11 Campiest Quotes From Batman Forever

"Riddle me this, riddle me that, who's afraid of the big, black bat?" The villainous Riddler is a cheeky one always ready to stick his thumb in the face of naysayers. But let's be honest: The Riddler is a product of the Golden Age of comic books. It's an era where the idea of superheroes was relatively new, and everything in showbiz and novelty entertainment was a bit tawdry and overzealous — at least compared to modern sensibilities. As far as villains are concerned, the Riddler was among the most conniving and flashy, always maintaining an ego that slightly out-measured his own wit. Batman, as a hero, isn't much different. Look at the man; he embraces theatrics by scouring across rooftops wearing a bat costume.

Since storytelling and cinema have evolved over the decades, we've surpassed the inflection point at which most stories are now told with a real-world backdrop instead of some silly comic book caper. But for a time, the cartoony characters both in the pages of comics and on television screens across the globe could only make sense to us as entertainment with a little dose of camp, and a light-hearted undertone. In those days, they weren't supposed to be taken seriously. In '89, Batman returned to live-action bigger and far darker than ever seen before. After director Tim Burton passed on future Batman projects, his replacement, director Joel Schumacher, apparently didn't get the memo that the Dark Knight was heading in a different direction from his '60s counterpart. There's plenty of campy dialogue in "Batman Forever" that'll inspire both laughter and a cringe or two. Let's take a look at some of the campiest lines in the film.

The Riddler and Jim Carrey are one and the same, really. The on-screen actor's portrayal isn't a far cry from any of the other zany characters Carrey portrayed in the '90s. The comedic actor is known for his animated approach to dialogue and humor. Besides, no one would be surprised if we found out that Carrey ad-libbed any of his lines. He certainly has a unique style toward comedy, and the Riddler is the embodiment of that.

In an early sequence in the film, he becomes angered after Bruce Wayne (Val Kilmer) rejects his proposal for a brain wave manipulating device. This sends good ol' Eddie Nygma over the edge, and he kills his boss. Before he gets to that point, however, he uses the poor sap as a human trial for his experiment. In order to wrangle the guy into his chair, he has to knock him unconscious. The blunt object of choice? A coffee pot. Nygma then taunts his downed victim, "Caffeine'll kill ya!" in a move that either made you cringe or smile with nostalgic delight. Either way, no one can deny the ridiculousness of this villainous one-liner. Only Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze would go on to top the Riddler's banter and pun-based one-liners in the following film, "Batman & Robin."

Batman is, himself, an enigma — at least to those he shares company with. There's often a deep desire to know the man behind the mask. Yet, from a civilian perspective, that'd take much of the mystique away from the crime fighter. Furthermore, Batman's enemies would then be able to identify him as a mere man, not some fearsome hell-spawned creature of the night seeking justice. But Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) has a different sort of eye for the Caped Crusader. As a psychologist, she longs to understand what drives Batman. Being close to both the vigilante hero and his secret identity as Bruce Wayne, it's a total wonder that she never puts two and two together herself.

Maybe she's distracted by lust. "Batman Forever" doesn't abandon the sexual tension audiences witnessed between Catwoman and Batman in Tim Burton's "Batman Returns." Right out the gate, Dr. Meridian comes on to the Dark Knight in a big, bold way. She plays seduction like an alter-ego, and ultimately wraps Bruce Wayne around her finger. When calling the Dark Knight using the Bat signal, she remarks, "I wish I could say that my interest in you was ... purely professional." To which Batman retorts, "Are you trying to get under my cape, Doctor?" Surely, that line elicited a laugh or two. But it also highlights a rather interesting notion that the leading man is being pursued by the girl with her own set of pick-up lines — a rarity for films in the '90s.

Every villain knows that allies are important. After all, the odds are stacked against them. All throughout comic book history, heroes are typically triumphant nine times out of 10. The Riddler finds a sense of kinship in the monstrous former DA, Harvey Dent (Tommy Lee Jones). After seeing the crazed mobster on television relentlessly pursuing the demise of the Dark Knight, the Riddler decides that he is going to court the man as an ally in his own cause. Their goals do align. Two-Face clearly has the muscle, and the Riddler has the brains.

