Subject: REVIEW: BATMAN AND ROBIN (1997)

From: [email-masked] (Michael Redman)
Date: 26 Jun 1997 15:47:17 GMT

BATMAN AND ROBIN
                       A film review by Michael Redman
                        Copyright 1997 Michael Redman

** (out of ****)

(Note: Beginning in my single digit
years, I grew up with Batman in the comic book form. I survived the
goofy Batman of the late fifties and early sixties and the "pop"ular
Batman of the mid-sixties, cringed in embarrassment at the "Pow! Zap!"
Batman of the television series and finally found _my_ version in
the grim dark night avenger which reprised the original version of the
character. Having a well-defined Batman in my imagination for decades
definitely colors my view of the cinematic Batmans. You've been
warned.)

The film version of Batman has never been done right and they are
getting worse over the years. As the series of films continue, the tone
of the movies appears to draw more from the television series of 30
years ago than from the comic book. Obviously the slam-bang antics we
see on the screen draw in more thrill-seekers than would the deadly
serious vigilante.

George "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV" Clooney is the latest
in the never-ending series of actors to slip on the cowl and he's really
not too bad at filling in the rubber suit. He looks good: much better
than Michael Keaton who was surprisingly adequate himself and equal to
Val Kilmer. Of course, with the acting skills called upon by the role,
just about anyone could fit the role as long as he possessed the
required strong jaw.

One of the many problems with this film is that we now have a kinder
and gentler Batman. Rather than the shadowy brooding character that
supposedly populated the first three films, our hero here is a
wise-cracking Father Knows Best. Not the best persona for a champion who
chose the bat as a symbol to "strike fear into the hearts of criminals".

Chris O'Donnell returns as Robin and is the most successful at creating
a three-dimensional human being. While he began his Boy Wonder career in
the last film with unsure footing, by the middle of this one he has a
secure sense of  the sidekick.

The Batman mythos has an enormous stable of colorful and dangerous
arch-foes. It's easy to understand the filmmakers' (in this case Joe
Schumacher) temptation to showcase them. After all, with the way they
have chosen to present Batman, the bad guys are much more interesting.
Thus we come to another failing with the films. There are so many new
characters and sub-plots introduced that by the time all that happens,
there isn't much space for a movie.

Here we have Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Bane, Batgirl as new characters.
Toss into the mix Alfred's deadly illness, Freeze's attempts to
resurrect his cryogenically preserved beloved wife, Ivy's
ecologist-gone-wrong crusade, Batgirl's leaving school and closet biker
babe life, Batman and Robin's bickering and half a dozen other story
elements and you get a film that is held together with a shoestring.

It's traditional to attract big names to play the Bat villains and this
movie is no exception. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a stand-out as the
frigid Mr. Freeze. With his blue flecked skin and bald head and booming
voice, Ahnold fits the role to a T.

Uma Thurman is less triumphant as Poison Ivy, the plant and snake venom
temptress with the deadly kiss. Thurman can be seductive and that is
what the role calls for, but all we get is cartoon allure. On the bright
side, she does have the best lines in the film, puns that they are.

The less said about Bane (Jeep Swenson), the better. In the comics,
Bane was presented as Batman's superior in strength and intelligence and
the only enemy to ever best the hero, breaking his back and putting him
into retirement for a year. Here he is a grunting chauffeur on steroids.
Even the animated version had more depth.

Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl is a throwaway character. Alfred's niece
who comes to stay in Wayne manor discovers the truth about the
happenings in the caves below and overnight becomes a super heroine.
Silverstone comes off as nothing more than a chubby spoiled high school
girl who always gets her own way. Oddly enough in the suiting-up scenes
with the traditional Bat close-ups on the chest, crotch and buttocks, it
is apparent that Batgirl's black suit isn't quite as anatomically
correct as are the men's. In the topsy-turvy world of Batman, men have
nipples and women don't.

As usual, the visuals are dynamic. Mr. Freeze's cold gun spreading ice
throughout Gotham is a highlight. The real star of the film continues to
be Gotham City itself. The architecture is spectacular. A city that
could exist only in Art Deco nightmares. The observatory held aloft in
the arms of an enormous statue is remarkable.

(Footnote: The direction that the Batman films have taken is probably
unstoppable. I'll never see _my_ Batman in the silver screen. In my
mind a younger Clint Eastwood is Bruce Wayne. It's not too late: the
current Eastwood would be perfect in a cinematic version of Frank
Miller's classic "The Dark Knight Returns". Only in my dreams.)

[This appeared in the 6/26/97 "Bloomington Voice", Bloomington, Indiana.
 Michael Redman can be reached at [email-masked] ]
-- 
mailto:[email-masked]