| Batman & Robin | |
|---|---|
| |
| Directed by | Joel Schumacher |
| Produced by | Peter MacGregor-Scott |
| Written by | Akiva Goldsman |
| Starring | Arnold Schwarzenegger George Clooney Chris O'Donnell Uma Thurman Alicia Silverstone |
| Music by | Elliot Goldenthal |
| Cinematography | Stephen Goldblatt |
| Editing by | Dennis Virkler Mark Stevens |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release | June 20, 1997 |
| Running time | 125 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $140 million |
| Gross revenue | $238,207,122 |
| Preceded by | Batman Forever |
| Followed by | Batman Begins |
Batman & Robin is a 1997 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. The film was directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Akiva Goldsman, and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Uma Thurman, and Alicia Silverstone. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The fourth and final film in the Batman film series, the film tells the story of Batman and Robin as they attempt to prevent Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Bane from covering Gotham City with ice and vegetation while at the same time struggling to keep their partnership together.
Development for Batman & Robin began following the box office success of the previous film, Batman Forever. Warner Bros. commissioned the film for a June 1997 release. Schumacher and Goldsman conceived the film's plotline during pre-production on A Time to Kill. Principal photography began in September 1996 and finished in January 1997, two weeks ahead of the shooting schedule.
Batman & Robin is listed as one of the worst movies ever made. It was released on June 20, 1997 to negative reviews. Observers criticized the film for its toyetic and camp approach, as well as homosexual innuendo added by Schumacher. Batman & Robin received 11 nominations at the 1997 ceremony of the Razzie Awards, including one for Worst Picture. After this, Warner Bros. canceled the unproduced Batman Triumphant, and the film series was eventually rebooted with Batman Begins (2005) by director Christopher Nolan. The song made for the film, "The End Is the Beginning Is the End" by The Smashing Pumpkins, won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards. However, it was also nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song.
Plot[]
In Gotham City, Batman and Robin attempt to stop a new villain called Mr. Freeze from stealing a cache of diamonds. The supervillain freezes Robin and flees, warning Batman he has 11 minutes to thaw Robin. They learn that Freeze was scientist Dr. Victor Fries, who became dependent on a diamond-powered subzero suit following an accident in a cryogenics lab he was using to find a cure for his wife, Nora, who was suffering from a terminal illness called MacGregor's Syndrome.
Meanwhile, in South America, botanist Dr. Pamela Isley is working under Dr. Jason Woodrue, a mad scientist who recently had his funding cut by Wayne Enterprises and is experimenting with the strength serum "Venom". Pamela discovers Woodrue subjecting a diminutive convict to the experiment, transforming him into the muscular Bane. Woodrue and Pamela argue over the use of the drug and, when she refuses to join him, Woodrue overturns a shelf of various toxins onto her. She transforms into the seductive Poison Ivy before killing Woodrue with a kiss from her poisonous lips. She leaves with Bane for Gotham, intending to use the chemicals produced by Wayne Enterprises for her schemes.
Back in Gotham, Barbara Wilson, the niece of Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred Pennyworth, makes a surprise visit and is invited to stay at Wayne Manor until she returns to college. Alfred is revealed to be suffering from MacGregor's Syndrome. Poison Ivy interrupts a Wayne Enterprises press conference at the Gotham Observatory unveiling a new telescope, to propose a project that would turn Gotham City into a lush rainforest, but Bruce turns down the offer. Later, a charity event is held by Wayne Enterprises with special guests Batman and Robin in attendance. Ivy seduces them as well as several other men with her pheromone powder she blows at victims, until Freeze crashes the party and steals a diamond from the event. Freeze is captured by Batman and detained at Arkham Asylum, but flees with the help of Ivy and Bane after dealing with the guards who are guarding Freeze.
Ivy shuts off Nora's life support, and tells Freeze that Batman did it to convince Freeze into destroying Gotham. Meanwhile, Robin becomes smitten with Ivy and begins to rebel against Batman at Freeze's hideout. Ivy imprisons Robin when he does not give in to her charms and subdues Batman when he confronts her. Barbara — now a costumed crime-fighter calling herself Batgirl — arrives and defeats her. Batman, Robin and Batgirl go after Freeze together. When they arrive at the observatory where Freeze and Bane are, Gotham is completely frozen from Freeze's ice ray. Robin and Batgirl confront Bane and defeat him, while Batman and Freeze fight. After Batman defeats Freeze by placing a bat-shaped thaw machine on Freeze's suit, Freeze destroys the observatory with a set of bombs Bane planted, but Batman escapes. Batgirl and Robin unfreeze Gotham by repositioning the observatory's satellites, which use their mirrors to reflect sunlight, in order to thaw Gotham from outer space.
After playing Ivy's confession that she killed Nora, Batman reveals to Freeze that Nora is not dead and was restored by himself upon learning about the unplugged chamber and would be moved to Arkham, where he could complete his research. Batman asks Freeze for the cure he created for the first stage of MacGregor's Syndrome for Alfred. Freeze atones for his misdeeds by giving him two vials of the medicine he had developed.
Ivy is detained at Arkham with a vengeful Freeze as her cellmate lecturing her for trying to sabotage his research. Alfred is eventually healed, and everyone agrees to let Barbara stay at the mansion.
Cast[]
- Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze
- George Clooney as Bruce Wayne / Batman
- Chris O'Donnell as Dick Grayson / Robin
- Uma Thurman as Dr. Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy
- Alicia Silverstone as Barbara Wilson / Batgirl
- Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth
- Pat Hingle as Commissioner James Gordon
- John Glover as Dr. Jason Woodrue
- Elle Macpherson as Julie Madison
- Vivica A. Fox as Ms. B. Haven
- Vendela Kirsebom as Nora Fries
- Elizabeth Sanders as Gossip Gerty
- Gotham's top gossip columnist.
- Robert "Jeep" Swenson as Bane
Images[]
External links[]
- Batman & Robin at the Internet Movie Database
| Batman |
| Films |
|
Batman (1943) • Batman and Robin • Batman (1966) • Batman (1989) • Batman Returns • Batman Forever • Batman & Robin • Batman Begins • The Dark Knight • The Dark Knight Rises • Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice • The Lego Batman Movie • |
| Characters |
|
Alfred Pennyworth • Batman • Catwoman • Joker • Mr. Freeze • Penguin • Poison Ivy • Riddler • Robin • Two-Face • Gotham City |
| Chris O'Donnell films |
|
Batman Forever (1995) · |
| Uma Thurman films |
|
Pulp Fiction (1994) · Batman & Robin (1997) · |