1/6 Hot Toys Batman Forever Batman (sonar suit)

[Khev]

When I take the film for what it is, without unrealistic standards, I find it at least fun. I've seen it twice I think? Once fairly recently. Maybe I'll take another look tonight.

Apologies in advance if in a few hours you're posting "okay Khev what the **** did you just trick me into watching?!?"

 

[DiFabio]

Okay there are few threads on the internet where I probably won't get shredded for saying this but here goes anyway, lol.

I just watched BF from beginning to end on the new 4K disc that came out this year and holy crap is that a gorgeous film. I won't get into comparisons with current films but you guys probably know where I could easily go. Cinematography is becoming a lost art for many blockbusters and BF really highlights that fact.

As for the movie itself, um, yeah I really like, lol. It's weird just how different this one is than B&R. All the characters actually talk like normal human beings for the most part. Bruce and Chase even have dare I say "cute" and natural banter with one another as opposed to just spouting one-liners. Okay the rooftop scene with the black rubber/try a fireman exchange was very one-liner-y and gave us the famous "it's the car right, chicks dig the car" which then dominated *every* line in B&R but other than that one rooftop exchange the dialogue is otherwise pretty natural throughout.

Jim Carrey's physical performance is still as entertaining as ever and kind of mind-blowing just how the guy moves his whole body. Sure we still see the Bale's and the Phoenix's greatly increasing or decreasing their weight, Hanks and Maguire did the same last decade, but freaking nobody glides around a set like Carrey did. It gives BF a level of (as the Riddler himself put it) "showmanship" that just isn't matched in any possibly any other cbm. The car chases and Batman acrobatics/fights are pretty cool too.

BF is loud and bright and many would say garish (not that they'd be wrong) but I just can't right it off as a bad movie. Seeing the jaw dropping 4K even helped remind me of why I easily ranked it above the Burton films when it first came out.

And yeah I know this post will be a lot to take for people even in this thread so roast away, lol.

I agree with most of this, but it could have been better though. They cut out a ton of stuff that would have improved the characters.

My biggest gripe is when Batman and Robin reach Claw Island at the end. Everything happens way too quick. Batman and Robin get shot down, they get split apart and it takes Batman like a couple of seconds to get up to the Riddler's throne room. Basically, I would have liked to have seen Batman and Robin fight side by side more before Robin gets captured. Just one solid scene of Batman and Robin entering Claw Island, fighting some Two-Face/Riddler thugs in some kind of maze type action set piece before getting split apart.

The movie has great action scenes for Batman (this is sacrilegious, but I'd argue that opening bank fight and Batman dropping through the skylight fighting the thugs at the hotel is more impressive than any of the set pieces in other Batman films), but all Robin got to do was fight Two-Face for a couple of seconds in a garish green environment where you barely see them. Even as a kid, I wanted to see Batman and Robin team up to take down the two villains, and you don't really get that. It was a missed opportunity.

Then you do get that in Batman and Robin (where Clooney and O'Donnell share almost every scene together), but the fights in that are campy 60s show tier, sound effects and all. Plus Robin doesn't look like Robin in it.

 

[Khev]

I agree with most of this, but it could have been better though. They cut out a ton of stuff that would have improved the characters.

My biggest gripe is when Batman and Robin reach Claw Island at the end. Everything happens way too quick.

Ha ha, yeah. I even laughed out loud when Batman threw his batarang at the end. Okay so all you have to do to take out the Riddler's entire fortress is simply throw *any* object at the giant chandelier hanging in the middle of the room? Kind of a big achilles heel there wouldn't you say Ed?

But the costume, set design, performances and music still made the scene work. And I did like Riddler freaking out at the approaching Bat image though and also how Bruce dispatched Two-Face. That was clever and cool. And man if you don't have the 4K yet I *highly* recommend it. I'm not kidding about it being jaw dropping. The colors (particularly when Riddler and Two-Face are in full costume and in a scene together), deep blacks and shadows on Bruce's suit and on and on. It really is beautiful.

Batman and Robin get shot down, they get split apart and it takes Batman like a couple of seconds to get up to the Riddler's throne room. Basically, I would have liked to have seen Batman and Robin fight side by side more before Robin gets captured. Just one solid scene of Batman and Robin entering Claw Island, fighting some Two-Face/Riddler thugs in some kind of maze type action set piece before getting split apart.

