Was It Really That Bad? Looking Back on Batman and Robin

[@johnwells5414]

If Clooney was given the chance to to play Batman/Bruce Wayne in a more serious film, I think he would have been perfect at the role. Unfortunately his role isn't given much juice. That being said, I think Mr. Freeze is overdue for an update on the big screen

[@andrewlenihan1265]

I choose to watch Batman and Robin over Superman 4 anyday.

[@walter_the_wobot2349]

First time I saw anything from B&R was a small black and white photo of Clooney in the suit with his arm raised in a newspaper. Kid me looked at that suit and thought that this could be a serious return to the Dark Knight, More Batman 1989 and less Batman Forever. Then sometime later I remember staying up late to see a late night talk show in the UK to see a 10 second clip of B&R. The clip was of Batman sliding down a model dinosaur tail and saying "Hi Freeze, I'm Batman" I don't accept B&R lol I saw this film in the cinema and remember, I thought Batman Forever was too silly as a kid! I came out of this movie shell-shocked. Days afterwards I slowly began to convince myself that I must have suffered some kind of brain embolism. I went back to see the film again a week later believing that my memories were faulty, that the film couldn't have been as bad as I thought. It was. I may be the only person in the world who saw B&R twice in the theatre :) At the time it was soul destroying. Two to three years between films is a LONG time to a kid. I genuinely thought this was the end of Batman on the big screen. These days, with perspective and better Bat-movies I can enjoy it for what it is. I'm one of those strange people who own and watch B&R and the 60's show but who doesn't accept them at the same time. Joel made a very kid-friendly Batman movie with Batman Forever. And they sold a lot of toys. American mothers were happy, McDonalds were happy. So there was no need to make B&R so silly and stupid. There is no excuse. You can make a kid's movie that still appeals to adults and would have satisfied Batman fans at the same time. I don't remember anyone having a problem with the more adult tone of Batman 1989 either. All that said, I'm sorry to hear of Joel's passing. He seemed like a really nice man and he made some great movies in his long career. I'm sorry he never got the chance to make his more dark and serious Batman film.

[@SuperHousePodcast]

Andrew here. I RAN to the theater from the car. I couldn't wait for this ...experience.

[@SimchaWaldman]

Batman and Robin is one of my favorite films. The plot is not dark and scary. The effects are great. As a kid I did not notice the puns through the film. The public and media just love to jump on the "Bandwagon" - so they can go suck it for all I care. I also cannot understand why many of the cast actors regret it. If I ever meet Chris O'Donnell (I just found out now that Joel Schumacher had passed away) in my lifetime I would shake his hand and tell him "WELL DONE!"

[@ZomgRuler]

I think the best way to see Batman & Robin is the same way one sees The Room. You get an ironic sense of entertainment value & can quote the films. Batman & Robin felt like an 90s Ed Wood Batman movie and I can get on board with that.

[@_ChoccooMilkk_]

39:29 fun fact, Daphne from Scooby doo is Alfred’s niece also! It was revealed in the Batman episode of Scooby Doo And Guess Who? I always find that hilarious.

[@mattsimas7553]

I can do a whole dissertation about why I think this movie is great. Maybe not a ‘good’ movie, but it’s wonderful in its own way.

[@RosebudKane41]

It's *really* fun to watch when blazin' (If that's your thing, haha)😉💨 Loved this and your other videos about the Schumacher films, very well done 👍🏼❤️

[@SuperHousePodcast]

Thank you!

[@fatenabu1]

So Poison Ivy works great as a partner to Harley. Also the episode of Batman:TAS where she seduces Harvey is pretty good as is the episode where she makes an artificial woman that Bruce falls in love with is pretty great as well. With that said, there are a few comics that are good Ivy stories as well. Recently she has been seen connected to "The Green". Also in Batman Hush her taking control of Superman was great. Cycle of Life and Death is pretty cool and the Heroes in Crisis tie-ins are pretty good too. Year One: Poison Ivy is pretty good as well. I can't think of others because I am pretty tired right now.

[@Jim-Mc]

I'd forgotten about the artificial woman... ☹

[@derrenwood-peterson8518]

Catwoman is chaotic neutral, Ivy is Lawful evil. Easy, peasy. 😁

[@shamrockballs1066]

I think the problem is no one wanted this type of Batman movie, even in 1997. I've seen it approximately twice. I remember when it was released I stayed away as it reeked of awfulness. I have a sixth sense about movies like this. I eventually watched it on television years later and my instincts were right. I think it's an embarrassment, even today. What a cringe fest. They spent decades trying to get away from the 1960s perception of Batman then they gave us this which was a thousand steps back from what they achieved with Batman in 1989 and so the brand regressed with this movie. It was only ever driven by toy sales and aimed at little kids, not the comics at the time, or for art or what the public wanted. The kids (I was 8 myself in 89)and teens who watched Batman in 89 deserved a more adult movie in 1997 who where now a lot older. Oh Batman and robin may certainly be influenced by the 1960s TV show or comics, but as I said an era fans wanted to get away from, not go back to. We were past that. I'm hearing people defend Joel Schumacher recently (RIP) but Joel could have walked away, but he didn't. He facilitated this campy cringe fest. He didn't need to make this movie. I suppose this disaster is now bitter sweet for some fans, because fans of the Nolan trilogy can now look back and say 'without B&R we wouldn't have gotten Nolan' - , so now it's all good🤷‍♂️! Which is true that we got Batman Begins ( it's not 'good' because Batman and Robins is still a piece of shit no matter what way I look at it), but it's now an absurd way to look at things. this movie buried the franchise until 2005. Its terrible. I can't even find it funny it's that bad. It depresses me, How did we go from 89 "to this in 8 years 🤦🏻‍♂️ Ps Michael Caine is a cockeny, from London, England. Pss. If Clooney is a better representation of Batman does that include when he uses his Bat Credit Card and his own Bruce voice "Hi Freeze, I'm Batman " 😂 I admit that bit is funny. Sorry I just don't see it. You'd have to be stoned to see anything good in this movie. I actually believe it could be the worst movie I have ever seen.

