10 Reasons Batman Forever Is Better Than Any Other Batman Movie

By hiring such a hot property in the '90s as Nicole Kidman, Schumacher put all his cards on the table by leaning into the more human element of the Bat. If you are going to have a world-renowned actress in the love interest role, why not make this the focus of the dual identity crisis so often left by the wayside in Bat Cinema.

Val Kilmer plays the part perfectly, constantly struggling with the idea that his crime-fighting days could be over if he just accepted happiness and settled down. Even preparing an evening with Dr. Chase Meridian to tell all and hang up the cowl. Fate intervenes of course but it's the segments before all this that solidifies this Bruce Wayne as the most conflicted.

Credit also to Kidman and writer Akiva Goldsman who, in making Dr. Meridian a psychologist tasked with aiding in the profiling of criminal Two-Face, also applied the same conclusions to Bruce and the Bat.

By having his own life examined, Bruce legitimately took the time to see the crazy in what he did and come to an informed choice about his future, not just brooding and pretending to toy with the idea as others that both preceded and followed did.

There isn't a lot anyone wouldn't give up for Nicole Kidman in her prime too.