Batman & Robin (PG-13, 1997)

common sense media says

Same bat-time, same bat-movie.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this film has some frightening scenes: It deals with the illness of an elder in the family, harassment, and depicts, in the final scene, Batman and two scientists plummeting thousands of miles when a telescope is torn out of the Gotham Observatory.

Positive messages: Barbara Wilson sneaks a look at Uncle Alfred's CD-Rom containing the secrets of the Batcave; at the movie's end, it becomes obvious that Barbara will stop attending school to live in Wayne Manor and function as Batgirl.
Violence: Hand-to-hand combat, bullets, and explosions.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: This is part of the Batman movie franchise.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Batman & Robin

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about what makes a good superhero film. In other films, Batman has a darker side. Did that come across in this film? If not, would it have made this movie better, or worse? Why do you think people enjoy films based on comic book characters?

What's the story?

What's the story?

The caped crusaders battle not one but two supervillains in director Joel Schumacher's second Batman film. When an experiment gone wrong transforms Dr. Victor Fries (Arnold Schwarzenegger) into the evil Mr. Freeze, it's up to Batman (George Clooney) and Robin (Chris O'Donnell) to stop him from turning Gotham City into an arctic wasteland. Meanwhile, another scientific endeavor goes awry, changing timid horticulturalist Pamela (Uma Thurman) into vicious Poison Ivy. The dynamic duo must also stop her from wiping out humankind in her quest to create a vegetation-only planet. Batman and Robin get some help when butler Alfred's niece (Alicia Silverstone) comes to visit and becomes the crime-fighting Batgirl.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

This by-the-numbers Bat-sequel is an outright rip-off of the preceding entries in the series. The introduction of Batgirl and Alfred's first step to center stage can't compensate for the uninteresting supervillains. The movie draws its depiction of Poison Ivy straight from the Catwoman section of Batman Returns, and takes its hastily forged supervillains from both Batman Returns and Batman Forever. The movie's recurrent refrain of a villain invading a high-society gala is also from Batman Forever.

Unlike its three predecessors, which wound up making the villains more fascinating than Batman, Batman & Robin succeeds in making both the villains and the heroes equally uninteresting. The villains spout nothing but pun-filled taglines, and good guys mostly spew tedious platitudes about teamwork. Even younger viewers will notice the overly simple plot, especially if they've seen the far-better-scripted animated adventures Batman and Mr. Freeze: Subzero or The Adventures of Batman & Robin: Poison Ivy.

Movie themes & details

Themes
Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Joel Schumacher
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Uma Thurman
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run time: 130 minutes
Theatrical release: June 12, 1997
DVD release: October 21, 1997
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: strong stylized action and some innuendos.

This review was written by Ed Grant
 
 

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What parents & educators say

7

Most useful reviews by all members

TheRightGuy101
parent of 10 and 13 year old
 
Fine for all ages
A fine batman movie for all ages. Violence is not to bad and no language. 4/5

 

ClydeTheMovieBuff
teen, 18 years old
 
The Worst in the Batman Franchise
This Movie is considered to be the worst batman movie ever made. I as well as thousands of other viewers of this movie are behind that theory.

 
super good for kids
great movie for kids

KidWhoReviewsStuff
kid, 13 years old
 
Batman goes bad
This movie is bad. The sexual talk is stupid, the acting is unconvincing and the action is goofy. The movie surfers from conflicting tones. At points it is just silly, which I wouldn't mind but then they put in some serious scenes as well as some odd ones that just don't work.

ohya
parent of 14 year old
 
bad
stupid and terrible movie

That Reviewing Kid
kid, 11 years old
 
Skip it at all costs
I hate this stupid film. Even if you get past the corny villains you won't get past Robin and Batgirl. The worst Batman movie ever.

deadman13
teen, 13 years old
 
OK Movie for kids 9+
I am not a fan of this movie. There is alot of better Batman movies out there. I think there should be more fighting/action in the movie.

Justino4
teen, 14 years old
 
Too Goofy
A not-so-good Batman movie. Too goofy and light-hearted.

Thecoyote
teen, 14 years old
 
Worst Batman film yet!!!
This film is really dumb!!! It feels like it was made just to sell toys.

Spielberg00
teen, 14 years old
 
Batman is a family movie now? Geez. It's also stupid.
My rating: PG [borderline with PG-13] for action violence, brief innuendo/suggestive humor, and some language.

davyborn
teen, 17 years old
 
Underrated and entertaining fourth original Batman film is fine for kids
Even though it is beyond silly and ridiculous and it slips even fuirther away from what the original style of hr first two batman films in the original series where like,I still can't help but enjoy this movie, with it's overly flashy use of camera movemens and it's comical action sequences. While it is rated PG-13, the only reason that keeps it from a PG rating is the occasional sensuality and that the villain Poison Ivy is a very sexed up character. Besides that, it really is fine for most older kids, and even the action scenes are quiet tame and even comical at times. Still a good movie, if not a great one.

robinrunner
teen, 14 years old
 
The least favorite movie of the Old Batman series thats "okay"
Uma Thurman is a great poisen Ivy, and whoever was Robin is fantastic too, but George clooney isn't the best Batman. I don't think he understands the concept of Batman bieng dark and "in the shadows." Anyway, profanity is in it (as it is in all movies now), and sexual situations between Poisen Ivy and her victims isn't friendly to little kids. Theres constant kissing, and Batgirl wears a tight suit, but hopefully young viewers won't notice.

ZWolf
kid, 12 years old
 
a nice movie review.
a good movie for your thrill seekers parents.

starwars reviewer
kid, 13 years old
 
Did I really need all of these cliches? No. No I did not.
This is the most cliched movie I have ever seen. It's like the writers just picked up all the classic One Liners and threw them in. That alone made me want to turn the movie off. Stay Cool! GOSHDARNIT! See, I can't stop blurting them now! Thanks for reading!

 
dont see
i am an enormous batman fan. love the guy, but this movie does him incredible disjustice. the acting is terrible, and the script is even worse. for a good batman movie, watch the original with michael keaton and jack nicholson, or batman begins with christian bale.

tim44
adult
 
worst batman
this movie was horrible. they ruined the batman when they had him where ice skates and when they put nipples on the batman suit. chris o donnell still is robin, but no val kilmer, dissapointing.waste of time don't see this. see batman, batman returns, batman forever or batman begins for enjoyment.

Sgt-Samson
teen, 16 years old
 
A very very bad and silly Batman movie. It was the worst batman movie ever made. Thank god in 2005, Batman returns were able to save the company.

Batfan
kid, 13 years old
 
Sucks
This movie is just plain awful. And what is up with the freaking nipples on the costumes?!

Glee rockz
teen, 14 years old
 
Skip it
It gives Batman a bad name. Worst superhero film ever. Still haven't forgiven Schumacer yet. Definitely a skip. And, by the way, whatever happened to the girlfriends of the previous films?

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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