Siskel & Ebert Batman & Robin (1997) Review

Siskel & Ebert both hate the 1997 razzie nominated film, Batman and Robin

[@ikesteroma]

Their critique was far too kind.

[@GameGuy6400]

I agree

[@iKillerZombie]

Siskel and Ebert were able to keep a calm mood when reviewing bad films, if you want epic rage, go watch the Nostalgia Critic's review of the movie

[@GreatWestern175]

Too bleedin' true I think the general public and audiences are more serious and more of critics than these two!

[@GameGuy6400]

iKillerZombie I came from there

[@leomilmet854]

Seconded

[@janeyrevanescence12]

"I think they cast him according to the chin" Funny he said that...considering that Schmaucher did come out and say that he cast George Clooney after drawing a Batman cowl over Clooney's publicity photo.

[@ToiletClogger1945]

" YOU'RE NOT SENDING ME TO THA COOOOOOLAH"

[@DH-xh3pg]

lol

[@Dim4323]

Yeah they didnt get mr freeze right. He apost to be a tragic character

[@ZeeshaanBukhari22]

Hahahahaha

[@That_Random_Bloke]

“CHILL OUT!!!”

[@amit790]

I think Gene Siskel would've loved The Dark Knight Trilogy

[@brianrose8772]

No doubt about that

[@Shorty_Lickens]

Probably. Ebert said we finally got the Great Batman movie when Christopher Nolan took over.

[@KnawledgeBorn]

The film that killed the comic book film genre

[@michaelugwueke6312]

Bando Calrisiian nearly killed it

[@imperfect_dan7519]

@@michaelugwueke6312 and Batman Begina revived that franchise

[@BeeHatGuy]

@@imperfect_dan7519 Spider-Man & X-Men came before

[@ssssssstssssssss]

The first Blade came out the same year as this I think. And the genre was still alive and well in Japan

[@Jamal3.87]

"Tim Burton is another level of filmmaker than Joel Schumacher." Well put, Gene.

[@mikoaj5002]

Bruh both of them make charming crowdpleasers and both of them were burn out in halfway on their career 🗿🗿🗿 (Why im responding anyway, guys who made this comments are probably dead af)

[@supermanbatman4992]

"When the butler is the one thing that we respond to because he may DIE!?! THATS SOME SAD COMMENTARY!!!" 😆😆😆😆😆😆

[@Patrick19833]

They were way too kind on this movie.

[@Reid-dy6ps]

that's because Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert we're not backlashers hater and yelling movie critics like we are today. but they still did not like the movie they said

[@kevinmcdonald6477]

Agreed. This movie was epic. As in epically awful. Chris O'Donnell actually made Burt Ward seem tough and cool. " HOLY PILE OF SHIT!"

[@user-uq6sz6po3d]

Gene didn't have a single positive thing to say about it. But he still gave it 2 stars.

[@MazerakiProductions]

Poison Ivy was meh, when she was seducing people, it was perfect just like the comics, ignoring some pretty stupid jokes. i hate this movie, but i watched it with friends recently and it was pretty fun to trash the movie with friends

[@IndyCrewInNYC]

To this day, the ONLY movie I have ever walked out of. I still don't know how it ended and I really don't care.

[@jacksonjacob7791]

I stayed for the whole movie and I don't know how it ended either.

[@efan2011]

I have a nostalgic love for this movie because it got me into Batman when I was a little kid and it was a the first movie I ever watched in a theater back in the day. But it's a horrendous film though, but I can get some entertainment from this film. It had great potential but it never had a chance to be made the right way. It's a shame because the freeze storyline is always great.

[@amit790]

Gene Siskel would've loved The Dark Knight

[@schoolsout15]

gee, i dont blame them. i mean, A BAT CREDIT CARD? REALLY? OF ALL THE STUPID IDEAS YOU COULD COME UP WITH!

[@andrewschroy6368]

John Pugh "A BAAAAAAAAT CREEEEEEDIT CAAAAAAAAAAARDDD????!!!!!! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" - Nostalgia Critic Every time I see the shot of that credit card, I immediately think of Nostalgia Critic and his outburst towards that prop. :D Though I have to admit, Siskel and Ebert did a great job trashing that movie to smithereens, too. Even if you didn't see the reviews given by them or NC, if you watched this movie on its own, I think you'll be very bored. (Thank god for Christopher Nolan bringing the movie franchise back to its feet in 2005.)

