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Batman and Robin (1997) ...
George Clooney is quoted as saying, "I think we might have killed the franchise" regarding this movie. It's not surprising.
| Released: | June 20, 1997 |
| Running Time: | 125 min. |
| Cast: | George
Clooney ... Batman/Bruce Wayne Chris O'Donnell ... Robin/Richard "Dick" Grayson Arnold Schwarzenegger ... Mr. Freeze/Dr. Victor Fries Uma Thurman ... Poison Ivy/Dr. Pamela Isley Alicia Silverstone ... Batgirl/Barbara Wilson Michael Gough ... Alfred Pennyworth Pat Hingle ... Commissioner Gordon Jeep ... Swenson Bane Elle MacPherson ... Julie Madison |
| Writers: | Akiva Goldsman Bob Kane (comic book) |
| Director: | Joel Schumacher |
| My Rating | .. |
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George Clooney is quoted as saying, "I think we might have killed the franchise" regarding this movie. It's not surprising. Batman and Robin isn't the worst movie I've ever seen, but I think Joel Schumacher made one too many Batman movies and really lost his way putting this one together.
In Batman (George Clooney) and Robin (Chris O'Donnell) the Caped Crusader battles that nasty Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and green-thumbed Poison Ivy (Uma Thuman). To save his ailing wife, Dr. Victor Fries turns to a life of crime after a hideous accident makes him unable to tolerate even moderate temperatures, while Dr. Pamela Isley falls victim to mutated plant DNA when things go awry in a jungle laboratory funded by Wayne Industries.
Even though their interests are totally opposed (Freeze wants another Ice Age; Ivy wants to make the world safe for plants), these two turn into villains and team up to try to defeat Batman and Robin, who are joined by butler Alfred's (Michael Gough) motorcycle-obsessed niece Barbara Wilson (Alicia Silberstone) who dons the Batgirl costume to join the crowded field of caped crusaders.
When Alfred is diagnosed as having the same terminal disease as Freeze's wife, the trio find themselves not only fighting an altruistic battle, but a personal one as well. That's basically the setup and of course, much mayhem ensues. The problems arise out of the corn ball action sequences that have the villians nasty crew skating around with hockey sticks, as if they're lethal weapons. I thought most of those sequences were poorly shot and coordinated and for special effects and action to be really effective, there needs to be some sense of reality to them, but not here. The action was sloppily presented and, dare I say it, too phoney.
George was okay as Batman, but I still prefer Michael Keeton in the role, and let's face it, the Tim Burton / Joel Schumacher take on the Batman series was still a bit too campy for my taste. Just as I like the original three James Bond movies with Sean Connery because they stuck close to the Ian Fleming novels regarding plot and attitude, too many in the series after that were nothing more than campy special effects extravaganzas.
Some of the characters in this Batman and Robin were a waste of time, especially Elle MacPherson's role as Brue Wayne's girlfriend, Julie Madison. She really didn't have much to do except to try to convince Bruce to marry her to provide him with a bit of conflict, but the relationship isn't developed much and the movie could have done without it altogether.
Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone as Robin and Bat Girl are okay as well, but for the most part, the acting isn't the showcase here. Arnold snarls his way through the villain role as he usually does. Personally, I don't think Mr. Freeze is the best villain ever created, but I did like Uma's bit as Poison Ivey ... well, because it's Uma, what else?
The best part about this movie is that it basically killed off this series of Batman movies and because it was such a flop, it paved the way for the much better Batman Begins series that takes the whole Batman franchise back to where it should be, as a more serious drama in the manner of Spider Man and X-Men.
Campiness is okay in the right movie, such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but Batman deserves more respect than what was presented in the old Adam West Batman TV series and this presentation of Batman and Robin. However, the movie posters a good one, don't you think?
