Edward Nygma (Carrey) is a scientist with an idea to use a television set and a souped-up blender to manipulate people's minds and increase his own IQ. He just happens to work for billionaire Bruce Wayne (Kilmer), who doesn't think manipulating peoples' minds would be such a good idea.

While Edward sets about establishing his own identity -- as the Riddler -- it seems Wayne is troubled by a past childhood memory. Dr. Chase Meridian (Nichol Kidman) seems like just the right fetching shrink for him -- except that she's hung up on Batman. Meanwhile The Riddler seeks out his fellow villain in duality, Harvey "Two Face" Dent (Jones), and they set about trying to kill Batman, attempting to take over the world with Nygma's invention and, in general, making mischief.

After the two villains set a bomb to blow up the wealthy and famous in Gotham City, circus performer Dick Grayson's (Chris O'Donnell) family is killed. Bruce Wayne quickly takes the young man (okay, no so young) under his wing. As Chase pursues both Batman and Bruce Wayne, it doesn't take long for Grayson to become Batman's new partner, Robin. Together Batman and Robin take on the Riddler and Two Face.

Batman Forever could have easily been the first Batman movie. It embraces it's new Batman in a more brightly colored world than the past movies. And while not as dark as the first movie or as dank as the second, it maintains the spectacular special effects and the driving slam-bang pace. Few would expect a Batman movie to have a lot of depth -- it's based on a comic book, after all. But Batman Forever actually does a good job balancing it's five major characters, unrelenting action and clever dialog, especially between Kilmer and Kidman.

While it's lots of fun, Batman Forever is not a movie that holds up as well as it should on repeat viewings. And on video, the special effects don't have the same impact they did on the big screen. Still, the cast -- lead by Kilmer inhabiting his new role as Batman -- is first rate. O'Donnell has a surprising edge in his portrayal of Robin, and Kidman plays Meridian with so much gusto that it's annoying to see her used as bait-to-draw-the-hero-out. Jones and Carrey are worthy villains in the Batman series, and although not quite up to the level of Jack Nicholson's Joker, Carrey is off the charts as the Riddler (with nearly as much screen time as Kilmer). Jones gives yet another terrific performance.