[@Jerrylang1970]

I mean this was trying to be the sixties and during the sixties this would be more acceptable but to succeed after the 1989 batman which was dark we expected this one to do the same. What a let down

[@schoolsout15]

***** nah.... it was a bowl blockage of the film industry.

[@DonPeyote420]

Rest in Peace, mr. Ebert. May the great movie theater in the sky always have enough pop corn and only 5 star movies.

[@thomaskemer8109]

👍

[@ToiletClogger1945]

" tasteless bore" couldnt have said it better myself

[@Boricua3lions1985]

"STAY COOL, BIRD BOY!"

[@AutovoltGTS]

I love how Ebert brought up the fact the main focus of the 90 Batman films emphasized on the villains more than the heroes.

[@alexbat007]

uma thurman and alfreds dying line were the best parts of this movie

[@opencurtin]

I think this film was trying to be more like the 60s Batman TV series , that series was hilarious , where as this film was so bad that they had to barricade the doors to stop people from leaving the cinema .It still makes me cringe.

[@thekidfromiowa]

Combining 60s campiness with 90s edginess

[@GreatWestern175]

Both the TV show and film are very cringing

[@thunderpantz]

"Why do we fall? So we learn to pick ourselves up."

[@SuperSaiyanRoss]

I miss these guys,I miss this show! :(

[@cliffordshafran9250]

2 stars is too generous to this crap, which had killed the franchise until "Batman Begins" was released.

[@a31d18]

Despite Burton's gritty and really dark Batman films, I (though slightly young) do remember people not taking super hero movies too seriously, and so they expected (maybe even liked) the cheesiness and bad dialogue of super hero movies in that era. I think when X-Men came out in 2000 people began to once again want more darker and "realistically", grounded in some sort of reality type of super hero movies. And yeah obviously Batman Begins came out and delivered and the rest is history. These movie ratings can shift with the era. I always say a movie like Batman v Superman might have gotten a 3 or 4 from people like S&E back in the day.

[@meekydunko7946]

What was Joel Schumacher thinking? I need more money. I have an idea. Why don't we make another Batman movie but instead of actually trying to make it good, let's try to use it to sell toys. Yeah. And for no reason at all, let's throw in some bat-nipples. Oh, and let's take Bane, and turn him into Poison Ivy's bitch. Let's also make the villains say shitty puns throughout the movie. Shitty puns don't get old and annoying, right? Let's also have Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze team up even though their goals are completely different. And why don't we make Poison Ivy's death the most anti-climactic death ever? And for the final battle, let's give Batman, Robin, and Batgirl the ugliest costumes possible. Yes, perfect movie. Oh, and another thought. Let's call it Batman and Robin even though Batman and Robin already met and Batgirl's in it. Yep. That seems accurate enough.

[@cliffordshafran9250]

Exactly! Schumacher is nothing but a money-grubbing hack. Oh, and don't forget the BAT CREDIT CARD!!!!!

[@allengreene9954]

Clifford Shafran Schumacher wanted to do Year One but Warner Bros told him no because they didn't want anymore negative press from parents over the darkness and sexual themes of Batman Returns.

[@francescoromani4539]

E rendiamo Batgirl una copia di Robin di "Batman forever" ragazza ribelle. XD

[@Loyalguardian6000]

Siskel & Ebert the dynamic duo of cinema.

[@gorrow1990]

2 stars? They went easy on this movie.

[@Krokodilius]

Two stars is too generous.

[@doctornov7]

So Ebert gave this the same rating as Gladiator? Definition of bullshit

[@TheWordMercy82]

I don't think you can blame Joel Schumacher cause if he was allowed by the studio to make a dark Batman movie he most definitely could. Schumacher was the guy who made "Falling Down" and "8MM"

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Hardly an impressive resume.

[@mikoaj5002]

Despite the impertinent comment above, i kinda agree tbh. Lost Boys the goat

[@ackbarfan5556]

WB came in on day one and said 'Make this movie toy-centric...' This whole thing was D.O.A. and no one could save or even salvage it. Pity Schumacher got so much hate for it.

[@ssssssstssssssss]

Those movie aren’t that good so the problem was in large part probably the director.

[@paulbowen9701]

Agreed, but even if it was up to him, would he have even wanted to make a dark movie?

[@ChattinBoxingWYB]

Who would you cast today as Mr Freeze and Poison Ivy? My choice would be Bryan Cranston as Mr Freeze and Jessica Chastain as Poison Ivy. That would be excellent casting.

[@SmashHistory]

Batman & Robin was just a bad dream Kevin Conroy had. His description was so vivid, it was as if we saw it as a movie...

[@whitesabbath6581]

R.I.P. Joel Schumacher (1939-2020)

[@juliofrank83]

Batman & Robin - The straw that broke that camel's back!