What better way to approach a feared gangster to ask for his hand in villainy than to break into his lair and scare the ever-living tar out of him? It almost doesn't go so swimmingly for Ed as Two-Face threatens to put a bullet in his skull for violating "the sanctity" of his lair. He was just getting ready to sit down to two meals prepared by his girlfriends, who seemingly represent both sides of his personality. Of course, because Two-Face is obsessed with duality, literally everything in his life has to be a reference to it — even his lair. Half of the lair is white and decadent, while the other half looks like a pad fit for the prince of darkness. The Riddler takes note saying, "I simply love what you have done with this place. Heavy Metal meets House and Garden." The Riddler's sarcastic wit knows no bounds.

If you're a Batman fan, but are totally unsure who Dr. Chase Meridian is, well, you couldn't be faulted. She's a totally original character unique to this film. She does draw a few similarities to Harley Quinn, an iconic Batman villain, but the good doctor is not a villain. However, she does have an eye for Batman, and almost ends the Caped Crusader entirely. That is, she professes her love for Bruce Wayne which causes him to rethink his entire vigilante operation. However, the moment Batman is first introduced to the doctor, they strike up a connection based on flirtation and mutual admiration.

Commissioner Gordon (Pat Hingle) explains that Chase is a consultant that he had brought in from out of town. Batman needs no explanation, he already knows exactly who she is. "I read your work. Insightful," Batman states after recognizing that she specializes in abnormal psychology and multiple personalities. Chase takes the statement as a compliment. "Not every girl makes a superhero's night table," she remarks in the first of many flirtations with the Dark Knight. We get where this is all going, but Chase lays it on thick and quick in a remarkably humorous fashion.

Of course, there are plenty of viewers who have never picked up a Batman comic book in their entire lives. The movies weren't just made for fans. They were also meant to rope in newcomers. It only makes sense that Warner Bros. would want the biggest audience possible. Money is the name of the game, after all. Therefore, the film has to offer a little exposition here and there. Just think about it: "Forever" may have been the first introduction to Two-Face for some. It's a strange thought for most of us well-versed in Batman lore, but it's the truth. These people are then going to wonder why half of the man's face is purple and disfigured. Well, there's no real explanation for why his face is purple. Not even an acid burn will do that.

But still, Two-Face alludes to his backstory at the introduction of the film with his plot to drop acid onto the Gothamites in the streets below. He intends to do so by carrying a vault with a helicopter that is filled with the volatile stuff, and dropping it below. Over the megaphone, Two-Face announces his villainous plot boisterously as most comical villains of the Golden Age are known to do. "For your dying pleasure, we are serving the very same acid that made us the men we are today," the mobster declares. Honestly, it's a weird line all around. Who is this guy, the Joker?

Batman is all about style. As opposed to Superman, Batman takes to the streets in jet black and fortifies his skill as an expert combatant to remove the criminal element. The Batmobile is a show of force, typically a slick hot rod outfitted with a jet engine. On the flip side, he is a wealthy socialite and philanthropist who often plays up the playboy lifestyle of a billionaire living large. But, he's also a businessman who gets down to brass tacks when the timing calls for it. Most modern incarnations of the character have depicted him in this way. He is the epitome of cool as far as superheroes are concerned.

Because Batman's cold, calculating ways are often seen as nonchalant, there's plenty to expect from a hero who can always succeed no matter the cost. For one, he needs a grand entrance. Most live-action depictions show him appearing out of thin air to talk to Jim Gordon, and then disappearing like a ninja in the night just as quickly. But in "Batman Forever," he arrives on the scene tearing through the night sky like a true creature of the night. Swinging in on his grappling hook, he lands right next to Dr. Chase Meridian who utters a line that'll surely make Nicole Kidman blush nowadays. "Hot entrance!" she says with all the arousal she can muster. There are so many other ways she could have signaled Batman's entrance on the scene that wasn't filled to the brim with cheese.

By all rights, Batman is most certainly a celebrity in his world. A masked avenger who makes the nightly news on the regular for foiling the plots of the most destructive evil-doers is definitely on a few T-shirts and posters. Batman's mysterious, bad-boy persona has also attracted the wandering eye of the ladies, in particular, a certain psychologist. There's not much to say here that hasn't already been said previously. Dr. Chase Meridian is jonesin' to go spelunking in the Batcave, so to speak. She doesn't hide her attraction to the crime fighter.

