BATMAN AND ROBIN
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1997 Michael John Legeros
(WB)
Directed by Joel Schumacher
Written by Akiva Goldsmith
Cast Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell,
Uma Thurman, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Gough, Pat
Hingle, Elle Macpherson, John Glover, Jeep Swenson
MPAA Rating "PG-13"
Running Time 130 minutes
Reviewed at Mission Valley Cinemas, Raleigh, NC (18JUN97)
==
While a complete review is in the works, I can report that BATMAN AND ROBIN is easily the most light-hearted of the franchise. Though not quite the camp classic that director Joel Schumacher obviously intended, it delivers many a hearty Batlaugh, from Schwarzenegger's see-'em-a- mile-away one-liners to Thurman's wonderfully punny innuendo. (To the diamond- stealing Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy purrs "I'll help you grab your rocks.") As usual, the villains steal the show-- what else is new?-- but at least the heroes get a bigger share of the screen time. Chris O'Donnell is, again, the most believable on the dramatic front. Clooney is the best *looking* Bruce Wayne to date, but, well, he smiles too much. Ms. Silverstone, making her debut as Batgirl, is adequate and little else. More action-figure action, much of it way-over-the-top, from sky-surfing without parachutes (!) to a vehicle chase down the arm of a giant statue. Great production design, too. (The most accomplish- ed of the four films, I'd say). Like all the Batfeatures before it, however, the film's greatest failing is in the editing. Nips and tucks (and even some slices) are needed all over the place. And what's with the repetitive score? Definitely not for purists.
Grade: B- (preliminary)
--
Mike Legeros - Movie Hell http://www.nonvirtual.com/hell/
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