Batman And Robin 1997

Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune: A sniggering, exhausting, overproduced extravaganza that has virtually all of the humanity pounded out of it in the name of an endless parade of stunt sequences. Read more

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: The movie has its entertaining flashes, but there's too much bat-jive and bat-hokum. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: The film's look is all that money can buy, and, as always with blockbuster wannabes like this, it's a shame that money can't buy even more. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: Batman & Robin won't kill the popular series, but it ought to slow it down a tad. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: [A] loud, long and pointless spectacle. Read more

John Hartl, Seattle Times: Fourth time's not the charm in this rambling sequel, which gets off to a roaring start, then quite literally crashes. Read more

Susan Stark, Detroit News: Apart from its eye-appeal, though, Batman & Robin is a virtually joyless exercise, a lumbering saga of a city under assault on two fronts. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: 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. Read more

Keith Phipps, AV Club: The fourth installment of the lucrative Batman series is the weakest yet, but anyone not expecting that after 1995's Batman Forever will probably be too dazed by all the bright lights in the theater lobby to notice anyway. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: Loud, uninspired, and interminable. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: By now, the dispatching of various comic-book meanies is the least satisfying part of the deal, no matter how many disco scenes or gizmos are thrown onto the screen. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: Campy costumes can't disguise the incoherent plot, confused performances and lame script that send this star vehicle spiralling downward. Read more

David Ansen, Newsweek: Noisy, campy, overproduced, it's abdicated all solemnity in pursuit of a boom-kaboom videogame esthetic. Read more

Dave Kehr, New York Daily News: There's plenty to look at but nothing to feel. Read more

Janet Maslin, New York Times: As played by Uma Thurman, Poison Ivy is perfect, flaunting great looks, a mocking attitude and madly flamboyant disguises. Read more

Peter Rainer, New Times: Bring earplugs to Batman & Robin. A pair of noseplugs wouldn't hurt, either. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Pointless, plodding plotting; asinine action; clueless, comatose characterization; and dumb dialogue. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Wonderful to look at, and has nothing authentic at its core. Read more

Robin Dougherty, Salon.com: Holy creative breakdown, Batman! Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: George Clooney is the big zero of the film, and should go down in history as the George Lazenby of the series. Read more

Alex Ross, Slate: This indiscriminate racket, more than anything, sent me out into Times Square with the feeling of having been roughed up. The area hasn't changed so much after all. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: [Schumacher's] storytelling is limp, and the characters lack energy. Read more

Tom Charity, Time Out: The fourth Bat-flick finds this juvenile franchise running on empty. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: The villains, Arnold Schwarzenegger and especially Uma Thurman in this instance, remain the highlights here, as the rest of the gargantuan production lacks the dash and excitement that would have given the franchise a boost in its eighth year. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Like a wounded yeti, Batman & Robin drags itself through icicle-heavy sets, dry-ice fog and choking jungle vines, before dying in a frozen heap. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: 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. Read more