Jump to content

Batman & Robin (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by TMC1982 (talk | contribs) at 07:28, 25 August 2007 (→References to other media). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the 1949 serial Batman and Robin, see Batman and Robin (serial).
Batman & Robin
Directed byJoel Schumacher
Written byAkiva Goldsman
Bob Kane (comic book)
Produced byPeter MacGregor-Scott
StarringArnold Schwarzenegger
George Clooney
Chris O'Donnell
Uma Thurman
Alicia Silverstone
CinematographyStephen Goldblatt
Edited byDennis Virkler
Mark Stevens
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release dates
June 20, 1997
Running time
125 min.
LanguageEnglish
Budget$125,000,000

Batman & Robin is the fourth installment in the comic book-inspired film series initiated by Tim Burton, and the second directed by Joel Schumacher. Released in 1997, it starred George Clooney as Batman and Chris O'Donnell returning as Robin, and introduced Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone), a niece of Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred (Michael Gough). The villains in this movie are Poison Ivy, played by Uma Thurman, Mr. Freeze, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger (who received top billing for this film), and Bane, played by Jeep Swenson. Unlike Batman Returns and Batman Forever, Tim Burton was not involved in any stage of production.

Plot

Gotham City, the city in which Bruce Wayne—Batman's alter ego—resides, is threatened by Victor Fries, known also as Mr. Freeze. Batman and Robin manage to eventually capture him. Meanwhile, a young woman named Pamela Isley witnesses illegal genetic tampering and is, apparently, killed. She is resurrected, and hires a new bodyguard, Bane. They arrive at Gotham, and aid in Mr. Freeze's escape. Meanwhile, Alfred—Bruce Wayne's butler—is dying[1], and Wayne must find a cure, while dealing with troubles with Robin, and receiving help from Batgirl, a new hero of Gotham. She joins Batman and Robin and defeat Mr. Freeze, Pamela Isley, and Bane.

Cast

Reception

The film was neither a critical[6] nor a financial success. [7] It ranks as the worst "Batman" film to date. It was mocked for the poor script,[8] and overextending the campy attitude, comprised of smirky one-liners and ludicrous stunts[9] of its predecessor, Batman Forever.

Empire magazine was alone in its praise of the film, giving it a 3 star review and calling it "great fun." This followed an exclusive cover feature on the sequel with access that was provided by its UK distributor. In a strange rewriting of its own history, Empire has removed the glowing review from its website reviews database. The only review available on their database is the negative 2 star video review that was published many months after the film's theatrical release. Since 1997, Empire has frequently cited Batman & Robin as one of the worst sequels ever made and joined in the chorus of ridicule it still receives today, whilst not acknowledging the praise it lavished on the film.

In his review of the film, critic Leonard Maltin found that "the 'story' often makes no sense" and that the "action and effects are loud, gargantuan, and ultimately numbing". Author Mark S. Reinhart said, "The combination of Batman & Robin's terrible script, ridiculous costuming, garish sets, uninspired direction, etc. made the film into the appalling dump heap that it is".[10]

Director Joel Schumacher has admitted to not being proud of his work, despite any earlier statements to the contrary.[citation needed] Executive producer Michael Uslan said, "In my estimation - you're not making movies, you're making two-hour infomercials for toys[11]. And that's sad. Because, if a filmmaker is allowed to just go out and make a great film, I believe you will sell toys anyway".[12]

An MSN Movies article on superhero movies ranked the film as the worst to date.[13] the film-critic aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes in 2007 listed the film 88th of 94 comic-book movies.[14] In particular, criticism was heaped upon the design of the three heroes' costumes--which, as in the previous film, featured nipples--and the closeup shots of the codpieces while the costumes were put on.

Published financial figures indicate that the movie was made on a budget of $125 million.[15] Batman & Robin opened at #1 at the box office, and had an opening weekend of $42 million, which were two of its very few successes. However, over time, its popularity slipped, (possibly when put in competition with The Lost World: Jurassic Park, another summer film, which became a huge financial success) and the film collected only $107 million domestically — less than any other Batman film — and $131 million abroad.[15] Studios usually expect summer movies — particularly those in a highly successful series — to earn more profit than that, and Warner Brothers temporarily suspended the series after four live-action films.

