Let me first start off by saying, I LOVE Batman & Robin. Regardless of what anyone else says, I adore the movie. I've spent my whole life fighting for it! It is considered one of the worst superhero movies of all time. Notice I said "One of". Joel Schumacher chose to go with a cartoony, family friendly version of Batman, similar to the Batman '66 version. Some say that it is what killed Batman (and really the whole superhero movie franchise) for quite some time. That is until Christopher Nolan came along and rebooted the series with Christian Bale.
In this blog post, I'm going to delve into the criticisms and explain why I don't find the movie to be so bad. However, this post will not just be about how much I love the movie (because I really do), but also about how it is actually "so bad, it's good". I hope this isn't confusing and you guys understand where I am going with this. I'm going to point out the things most people complain about this movie and also point out the things that I think are good about it.
Let's start with the thing that is criticized most. When the news broke about George Clooney plays the caped crusader, people were both furious and worried, kind of like the news about Ben Affleck being in Batman V Superman. Personally, I think Clooney did fine with the script he was given. He has apologized publicly on numerous occasions about the movie. I will say though, he was a better fit for Bruce Wayne than for Batman himself. Maybe the movie just didn't give him a good chance to really show us what he could do as Batman, I don't know. I really hope that's the case because I love Clooney!
Robin, played by Chris O'Donnell (which I personally think is just great), is portrayed as a whiny kid. He yells and pouts all throughout the movie and more than anything, comes off as a bit annoying. I'll admit that. Batgirl is most famously, Barbera Gordon but in this movie, they make her, Barbera Wilson, Alfred's niece, which is another plot point all on its own and we just really didn't need that. Bane was just a big guy stumbling around and occasionally getting into fights with the Dynamic Duo on behalf of Ivy. His design was true to its source material, but that's really all they got right. Uma Thurman did pretty well portraying Poison Ivy, though. You can't deny that. Michael Gough did find a way to make people care about Alfred in a not so interesting storyline, which I find to be amazing. Let's not even get started on why Schwarzenegger was a bad choice for Mr. Freeze.
Now for the fun part, pointing out the just awful, yet hilarious things in this movie that people seem to loathe. There's Bat nipples, bad and overdone Ice Puns, the Bat credit card, bat ice skates, and sky surfing, just to name a few. The one "bad thing" that people point out that I just never understood was the "This is why Superman works alone" line. It seemed fine to me. It provided some nice humor and gave a nod to another beloved superhero series. Another thing that people usually point out is that there is just way too many plots in Batman and Robin. You have Poison Ivy's story, Mr. Freeze's story, Batgirl's story, and Batman and Robin deals with all of this. It's just too much crammed into one movie.
The number one thing that I think is great about this movie is that it served as a good example of "what not to do" for future writers and directors planning to make superhero films (or other films with a huge fan base and previous material). It taught them to make movies for adults too, since they would be the ones contributing money to see or buy the movie. Kids will watch almost anything and often, never see flaws. Appealing to adults too is always smart for superhero films. If this movie hadn't been made, studios probably would have continued to make sequel after sequel like Batman Forever and we would have never gotten a Batman like Christopher Nolan's.
Honestly, All things considered, there was some good stuff about this movie that made it worth seeing. Uma Thurman understood her role and did so well with it and she was a good foe for Batman and Robin. She held her own and portrayed Poison Ivy in a way that made her fun and interesting. At least to me. Sadly, it often goes unnoticed because of the obvious bad stuff in the film, but with better writing and directing, I imagine she would be incredible! The movie is honestly a good starting point for kids if you want to get them into Batman. It's a little more cartoony, witty, and significantly less serious than Nolan's take on Batman and other early versions of the Caped Crusader. It's just the kind of thing kids can enjoy. And it really is an entertaining movie. Whether you are laughing at the jokes, the crazy storylines, or the many "bad" things in the movie, you are laughing. You can always find some enjoyment in watching it and each time is like experiencing something new.
But most of all, you can't deny how memorable this movie is. Most people who saw it back in 1997 are adults now and can probably still tell you about the first time they saw it. They can remember the emotions they felt and the way it has stuck with them all of these years. Most 90's kids value the nostalgia the movie has for them. Myself included. Batman & Robin is probably the first Batman movie I ever saw, and certainly the first one I actually remember seeing. It's the movie that made me fall in love with Batman, and especially Robin (since I adore Robin). Because of this movie, I started buying and reading Batman and Robin comics. To me, that is what comic book movies should do. (in fact, I am watching Gotham as I am finishing this. )
Watching Batman & Robin is an unforgettable experience. You can't always say that with comic book movies. Not even some of the other bad ones. Which reminds me, this movie isn't even the worst one. Green Lantern and the newest Fantastic Four take the cake! Despite all of its flaws, Batman & Robin is so hilarious that you just can't look away. Every time you watch it, you notice something new. The film is a reminder of how silly the superhero film genre can be. Batman & Robin is a lot like Plan 9 from Outer Space (or any Ed Wood film), in that it is hilariously awful, but loved and adored. Regardless of the hate it gets, it will always be a legendary movie to me!
I give Batman & Robin 3/5 Stars!