Common Sense Note
Parents should know that this installment of the Batman movie franchise deals with the deaths of both Bruce and Dick's parents, that Batman and his pals are placed in jeopardy several times; at one point, the Caped Crusader is believed to have been buried alive, and that when Batman finally does catch his opponents, he kills them rather than bringing them to justice.
Families who watch this film may want to discuss superheroes. How does Batman compare to, say, Superman? Is Batman always a good guy? What is the difference between vigilantism and justice?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Ed Grant
When his acrobatic team is killed, Dick (Chris O'Donnell) becomes Batman's crime-fighting partner, Robin. The third entry in the live-action movie series avoids the grim tone of its predecessors, opting instead for video game visuals, corny sentiment, and monotonous action sequences. Val Kilmer makes a heroic Caped Crusader, but the movie is more interested -- unfortunately -- in the ridiculous villains.
Criticism over the nasty violence contained in the Tim Burton-helmed Batman Returns led to director Joel Schumacher being recruited to fashion a "family-friendly" Batman movie. The result is a flashier adventure that unfortunately duplicates the worst aspect of the preceding movies by making the villains more entertaining than the hero.
Younger viewers will become restless during the dramatic moments, which are simply prolonged interludes between the numerous action sequences. The entire movie, in fact, seems to resemble a video game, thanks to an emphasis on bright colors, grandiose settings, and repetitive fight scenes.
Though younger kids may not warm to Robin's tired teen-rebel pose, Schumacher emphasizes O'Donnell's sex appeal for those who are interested. The director's background in the fashion industry influenced the new black rubber costumes for both Batman and Robin. Val Kilmer physically suits the role of Bruce Wayne better than his predecessor Michael Keaton, but the superhero is still the same driven yet dreary soul of the first two movies.
Operating at full throttle, as always, are the movie's villains. Tommy Lee Jones transforms the fascinating Two-Face into a mere Joker clone, while Jim Carrey offers his usual hyperkinetic shtick as the Riddler.
Families in search of a more compelling, better-scripted rendition of Robin's origin (minus his tight, revealing outfit) are urged to check out The Adventures of Batman & Robin: The Penguin. Two-Face's warring personalities reflect the influence of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde.
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Sexual ContentSuggestive verbal banter between Bruce and Chase. Two-Face's assistants wear revealing lingerie. |
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ViolenceNumerous fight scenes, with much gunfire, fisticuffs, speeding cars, and explosions. Only a few deaths, but each is violent and sadistic in a cartoonish way. |
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CommercialismThis film is part of the Batman film series. |
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