[@steerpike66]

They are too kind to this film: the effects look like a billion dollars spent at WALMART. Such ugly, plasticky, gaudy production. Mr Freeze's suit was made by professional armorers and cost a million dollars alone and it looks like trash. Ebert's right though: a huge pinball machine is EXACTLY what this film looks like.

[@mikoaj5002]

No

[@ChrisPierreBacon]

Arnold is the best thing about this movie. He knows his character is terrible and campy so he just embraces the puns.

[@cbolanz1]

I wish I could've seen this movie in theatres with my father. We watched this movie so much and enjoyed it together. We also tried looking for a Batman toy with nipples but we never found one.

[@Dosed318]

Watch it like it's a high budget comedy and you'll come to appreciate the film, i guarantee it! That's how I chose to watch The Day after Tomorrow and it worked itself out pretty well.

[@TrEnergon]

"Chris Nolan is another level of filmmaker than Tim Burton" No arguing that. RIP both

[@ChemicalCorpse91]

Nolan sucks

[@PokerPlayerJames]

R.I.P Mr Ebert

[@avisco01]

It’s cute that Gene thinks Poison Ivy should make people itchy.

[@cliffordshafran9250]

RIP, Joel Schumacher

[@chitown1782]

R.I.P Joel Schumacher!

[@LawyerScumGhost]

I remember people walking out of this movie when I saw it. Lots of people. I should have been one of them. The horror....the horror...

[@drebone1986]

Funny how Ebert now like the other films after seeing this one, change of heart for Batman Returns after Batman and Robin and I totally agree with Siskel, first 10 mins, decent and then we continue with the Saturday Morning Cartoon from the 70's after 3 polished to shiny films, Clooney is a joke only beaten out by Silverstone who refused to act or attempt an accent for her "British Character" who we assume is truly from England since the film never clears that up, I only gave a damn about Alfred dying, Uma Thurman was eye candy in this and nothing more, Mr. Freeze was awful, Batgirl's origin was forced beyond forced so fast that the Power Rangers revealing the White Ranger looked professional compared to this, Bane was in this...I guess, the doctors screaming was annoying, The sets was Museum, Ballroom and an Observatory, woo-hoo? Batman having an actual bank account anywhere is the dumbest moment ever put to film, I know Bruce Wayne is rich and Batman himself has to be rich to afford these gadgets he makes but any government agency letting a vigilante open an account while masked is mind boggling, the greatest action scenes in this entire film involves Batman surfing a dinosaur tail and Robin surfing on rooftops and both skysurfing, that's why this bombed before the toys were included but at least the soundtrack kicked ass, still play that from time to time for Seal and Bone Thugs, this was never a 2 stars, it was never a 1 star

[@hothotmeat]

great review

[@drebone1986]

@@hothotmeat thanks it's easy when I'm motivated 😂

[@ackbarfan5556]

'Doctor's screaming' You mean Dr. Jason Woodrue? Which, this is actually pretty damn funny is that he's played by John Glover... who was the voice of the freaking Riddler in the god-tier Batman cartoons of the 90s!

[@gethsoftware]

we remember both Siskel & Ebert with warm in our hearts.

[@donniegerrard]

Joel Schumacher did Phone Booth (2002), Falling Down (1993) and Flatliners (1990).....so I over-look the stigma this movie put on his name. Besides he was under strict orders from WB to make this movie kid-friendly. Plus I am really not heavily into Batman anyway. Rest well Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.

[@GregoryAlanBaileygamereviews]

Falling Down is legendary, can't believe he directed that movie especially considering he was gay.

[@JokerXDHaHaHa]

R I P Alicia Silverstone's career

[@Locadel2003]

But George clooney wasnt hurt at all😂

[@Charlie12241]

Does anyone know what happend to Siskel? What channel was this on? I'm 22 now and can't remember him at all.

[@garysiddons2157]

He passed in 99

[@ScrubmanLowell]

Roger Ebert was too mean to the Tim Burton Batman movies, and too nice to the Joel Shumacher Batman movies. 'Nuff said.

[@CJmovie92]

What was that word that Siskel described Uma Thurman at 1:27? "Played by "" Uma Thurman."

[@NateTheMovieGuy]

I agree with Gene, although one point he forgot to mention about the action, IT FREAKIN SUCKS!!!!

[@Jerrylang1970]

It is man! There is better action in the 60s show! Hell I've probably seen better action watching Sesame Street then this stinker!

[@NateTheMovieGuy]

MrMeathead812 Thank you! I've seen better acting in a mentos commercial!

