 'Batman Forever' to the UHD format (also being released are 1989's 'Batman,' 1992's 'Batman Returns,' and 1997's 'Batman & Robin'). The new release features a gorgeous 2160p/HDR video presentation and an equally engaging Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The included Blu-ray, which has been remastered and also includes the Atmos soundtrack, carries over the supplements previously found in the 2009 Anthology Collection. There is no individual retail release for the remastered Blu-ray; at time of writing, purchasing this UHD set is the only means of obtaining it.

Batman Forever 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from the included remastered 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

Like Batman Returns, this UHD boasts a significant color solidification, appearing consistently deeper and more dense when compared to the aging VC-1 Blu-ray. Whites appear more crisp, the neons more bold, skin tones healthier and warmer. The opening titles enjoy more color brilliance and the white titles that appear over film footage offer a more intense pop and stability, and as with Batman Returns Warner Brothers has eliminated the accompanying wobble. The aforementioned neon hues that dot a dark Gotham, such as in chapter 19 when Grayson takes the Batmobile for a joy ride, are amongst the many high luminance highlights with some special attention also paid to glow-in-the-dark graffiti and body paint that jumps off the screen against the bleak black and gray backgrounds. The film is nowhere near as shadowy as the Burton films, though Forever does cling to a fairly dark visual tone overall. Schumacher maintains a good bit of shadow and darkness but inserts massive bursts of color that the HDR coloring handles with aplomb. Black levels are handsomely firm and shadow detailing is perfect, particularly down in the bat cave where there's no competing bright neon light sources tinkering with total black depth. Even seen most often in relatively low light, Two-Face's colorfully scarred face and Riddler's bright green outfit and orange hair pop with screen command and find a level of saturation and color clarity that is well beyond the elder Blu-ray's capabilities.

The UHD's 2160p resolution boasts a massive textural increase over the VC-1 Blu-ray. It's sharper and crisper from corner to corner. Faces and costumes are very well resolved, showcasing fine pore, wrinkle, and makeup detail with screen-commanding clarity. The Two-Face makeup, even though it's rarely seen in agreeable light, finds a much more obviously tactile feel for the gross imperfections that the makeup artists have so carefully crafted. Riddler glitter, Grayson beads of sweat and chalk during the circus performance, and various costumes (including the densely rubbery Batman and Robin outfits) blow away the old Blu-ray for total clarity and precise definition. Gotham exteriors and Batcave interiors are likewise razor sharp corner to corner in every frame. The image is completed by a complimentary and light grain structure, accenting the film source and delivering a very healthy and filmic image. It's not as nice looking by its nature as the Burton movies, but this UHD reflects Joel Schumacher's vision superbly well.

The remastered 1080p Blu-ray, which is not available separately, is of course much closer to the UHD than is the VC-1 disc of yore. It lacks the color and textural finesse, of course, but is very representative of the UHD's core qualities and improvements over the old disc. Even for those who cannot play back the UHD, the package is well worth buying for the Blu-ray alone.

Batman Forever 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

In its LaserDisc and DVD days, Batman Forever was one of this reviewer's favorite demo titles for its multichannel audio, notably the way the opening titles swoop towards the screen, scream from one channel to another, and the music crescendos to images of Batman gearing up to do battle against Two-Face. The new Dolby Atmos soundtrack certainly continues the tradition, with the sounds more muscular, better pronounced, and enjoying a modicum of overhead support that is seamlessly blended into the proceedings. The track reflects its time. It's big, loud, and over-engineered but a lot of fun. It's certainly not timid about making use of the entire stage with tons of discrete effects throughout the film, all of which still bring a smile to the face even when the audio doesn't hold up against today's more refined sound designs.

Moments later after the opening titles, the Batmobile rushes through Gotham with a heavy zip and zoom that fills and traverses every channel at its disposal. Chapter 14 offers additional, similar sounds of zipping missiles and the Batmobile powering through Gotham's streets, taking Batman to his latest fight against a gaggle of goons. The track has much to offer in every action scene. Explosions rock, the stage becomes overwhelmed with debris and chaos, and elemental clarity is quite good, if not a bit overzealous. Music's muscular stage saturation finds a front-end dominance but is unafraid to wrap the listener in the potent notes, creating a full-stage envelopment that manages to find and maintain balance with additional elements during the movie's most hectic and sonically busy action scenes. Surrounds are in service for the duration and the overhead channels chime in with both modest support effects and more discrete details. Two-Face's comedically poetic speech on justice over a frightened security guard in the film's opening minutes reverberates quite nicely about the stage's top end. A helicopter whirls overhead moments later, a feel for falling debris tumbles atop the listener in chapter 23, and booming thunder cracks above the listener in chapter 27. Dialogue is always clear, well prioritized, and grounded in the front-center (save for those situations that warrant a greater feel for space, such as the aforementioned Two-Face bit or late in the film when The Riddler confronts Batman as if a game show host).

Batman Forever 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Batman Forever's UHD disc contains only a legacy commentary track with Director Joel Schumacher. The included remastered Blu-ray has that track in addition to all of the supplements that Warner Brothers included with the Anthology set. For convenience, find below a breakdown of what's included. For full supplemental content reviews, please click here. This release includes a Movies Anywhere digital copy code and ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Director Joel Schumacher
• Riddle Me This? Why is Batman Forever?
• Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight Pt. 5 - Reinventing a Hero
• Batman Forever: The Heroes
• Batman Forever: The Villains
• Beyond Batman
• Deleted Scenes
• Music Video: "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal.
• Theatrical Trailer

Batman Forever 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Batman Forever...yeah. It's not awful but it's also a shell of the Burton films, even the lesser Batman Returns. It's too much style, and that style doesn't bring a particularly good aesthetic with it, either. The movie is very much product of its time: big sound, grossly overdone, and anything but subtle. Kilmer is fine but forgettable as the Caped Crusader and the rest of the cast is rather meh, though Jim Carrey is a natural fit for The Riddler (and it would have been great to see what Billy Dee Williams might have done as Two-Face in a more serious Burton or Burton-esque production). Warner Brothers' UHD release of Batman Forever does boast superb 2160p/HDR video and Dolby Atmos audio. Supplements are ported over from the previously issued Blu-ray. Recommended.