https://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/626477/people-softened-on-batman-robin?page=1
Back in the day, it was seen as the absolute worst superhero film ever made. Now, while it still has its haters, talk about the film is less vicious, with Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze being noted as a highlight by many. Is the film now seen as not as bad as its reputation?share
The kids who liked this movie when it first came out are now adults so it’s reputation has improved
shareAt the time, people were either saying it had ended the Bat-franchise for good, or even arguing that it should be ended for good. Since then, we've had the Nolan trilogy, the SnyderVerse, Matt Reeves' The Batman (for which a sequel is in pre-production), the imminent return of Michael Keaton as Batman, and a possible new Batman in James Gunn's DC Universe. Some might argue (albeit not a big Bat-media fan like me) that there's *too much* Bat-media.
And so, it's hard to hate B&R any more, assuming one ever did (and, fwiw, I was never a big hater of the film, even though I realise it's not a good film by any stretch of the imagination; it was actually the first Batman film I ever saw on the big screen, and, I was more bothered by the tonal shift from Batman 89/Batman Returns to Batman Forever, than I ever was with Batman & Robin). The film has its incidental pleasures, and I actually think Arnie was decent casting (it was the script that let him down).
People have moved on after 25 years. Still has embarrassing moments with the bat card and Mr Freeze slippers. Imagine if they did a lighter Batman film today, it wouldn't be campy as hell with villains laughing manically, it wouldn't be choc full of stunt casting of actors, it would be a better toyetic approach probably in the vain of MCU Ironman and Spiderman, it doesn't necessarily mean a crap film but I think it would be an enjoyable one.
Problem with having Schwarzenegger in the film is that it was incredibly distracting especially when your so associated as The Terminator and being easy to impersonate, it's why you never see someone like Tom Cruise cast as Captain America or Thor.
Funnily enough my dad at the time told me he read an interview where Arnold Schwarzenegger called his role, "The Terminator in the refrigerator." We saw it in theaters and loled at it. It was a bad film but had a lot of funny moments.
shareIt's crap. It took a huge crap on the franchise. I came out of the cinema hating it, I hate it now. Batman Forever was fine. This was/is garbage. No, I haven't softened on it.
shareBatman and Robin is and always has been my favorite Batman movie. I wouldn’t say I’ve softened to it, but I love it more every time I watch it : )
shareThat's genuinely great! I mean, I can't say I share your feelings, but that's mostly because there have been so many truly great Batman films (e.g. Batman 89, Batman Returns, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Batman), rather than because I particularly hate this one.
Would you mind elaborating upon your feelings though? What makes this your favourite?
I would give Batman: Mask of the Phantasm as my second pick followed by The Dark Knight Rises. All the films you listed are enjoyable in their own way, but Batman and Robin sits at the top for me. It just has that that feel of playful, simple and lighthearted action that I love.
Allow me to break the ice! Mr. Freeze, was quite niiice! Bane was cool! And Poison Ivy was… a monkey at some point in time.
Honestly though, I do not really know why I love it so much. We all have that something that just makes us feel good, and that we associate with. Batman and Robin is one of those for me. Watch it and have some fun.
But remember, if you do not like it, Chill! You can complain about it, but no matter what you say you’re not sending me to the cooler!
It's all good.
I wasn't interrogating you/putting you under the spot for liking this film.
On the contrary, I just wanted to see people discuss their favourite moments from this film, because whilst it isn't my personal favourite, there are things I do like about it (it has many incidental pleasures), so I was wondering if any of them were similar to the reasons you personally rate this movie.
I was 11 years old when this came out, so I was still young enough to not mind the cheesiness of the movie. I liked the actor who played Robin (he was very hot in this), Alicia Silverstone was a fun Batgirl, Uma Thurman was delightfully evil as Poison Ivy, and Arnold was hilarious as Mr. Freeze (in fact, he was far more entertaining than the original one I saw in the cartoon).
I think the biggest problem with these films was the fact that people wanted for it to appeal to adults, when it wasn't that kind of Batman film (Batman Forever got this kinda flack too). It was supposed to be dark, thrilling, but campy at the same time. It was like a slightly more serious version of that cheesy Batman tv show with Adam West back in the 60s, mixed with the darker tones of Tim Burton without Burton involved.
I think it's okay for older kids to watch. But if you're looking for a darker, more serious, more adult version, Nolan's films are where you wanta go.
It wasn't really Batman enough for people, and that's probably why a lot of people hated and still hate it - but time has made people a little nostalgic, and many have seen past the flaws to enjoy its over-the-top camp and goofy vibe, because it is more a comedy than anything - albeit unintentionally.
shareI think that Batman & Robin can be watched if you look at it as an attempt at doing a '90s style update of the old Adam West TV series. I think that even Michael Uslan, the executive producer said that the first four live-action Batman movies from Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher are reflective of different eras in the Batman comic books.
People I believe didn't want that at the time because doing a goofy, campy, bright, and colorful take on Batman in 1997 felt like major a regression after what Tim Burton and Michael Keaton brought to the table in 1989 and in Batman Returns as well as what was recently going on in the comics like The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, Knightfall, etc.
Plus, Batman: The Animated Series by this point in time, pretty much felt like the blueprint for what a kid friendly yet still dark and mature adaptation of Batman could be.
Very much agree. No one can really picture a camp Batman now after Nolan's movies, which is why I think so many people are divided on the Harley Quinn movies, because they do lean into camp a little more.
shareI think it is only overly serious fans in a certain age range who hated it viciously. Older fans had read Batman from the '50s and early '60s and throughout the '60s there were reprints of Batman from as early as the '40s available. My Batman is the Batman of the "80 Page Giant" reprint comics; frequently traveling in time or going into space and dealing with magic, extra-dimensional beings, dinosaurs, robots, robot dinosaurs... The villains were weird and wacky and there was no trace of the Dark Knight or even the Darknight Detective. Batman didn't get serious (again - the earliest Batman was carelessly violent, with murderous villains) till a couple of years after that '60s TV series.