[@Jerrylang1970]

Let's go even further I've seen better action in sesame street hell I even seen better action when I flush my god damn toilet after taking a shit!

[@NateTheMovieGuy]

MrMeathead812 true

[@BadGuyRants]

Pin Ball Machine idea ruled:)

[@TheBitchinbabs]

"Another Saturday night and they ain't got nobody"

[@sha11235]

The scratching thing is not the point to Poison Ivy, I feel. I guess Gene thought that since poison ivy makes you itch, they should have that.

[@niceguy60]

So bad it killed both Siskel & Ebert

[@meekydunko7946]

Sick joke. Funny... but sick.

[@bdot187um]

niceguy60 hahahahahaha

[@henryisaacwrigley]

2:17 Can you magine them reviewing Man of Steel?

[@Locadel2003]

How on Earth this movie made more money at the box office then Shawshank Redemption

[@GreaterMovieman]

3:04 Gene says “We liked the other pictures.” However, Roger looks at him, thinking “I didn’t, but I’m not arguing with you.’

[@jackspry9736]

RIP Roger Ebert (June 18, 1942 - April 4, 2013), aged 70 And RIP Gene Siskel (January 26, 1946 - February 20, 1999), aged 53 You both will always be remembered as legends.

[@NoSeasPuerka]

@3:05 Roger is like "I didn't" he also gave the Tim Burton movies 2 stars xD look at his face!

[@adultmoshifan87]

Did Siskel pay for his ticket with a Bat Credit Card?

[@WWFandWCW]

What about Michelle Pfiefer's portrayl of Catwon? Siskel

[@ScrubmanLowell]

Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel were too nice to give this film 2 stars out of 4. At best, the film deserves 1 star out of 4.

[@SinderGX]

He's being sarcastic. I know it can be hard to tell sometimes when reading comments.

[@johnf.kennedy7339]

Seem to remember some people walked out of the theater on this film; and this was a highly anticipated paparazzi (undercover) - spy in the set - (true story) anticipatory thrill ride. Some of the unbelievable FX just didn’t work. Am a big Schwarzenegger fan so zip could be biased slightly because I actual believe _Hercules in New York_ was a funny film and don’t think Clooney was the problem in the film. In retrospect, Arnold may have been the wrong choice here.

[@agentprime2179]

There should be a documentary about the making of this movie.

[@noahnajjar3075]

Like Robot Chicken says, Joel Schumacher is history’s greatest monster

[@cabshdun]

Yes, we know.

[@Koldeman]

Joel Schumacher made the mistake of thinking that Batman being a comic book = funny (he actually said that- I wanted to reach through the screen and punch him). He devolved Tim Burton's brilliant film franchise which was dark and gritty back to the campy 60's Adam West TV show with it's bright colors, angled shots, and stoooopid puns. What a disappointment this movie was. Were it not for Christopher Nolan, Batman on the big screen would have remained buried thanks to this mess.

[@ThePoreproductions]

Now, all that Nolan needs to do, is to bring Supergirl back on the big screen.

[@bobthebear1246]

ThePoreproductions No. He doesn't. Not even a little bit.

[@ThePoreproductions]

Bob Schneider Hey, if he could do it with batman, he can possibly do it with supergirl.

[@linkbiff1054]

I can totally see their 2-stars. The movie looks fantastic and it is a hilarious film.

[@jamesellis33]

they are talking to much, here's my review, "It was a piece of shit." there its over.

[@antitroll890]

I disagree, pretty much every other movie Joel Schumacher has made was better than Tim Burton's output

[@StevenSeanGarland]

Gene used the word "lissome," meaning thin, supple, graceful. :)

[@francescoromani4539]

B&R vs Superman IV. Great battle! XD

[@Graspsweden]

He's right. Schumacher did cast Clooney because of the chin. And only the chin. He drew the cowl over his face on a From Dusk Til Dawn ad and thought THIS GUY!!!

[@user-dr2yz8um3d]

people actually walked out at the press screening?damn....

[@BeeHatGuy]

I was 13, my Grams dropped me off at the theater, and within 5 minutes, I wanted to leave. Never seen it since, refuse to

[@HerrDerpington]

They think Poison Ivy's supposed power is make someone itchy?

[@CrookedShoeTales]

poison ivey making people scratch? wow.

[@samsreview7335]

I know it's like "at least read the source material so you don't make a dumb comment like that!" I do agree though, this movie is bad... But I think some of the casting choices were ok for the time though & with a better script + more of a darker tone (like burton's 2 films) it COULD have been awesome... Just AWFUL casting for Batman & Batgirl... & Bane should have NEVER been in this movie at all!!!