The film was derisively dubbed Batman on Ice by critics for a scene in which Batman and Robin inexplicably have retractable ice skates in their boots while battling Mr. Freeze's henchmen on an icy floor in the opening sequence.[16][17][18] George Clooney was himself severely embarrassed by the film, saying "I think we might have killed the franchise."[19]

Uma Thurman’s performance in the film received mainly negative reviews, and critics made comparisons between her and actress Mae West. The New York Times wrote about Thurman, "like Mae West, she mixes true femininity with the winking womanliness of a drag queen."[20] A similar comparison was made by the Houston Chronicle: "Thurman, to arrive at a ’40s femme fatale, sometimes seems to be doing Mae West by way of Jessica Rabbit."[21]

Legacy

The impact of this film was multifold. Joel Schumacher found his reputation all but ruined, and Warner Bros. was the focus of much derision for producing the film.

With the possible exception of Arnold Schwarzenegger, all the other principal performers[22] involved lost credibility for some time as serious actors. George Clooney has gone so far as to say that he will refund the money of any fan he meets who paid to see the movie. Another remark made by George Clooney regarding the film is that it "killed the franchise." However, Uma Thurman's career has since rebounded, thanks to roles in Kill Bill and The Producers. Clooney would make his major comeback in successful directing for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Good Night, and Good Luck, as well as starring in Three Kings, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Ocean's Eleven and its sequels, and finally winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Syriana.

Schumacher himself would return to grittier films, and eventually redeemed himself with the acclaimed Phone Booth and The Phantom of the Opera. Writer Akiva Goldsman would go on to write others like Lost in Space, before he rebounded with 2001's A Beautiful Mind, for which he received an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

It has since been argued that the film's dismal failure was, in the long run, a boon for comic book films[citation needed], as the comedic angle taken to the source material by the makers of the film was so unpopular that other filmmakers would be encouraged to treat the source material with more reverence in their own films. This arguably ended the influence of the 1960s Batman television series' campy tone in favor of Richard Donner's more respectful approach to superheroes as with the first Christopher Reeve Superman movie. This attitude has led to successful and acclaimed film adaptations such as Blade (1998), X-Men (2000), Spider-Man (2002), and Batman Begins (2005).

Batman & Robin marked the end of the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher era of movies. Likely due to the film's poor reception, all future Batman movies were cancelled, and the franchise was put on hold for nearly eight years. A new Batman franchise was launched in 2005, with Batman Begins, a darker film that was both critically and financially successful ($366 million worldwide gross as of 09/04/2005),[23] with no continuity to Burton's and Schumacher's movies. George Clooney did not participate in the project and was succeeded by the much-younger Christian Bale, who was widely praised for his portrayal of both Bruce Wayne and his alter ego [citation needed].

On October 18, 2005, Warner Bros. released a new deluxe DVD for the movie with commentary by Schumacher. The commentary has gotten attention for Schumacher's candid comments on how he was forced to put in gadgets for the toy companies to make, his confession that he went too far trying to make the movie more kid-friendly than the previous films, but nonetheless defended script-writer Akiva Goldsman saying: "If you don't like the film, blame the director."

On the BBC show Fully Booked, presenter Sarah Vandenbergh interviewed Joel prior to the release of the film in June 1997 and asked if a sequel would be possible. Schumacher said, "If the audience likes this one, if they want another Batman, then yes we will do another Batman. I would be very interested." This was never to be, due to the response from critics and the fans of this film.

Soundtrack

Main article: Batman & Robin (soundtrack)

Despite the overwhelming negative publicity the film received, its soundtrack became very popular and was well received.[citation needed] The soundtrack included songs by R. Kelly, Arkarna, Jewel, Goo Goo Dolls, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and The Smashing Pumpkins, whose song The End is the Beginning is the End rolled over the movie's closing credits. Three songs from the soundtrack became top-ten hits in the United States; Jewel's contribution, a radio-mix version of Foolish Games, as well as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's Look Into My Eyes and R. Kelly's Gotham City. There was never an official release of Elliot Goldenthal's score to the film, aside from the brief suite on the song album, but bootleg copies are in fairly wide circulation.

References to other media

  • Just like in the previous movie, at the end, the heroes are shown running in front of the Batsignal.
  • One of the bikers calls another Spud, possibly a reference to The Dark Knight Returns.
  • Superman gained brief mention in the beginning of this film when Batman tells his partner, who wants a car, that this was why Superman worked alone.
  • Footage from the Rankin-Bass film The Year Without a Santa Claus can be seen in Mr. Freeze's hideout.
  • Bikers during the bike scene with Barbara Wilson are seen wearing white jumpsuits, codpiece, and holding canes similar to Alex DeLarge and his Droogs from A Clockwork Orange.
  • In Arkham Asylum, in the room where they keep all the villains weapons and clothing, you can see Two-Face's striped coat and the Riddler's hat and his question-marked coat, the two villains from the previous movie, Batman Forever.
  • At one point, where Batman flashes his credit card during an auction the title of the card name reads Batman and the expiry date was valid until Forever which was a hint at the previous film.
  • The scene where Poison Ivy dances is a direct reference to the 1932 classic Blonde Venus, where Marlene Dietrich dances seductively wearing a gorilla costume.