The movie has great action scenes for Batman (this is sacrilegious, but I'd argue that opening bank fight and Batman dropping through the skylight fighting the thugs at the hotel is more impressive than any of the set pieces in other Batman films), but all Robin got to do was fight Two-Face for a couple of seconds in a garish green environment where you barely see them. Even as a kid, I wanted to see Batman and Robin team up to take down the two villains, and you don't really get that. It was a missed opportunity.

Yeah that would have been cool. And I'm glad you called out the fight sequences above. From day one that shot of Batman swinging through the doors and knocking the goons down while he strikes that badass silhouette against the open elevator shaft has always been one of my favorite shots in any cbm. And him back flipping out of the fountain is still cool to this day as well.

Then you do get that in Batman and Robin (where Clooney and O'Donnell share almost every scene together), but the fights in that are campy 60s show tier, sound effects and all. Plus Robin doesn't look like Robin in it.

It's so jarring just how different BF and B&R are from one another even though most people lump them together as one. *Why* does Uma Thurman speak in that weird Shatner-y cadence in every scene? Even goofy characters like Two-Face's girlfriends didn't talk so silly. When Drew Barrymore tells Bruce "you can call me anything you want" she still sounds like a normal person at least.

 

[Chuck72586]

I think I've said this before, but while I enjoy Batman 89 the most out of the Burton/Schumacher era, I think Batman Forever is technically the best all around Batman film of the bunch. I think it ticks the most boxes of what you'd expect to see in a Batman movie. Bruce Wayne as the billionaire playboy philanthropist, Wayne Enterprise, Batman not killing. Also, I think Bruce Wayne/Batman gets a decent story, and character arc in the movie which he certainly didn't have in Batman Returns and to a lesser degree in Batman 89.

 

[Wor-Gar]

 

[Rinzler27]

Okay there are few threads on the internet where I probably won't get shredded for saying this but here goes anyway, lol.

I just watched BF from beginning to end on the new 4K disc that came out this year and holy crap is that a gorgeous film. I won't get into comparisons with current films but you guys probably know where I could easily go. Cinematography is becoming a lost art for many blockbusters and BF really highlights that fact.

As for the movie itself, um, yeah I really like, lol. It's weird just how different this one is than B&R. All the characters actually talk like normal human beings for the most part. Bruce and Chase even have dare I say "cute" and natural banter with one another as opposed to just spouting one-liners. Okay the rooftop scene with the black rubber/try a fireman exchange was very one-liner-y and gave us the famous "it's the car right, chicks dig the car" which then dominated *every* line in B&R but other than that one rooftop exchange the dialogue is otherwise pretty natural throughout.

Jim Carrey's physical performance is still as entertaining as ever and kind of mind-blowing just how the guy moves his whole body. Sure we still see the Bale's and the Phoenix's greatly increasing or decreasing their weight, Hanks and Maguire did the same last decade, but freaking nobody glides around a set like Carrey did. It gives BF a level of (as the Riddler himself put it) "showmanship" that just isn't matched in any possibly any other cbm. The car chases and Batman acrobatics/fights are pretty cool too.

BF is loud and bright and many would say garish (not that they'd be wrong) but I just can't right it off as a bad movie. Seeing the jaw dropping 4K even helped remind me of why I easily ranked it above the Burton films when it first came out.

And yeah I know this post will be a lot to take for people even in this thread so roast away, lol.

I agree whole heartedly. BF has been my favorite Batman film since I was a kid. There is just something about it that you don't see anymore. I think it blended the campiness of the 60's series and the seriousness of the comics so well. I picked up the Xensation Riddler & Two Face from ebay this year because it was the only way I could rep this movie. I am praying they come out with Batman and Robin because they look awesome. Next year is the 25th Anniversary of the film so hopefully we at least get a pre order announcement by then.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I picked up the Xensation Riddler & Two Face from ebay this year ....

This year? Those are really expensive now.

 

[Rinzler27]

This year? Those are really expensive now.

Yeah it wasnt cheap but i got lucky with a deal on two face.

 

[MedievaL]

Forever just unfortunately got tacked to B&R and ridiculed as they were both from the same director.

 

[franpincho]

All things considered, the above may be why my collecting went from a trickle to nothing.

I?m not their target market anymore. [emoji50]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This so much.