[@streetfighterchallen]

I think he was just confused by the name. We all know this love spell thing has always been Ivy's M.O., but I do love how ebert, being a Batman fan, keeps giving him the "read a comic" look every time he says that. Y'know, that blank look he keeps shooting Siskel when he starts talking about her? He doesn't even say anything. He's just like "dude... you should study this before you speak."

[@Fudgaboutit]

Yeah he thinks that would have been more interesting than what she does do. OK SISKEL.

[@007beck9]

If Batman and Robin hadn't been such a failure maybe they would have been a 5th film

[@frankiegino2324]

+Luke Beck I think it was good this movie killed the franchise for some years otherwise we may not have gotten Nolans version

[@007beck9]

+Frankie Gino the nolen films of the worst can't believe people actually like them so pathetic

[@AnArchyRulzz]

They were obviously setting up for a sequel with addition of batgirl

[@MadameTamma]

I will give this movie credit for one thing and that is if it didn't suck so hard then maybe when the WB was trying to reboot the movies they probably wouldn't have let Nolan go the root that he did, and stuck with the more comic book vibe thinking that it would work better rather then the new more realistic tone that Batman begins had

[@ElTuco84]

Ebert gave it a higher rating than Taste of Cherry, the Abbas Kiarostami movie that won in Cannes that year.

[@stoneyh8358]

two stars they are being so kind.

[@ErnieCT1987]

Ebert gave this movie two stars. The same rating he gave the first two Batman movies by Burton and half a star less than he gave Schumacher's previous Batman Forever. What movies was he watching?? I think the first Batman has aged badly (though Jack Nicholson is great) which would justify the two stars, but Batman Returns is way better than the first and third, and the third is light-years better than this one. I really don't understand his reasoning. I know he didn't like the star ratings, but hell...

[@ThePoreproductions]

What about The Dark Knight, and the The Dark Knight Rises?

[@brianrose8772]

ThePoreproductions Richard Roeper reviewed The Dark Knight twice, with Michael Phillips Of The Chicago Tribune. But the show At The Movies ended in 2011. And The Dark Knight Rises came out in 2012. So, there was no At The Movies review for Dark Knight Rises.

[@supermariofan03]

A BAT CREDIT CARD?!?

[@GreatWestern175]

I shake my head at disbelief at the film but also at these two for giving a lenient 2 star rating when it should of been given 0!

[@myyellowsub1]

Well at least it wasn't offensive to anyone in the audience, unlike North.

[@Thepopcornator]

Well, no matter how bad this movie is, it at least had a 'cool' villain.

[@scottaznavourian5791]

2 stars? Is that out of 4 5 10 or a 100? Then again they also loved speed 2 this year....

[@StrangeRoads]

Siskel just described most of the MCU.

[@JustinWilliams367]

My dad fell asleep when he and I went to see this movie.

[@ThePoreproductions]

at 2:15, can you imagine them reviewing DIVERGENT?

[@DonPeyote420]

I remember when I was like 8 and every boy in my class was fascinated with this movie and everyone was like Wow!, so I asked my parents to buy me a copy on VHS and I saw it and boy, was I confused: I didn't understand why everyone enjoyed it so much, I mean - I was bored like hell when I was like 20 minutes in this film - mostly because I used to hate sidekicks, but that wasn't the only reason obviously. When you can't entertain an 8 year old kid with a Batman movie - that says a lot.

[@ThePoreproductions]

Gene Siskel 1946-1999.

[@branagain]

Two stars? It should be no stars.

[@jordanking6939]

The whole plot is they hire Arnold Schwarzenegger and pay him a lot of money to be the villain. He was 49 turning 50 years old when the movie came out and he was in a small decline in his career (he turned to politics 5 years later and became Governor of California).

[@JudasAngel666]

@Myytmovies Agreed.

[@TimeisReel]

I liked it, Clooney was just about Bruce Wayne's age. It was fun & Campy like the old TV Show. Tounge-n-cheek... And Arnold was fun too.

[@megamovieman101]

i was honestly liking the movie until Poison Ivy entered. I was able to put up with the ice puns, but then having ice puns AND plant puns... i couldn't take it...

[@joehorne8950]

2 stars! That is way too fair.

[@abex701]

Forever wasn't as bad as people say.... that's what I always think after seeing B&R

[@metal134]

I can't believe it took this long...

[@ErichoTTA]

Honestly, this movie is definitely bad, but I really don't think it's one of the worst films ever made. I agree with Ebert in that it deserves two stars, no less.

[@emilyluxford3443]

My goodness you're generous