Batman and Robin (1997)

Elevator Pitch: Batman and Robin are established crime fighters in the city of Gotham and are called upon to face a new super villain, Mr Freeze, who is using his freezing gun and his squad of skaters to steal diamonds, the fuel source for his cold suit. To add to the difficulties a new villainess appears on the scene, Poison Ivy, who is capable of bewitching men and killing them by kissing them. She is the cause of Batman and Robin falling out, the latter falling for her, not realising that he is being played. Meanwhile Alfred falls ill, and his niece apears on the scene, also causing a kerfuffle.

Content: Nothing to offend other than views of Batman’s and Robin’s codpieces. Many set pieces where Batman and Robin fight Mr Freeze, with varying results, also a motor bike race and sort of skateboarding. Some parties where Bruce Wayne appears and some where Batman appears. Poison Ivy wears tightfitting costumes and is flirtatious. The Bat people us their grapples and string a lot – ad nauseam really.

A View: If this had been put on by our local amateur dramatic society as “Batman The Pantomime”, it would still have been crap but we would have admired them for trying. As it was, despite havng an estimated budget of $125 million, of which Arnie was paid $25 million, it bombed, achieving a rating in the IMDb Worst Films and winning in most categories in the 1998 Razzies. I am adding Akiva Goldsman the few scriptwriters on my list – so you know who to avoid. The unfunny one- liners may eb the worst feature. It is an ALMOST DON’T SEE.

Additional Info: The one thing in favour of this film is the first appearance of “Bane”, played by weightlifter Jeep Swenson, who wears a mask, and has no dialogue – an advantage in this outing.