It will be Marvel/SW for the next 10 years or more.

 

[Captain Clown]

The biggest blunder on their part is the Phoenix Joker. Holy ****, talk about a missed opportunity and getting caught with your pants down. That film has been huge, Joker is an iconic figure (and what I'd argue put Hot Toys on the map) and there's nothing. Nada. No teaser, no announcement, no figure. Sure, there might be some legal reason they didn't make it, but it would have been the perfect time to release that awesome Romero Joker or another Jack Joker or a Ledger Nurse Joker or something Joker related, right?

They actually shared the final Joker trailer on facebook ten days before the movie released, but no official "coming soon" announcement. I think that's a little fishy. At least we're still getting figures of Iron Man from the first Avengers movie, somehow.

 

[dukefett]

That's another thing. If it's all about their Hong Kong based audience and what they like to see (which is Iron Man and War Machine apparently), why the hell would you pay to pick up the rights to do figures from an obscure Batman movie from 1995? Does anyone in Asia even know or remember Batman Forever? It's just such an oddity.

Going back to the Leto Joker stuff, it's also hard to believe that the Returns Batman was shown 5 years ago and they never visited that license ever again. That figure (and two pack with Wayne) sold out pretty quickly and it goes for big bucks on the secondary market now. The same can be said with the DX 09 and DX 08 which go for obscene prices now. Even the NECA Catwoman and Penguin were insanely popular. Why they never pursued Penguin and Catwoman or a suit vault or even a battle damaged variation of Batman just doesn't make much sense to me. It felt too early to start diving into Batman Forever.

I also miss their vehicles. I'm looking at that '89 Batmobile they made right now as I post this and realize something like that will NEVER happen again. What happened to their 1/12 line? A one 1/12 '89 Batwing? That thing would SELL. Same with classic X-Wings and TIE Fighters. It's so annoying how they show these potential products at shows with the little "TBD" plaques only for them to never be seen again. It's becoming more and more common too.

Since you mentioned the Batwing, Joost just mentioned today on Facebook that he's going to do a 12 spot run of them; $1,999 though:
https://www.jazzincdioramas.com/product/premium-1989-batwing-in-1-6-scale/?v=7516fd43adaa

 

[Wor-Gar]

Since you mentioned the Batwing, Joost just mentioned today on Facebook that he's going to do a 12 spot run of them; $1,999 though:
https://www.jazzincdioramas.com/product/premium-1989-batwing-in-1-6-scale/?v=7516fd43adaa

Joost is just amazing. I hope he turns that "work shop" of his in to a genuine super-company one day soon. Watch out Hot Toys!

I would love to play with someone's Batwing.

 

[DiFabio]

What’s that made out of?

 

[Cicada17]

Since you mentioned the Batwing, Joost just mentioned today on Facebook that he's going to do a 12 spot run of them; $1,999 though:
https://www.jazzincdioramas.com/product/premium-1989-batwing-in-1-6-scale/?v=7516fd43adaa

Thanks for posting! I couldn?t resist. Got in on a payment plan. This is epic!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wor-Gar]

Dreams do come true.

I'm sure it will have light-up cockpit. What about opening missile doors? Will the balloon scissors come out? So epic!!!!

 

[Sephiroth1089]

Since you mentioned the Batwing, Joost just mentioned today on Facebook that he's going to do a 12 spot run of them; $1,999 though:
https://www.jazzincdioramas.com/product/premium-1989-batwing-in-1-6-scale/?v=7516fd43adaa

Thanks for posting. This looks promising.

 

[Tyranus7]

Since you mentioned the Batwing, Joost just mentioned today on Facebook that he's going to do a 12 spot run of them; $1,999 though:
https://www.jazzincdioramas.com/product/premium-1989-batwing-in-1-6-scale/?v=7516fd43adaa

Nice, not interested but maybe someday we will see "The Bat" in sixth scale version

Enviado desde mi G8441 mediante Tapatalk

 

[snoop101]

I'd much rather have the 89' batwing than the monstrosity that was "the bat." That thing looked more like a mosquito.

 

[DiFabio]

Yeah the Bat is hideous. One of the worst vehicle designs for a Batman movie since the Ice Glow Bathammer from Batman and Robin.

The ‘89 Batwing design still stands the test of time. It’s so classy.