Home video

Batman & Robin was released on VHS and Laserdisc in October 1997. Batman & Robin was given a "bare bones" DVD release in 1997. The main menu featured background music while the only extra feature was a synopsis of the film. However, in 2005, the newest feature film, Batman Begins, caused Warner Bros. to release a two-disc special edition set of all four Burton-Schumacher films in Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997.[24][25]

Box office

Batman & Robin made $107,325,195 (not adjusted for inflation) in North America, and $130,881,927 outside of North America. The total gross was $238,207,122. It is currently the lowest grossing live-action Batman film to be released.

References

  1. ^ The plot-line involving Alfred falling ill felt really out of place, making me wish it was left on the cutting room floor.
  2. ^ Through archive footage, Clooney provides a few comments that undermine the origins of the character which entirely vindicate my dissatisfaction over his casting.
  3. ^ One storyline I wish Schumacher could've done more with was the mounting tension between our heroes as Robin paid less attention to Batman's authority. Had the Boy Wonder's issues with the Dark Knight not been resolved, we could've seen the introduction of Nightwing. Robin's practically wearing his costume here with a cape, so why not? If Elle Macpherson and Alicia Silverstone were jettisoned from the picture and in their place we were given Nightwing, I would've liked this film much better than I do now.
  4. ^ Another change that left me ill was Batgirl being Alfred's niece and not the daughter of Commisioner Gordon.
  5. ^ Elle Macpherson's inclusion is an absolute waste of both our time and hers, and clearly obligatory given that Batman has had a main squeeze in every film thus far.
  6. ^ "Batman & Robin". Metacritic. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ Box Office Mojo
  8. ^ Read the Script Online
  9. ^ Fanzing #3 (no date): "I See Batman ... in a Dress!", by Michael Hutchison: "We've already discussed the garish appearance and homoerotic overtones of the Schumacher Batman films, but there is one other element worth mentioning: the over-the-top stunts. We've always had to suspend our disbelief when it comes to Batman, but these last two movies have totally abandoned the pretense that Batman is a normal human. Witness the skyboarding of the last movie (obviously, you can survive a fall from the upper atmosphere if you have a board below your feet), Robin's hanging onto the outside of a rocket or Batman leaping from a skyscraper and making absolutely no effort to break his fall".
  10. ^ "The Burton/Schumacher Series," Part 2
  11. ^ At twenty-six minutes, this is a wonderful testament to how merchandising can help ruin a film and simultaneously, Schumacher takes full responsibility for the shortcomings in Batman & Robin.
  12. ^ "The Burton/Schumacher Series," Part 2
  13. ^ MSN Movies
  14. ^ Rotten Tomatoes
  15. ^ a b "Batman and Robin". Box Office Mojo. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Bond, Jeff. Batman on Ice!. Film Score Monthly. June 27, 1997. Retrieved June 20, 2005.
  17. ^ Rainer, Peter. Batman on ice. Dallas Observer. June 19, 1997. Retrieved June 20, 2005.
  18. ^ "Batman & Robin". Austin Chronicle. June 20, 1997. Retrieved June 20, 2005.
  19. ^ "Batman and Robin". Boston Globe. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Janet Maslin. New York Times review, Batman and Robin. 20 June 1997. Retrieved 7 February 2006.
  21. ^ Jeff Millar. If you like them busy, this “Batman” is for you. Houston Chronicle. 19 June 1997. Retrieved 6 April 2006
  22. ^ Casting for Batman & Robin is mixed bag. None of our heroes were cast well, especially George Clooney. It felt like he was playing himself, rather than Bruce Wayne. With his trademark smile, Clooney oozes his own special brand of charisma in every scene he's in. That may work well in Intolerable Cruelty and Out of Sight, but it doesn't win me over here as Wayne, no matter how light the film is. I enjoyed Schwarzenegger as Freeze and despite her bad dye job, Uma Thurman was a fitting Poison Ivy. These two could've really stolen the show given darker material to work with. Lastly, the delightful John Glover is worth a mention as the nefarious Dr. Jason Woodrue.
  23. ^ Metacritic - Batman Begins
  24. ^ Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989 - 1997
  25. ^ The Special Features of the Batman Movie Anthology
Wikiquote has quotations related to Batman & Robin (film).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Batman_%26_Robin_(film)&oldid=153512327"