[@VenusHeadTrap2]

I don't mind B&R. BF is my favorite after all. I think what's missing is a dynamic between Robin and Batman. You don't really feel like they depend on each other or have done any training. Instead we have to watch them argue over Poison Ivy.

[@seancollins147]

I wish Slyvester Stallone played Solomon Grundy in a sequel and teamed up with Arnold's Mr. Freeze.

[@JuanCabrer]

I remember when I watched this movie in 1997: good camp fun. I took it as for what it is. Ironically, It has shown up on regular tv a lot of times.

[@tyshekka]

I watched this in the theater as an adult. There's a lot of fun in it. But every once in a while, it became good fantastical drama/adventure. And then it would switch back to mindless fun. The mindless parts frustrated me.

[@swissbeats2k]

Yes

[@avace917]

To answer your question, the reason I can appreciate Batman 66 and not Batman and Robin is because of the latter was the tail end of the initial Batman franchise that started with Batman 89. I was an adult when the 3 sequels came out. If they put out Batman and Robin first, it probably would've been better for me.

[@Wonk0024]

No one has mentioned that Batman’s Cowell does not fit his face properly in the picture

[@hulksmash2780]

The batman tv show worked because it's a product of it's time. The 60s was a more laid back cool decade. Batman and robin came off as a lame version of the tv show or a bad parody of it! If they wanted to do it right you need the right director ,writer and casting to pull it off. Most important thing is know how to read the room. Timing is everything difference generations don't always like or care about stuff that came before them!

[@ZyxthePest]

It's funny you guys don't like the two buns because I think it worked REALLY well in the Ivy design for The Batman.

[@Jared_Wignall]

I’m able to enjoy Batman & Robin as a so bad it’s good film. It’s corny and campy, so if one just accepts that it’s bad then you can enjoy the film more as opposed to expecting a film to continue from the Burton films or even some of the darkness Batman Forever did have. A defiant upshot to this film is Christopher Nolan got to make his trilogy.

[@oscardanielgonzalez2868]

I just can't stop losing it every time one of they say "45 years old Chris O'Donnell"

[@SuperHousePodcast]

Can't take credit for this. Kevin Smith invented this joke and we are stealing it! Thanks though!

[@derrenwood-peterson8518]

Collective Thank You to Kevin Smith for the best Batman movie review joke ever. 😆 Had preschool me thinking adults after a point just looked about the same age, cause I was aware you shrink at some point...🤷

[@MrGlasspider]

I don't know, to me Batman 66 is clever and this one is not. I mean, the ending of 66 alone is great satirical stuff, while Batman and Robin is kinda just campy for the sake of being campy.

[@jalenjohnson1662]

The main takeaway for me with this and the Batman Forever review is that Ben hates the Burton/Keaton version of the character. Personally, I think the comparison is a bit flawed. The 89 Batman was meant to be a throwback to the Bob Kane/Bill Finger version of the character. Schumacher was clearly trying to adapt a different era of the comics. So when Ben says that Clooney's characterization is better it's a bit of an apples and oranges comparison for me. Still enjoy your deep dives though.

[@SuperHousePodcast]

Thanks, Jalen! Ben graciously replies to this comment in our latest episode here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nanRgaioqNeFpM0 Thanks for listening!

[@jonjones6764]

Batman and Robin especially was very much the Dick Sprang 1950s era of Batman mixed with 1960s camp. I love it personally just as much as I love the dark Kane/Finger style of Batman.

[@CagedSUPERMAN]

I disagree. Arnold was the absolute best part of the film

[@caseyfehl638]

I think that Batman & Robin was one of the best Batman movies yet

[@bano871]

Ok I’ll admit i loved it as a kid but I’ll admit growing up this was terrible

[@just1man742]

It was bad but wasn't any worse than BvS and Justice league...... THEY SUCKED

[@ZomgRuler]

I disagree. BvS and JL were better than Batman & Robin imo. BvS did interesting things with the characters & had amazing visuals. JL had the League interacting with each other in a fun way. B&R had nothing fun about it. It's fun to make fun of but that's the extent of it. I do however think the extended version of BvS is much better and I can't wait to see the Snyder Cut of JL.

[@johnwells5414]

I think BvS and Justice League are better... But I will give Batman and Robin this, at least they knew what they were

[@Ian-hj4yt]

@@ZomgRuler nope

[@ZomgRuler]

@Ian To each their own

[@cancelme4200]

I hated batman forever. I hated the direction that Schumacher took the series, I missed keaton in the role, and the over the top acting of the Jones and Carrey made the movie nearly unwatchable for me. Going into Batman and Robin I was really looking forward to Clooney as batman. Clooney had the chin, he was an up and comer at the time, and I hated Val Kilmer so much as batman I was ready for anyone else. Batman and Robin is absolutely the worst out of the four 90's batman movies; however I can watch this movie all the way through, and I cant say the same for Batmam Forever.

[@SB992REBORN]

Subd'!

[@SuperHousePodcast]

Thanks!

[@djoneforever]

Yes, it S U C K