Batman & Robin (1997)
32%RT Audience Score: 16%
Awards & Nominations: 10 wins & 22 nominations
Joel Schumacher’s tongue-in-cheek attitude hits an unbearable limit in Batman & Robin resulting in a frantic and mindless movie that’s too jokey to care much for
Batman & Robin is the kind of movie that makes you wonder if the filmmakers were on some kind of Bat-acid. From the over-the-top costumes to the ridiculous dialogue, it’s hard to take anything seriously. But hey, at least Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy is having a blast, right? If you’re in the mood for some mindless entertainment and don’t mind leaving your brain at the door, give it a watch. Just don’t expect any Oscar-worthy performances.
Production Company(ies)
Hecht-Lancaster Productions, Steven Productions,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Montréal, Québec, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for strong stylized action and some innuendos
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:2h 10m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 20, 1997 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 21, 1997
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Gough, directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Bob Kane, Akiva Goldsman, produced by Peter Macgregor-Scott, action, adventure, fantasy, PG-13, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Peter Bradshaw, Jason Bailey, Joe Morgenstern, Michael Wilmington, Rita Kempley, Steven Rea, 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
Worldwide gross: $238,235,719
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $444,090,644
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 341
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 48,428,642
US/Canada gross: $107,353,792
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $200,116,149
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 351
US/Canada opening weekend: $42,872,605
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $79,918,002
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 107
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $125,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $233,010,108
Production budget ranking: 50
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $125,475,943
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $85,604,594
ROI to date (est.): 24%
ROI ranking: 1,271
George Clooney – Bruce Wayne, Batman
Chris O’Donnell – Dick Grayson, Robin
Uma Thurman – Dr. Pamela Isley, Poison Ivy
Alicia Silverstone – Barbara Wilson, Batgirl
Michael Gough – Alfred Pennyworth
Director(s)
Joel Schumacher
Writer(s)
Bob Kane, Akiva Goldsman
Producer(s)
Peter Macgregor-Scott
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
10 wins & 22 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (93) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (82)
An amiable, almost farcical Batman episode, with George in Nespresso mode.
May 17, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Schumacher is like a bad stepdad who thinks we’ll love him if he just feeds us candy all day. (Yes, Burton is the daddy in this metaphor – the manic-depressive, annoyingly emo daddy.)
June 18, 2017
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
Of all modern Batmans, George Clooney bears the closest physical resemblance to the comic-book hero, but there isn’t much to say about his performance because there isn’t much performance to discuss.
June 18, 2014
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
TOP CRITIC
The movie has its entertaining flashes, but there’s too much bat-jive and bat-hokum.
June 18, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
In terms of new twists or narrative momentum. Poison Ivy, the sinuous villainess, is the only relief from the onslaught of spoofy humor, special effects and meaningless comic book mayhem.
June 18, 2014
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
[A] loud, long and pointless spectacle.
June 18, 2014 | Rating: 2/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Batman & Robin really feels as if director Joel Schumacher was painting by numbers.
January 12, 2022 | Rating: 2/5
James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy is camp personified once her violent transformation is complete, purring out her ridiculous lines like the movie stars of old.
March 19, 2021
Cate Young
Thirty, Flirty + Film
Perhaps most disheartening of all is the fact that every character in the film defies gravity, physics, and any form of logic in their clunky or obnoxiously vivid designs.
September 9, 2020 | Rating: 2/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
It’s honestly a miracle anyone was ever willing to see a Batman movie again after this film.
September 2, 2020 | Rating: F
Brian Gill
Mad About Movies Podcast
Batman & Robin was definitely not the late great Joel Schumacher’s best accomplishment, it’s one that will definitely live on in infamy, and a movie that people are still able to find joy from, in spite of its many flaws. Excess never dies.
July 30, 2020
Andrea Thompson
The Spool
It all feels like it’s a smidgeon away from being a spoof movie.
March 15, 2020 | Rating: 2/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro…
Plot
Batman and Robin are back working side-by-side to stop the villains of Gotham City, but is there tension appearing between them, especially when one villainess who calls herself Poison Ivy can make anyone fall in love with her…literally. Along with Poison Ivy, the icy Mr. Freeze is freezing anything which gets in his way from achieving his goal.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Batman & Robin includes George Clooney as Batman, Chris O’Donnell as Robin, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, and Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy.
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