In one particular scene, she makes an attempt at a booty call using the Bat signal. When Batman arrives, he's surprised to see that Jim Gordon is nowhere in sight. However, Chase flipped on the summoning beacon to tell Batman something about Two-Face he already knows. So, her intentions become clear when she says she has an interest in Batman beyond her own profession. Appearing agitated that she had wasted his time, Batman retorts, "The Bat signal is not a beeper." Of course, beepers (or pagers) are relics of the '90s, which absolutely dates this film. Still, the reference isn't lost on those of us who have lasting memories of that era.

What's the best way to find out who Batman is? Well, the answer to that question is easy! Create a network of mind-reading lasers that link up to the brain waves of every civilian within Gotham, and see what they're thinking about. Duh! The Riddler has that plan locked down. In fact, he attempted to get Bruce's blessing on the project. But, the hero billionaire couldn't approve a project that could potentially be used unethically to, well, manipulate people's brain waves. Alright, it's a totally goofy plot that you might expect to see along with Batman's use of shark repellant in the 1960s serial. Angered by Bruce's rejection, Edward Nygma does the only thing that makes sense: plot his revenge.

After securing a partner in Two-Face, the Riddler pitches the idea of selling his "3D entertainment" devices that double as mind-readers to all of Gotham. Magically, the pair scrounge up enough financing and capital behind the scenes to mass produce these things, and get them out to every household in Gotham. Eventually, the Riddler shares some exciting news with his split-personality compadre. He knows Batman's secret — that is, his secret identity. Apparently tapping into Bruce Wayne's brain waves, Riddler shows Two-Face that apparently the only thing Bruce Wayne thinks about are bats. "What sort of man has bats on the brain?" the Riddler quips in the most obvious and rhetorical question in Gotham. While it's a bit weird and totally on the nose that Bruce Wayne's thoughts are summed up by an image of a bat, it's even funnier that the Riddler fancies himself a genius for connecting those dots.

It's rather difficult to homage the heyday of Adam West and Burt Ward's Batman and Robin in a movie that's supposed to have a much darker theme. Tim Burton plunged Batman back into the shadows where he belongs after living a life of light-hearted adventures in the '60s serial and the "Super Friends" cartoon. But, director Joel Schumacher couldn't let the camp of old die. As such, "Batman Forever" finds itself somewhere between Adam West and Michael Keaton. And, of course, Schumacher had to pay homage to the past. Let's be honest, the '60s television serial was likely the Batman of his generation.

Burt Ward shows that he is still with us in spirit in one particular sequence where the Dynamic Duo are infiltrating the Riddler's fortress (yet another construction project that happened rather quickly and without workers or capital). Chris O'Donnell's Robin exclaims, "Holy rusted metal, Batman!" If you are a fan of the '60s show, you might write that off as a cheeky one-liner referencing a dangerous construct that might be a little rusted. But no. There are actual sheets of rusted metal with holes in them. It's a very literal phrase, but still meant to invoke Burt Ward from the days of yore. Fans will likely have a good laugh at that one.

You had to know that this piece wouldn't finish without one last plug from the great Jim Carrey and his over-the-top antics as the Riddler, right? Of course, the Riddler puts on quite a one-man show. Even though he earlier claimed that caffeine will kill a man, it's likely he consumed every ounce of the substance in the research laboratory, because he's a-movin' and a-groovin'. After plugging his machine onto his boss's dome, he realizes that he's now acquiring all the knowledge of his superior. He then offers a rather colorful monologue, dancing to-and-fro at his own unintended success.

It's when he begins singing a made-up song that we realize Edward Nygma is more unhinged than we initially thought. Directed toward his boss, he sings, "I'm sucking up your I.Q., vacuuming your cortex, feeding off your brain!" Well, there's no mistaking what's going on, to say the least. Now we know that the Riddler can transfer knowledge to his own brain. Oh, we wonder what he'll do with that newfound ability! When the dust settled on this strange film at release, it was clear that it would always be destined to be remembered for the boatload of camp that Jim Carrey brought to the role of the Riddler.