Common Sense Media Review
Weak superhero movie has lots of innuendo, some violence.
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Batman & Robin
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 21 parent reviews
Parents say the film is a polarizing take on the superhero genre, with some reviews highlighting its campy, family-friendly nature, while others criticize its inappropriate content for young viewers, particularly regarding violence and sexual innuendos. Despite being labeled as one of the worst superhero movies, it has moments of humor and is considered entertaining by a niche audience.
- campy fun
- inappropriate content
- mixed reception
- humor appeal
- family-friendly
Summarized with AI
Based on 108 kid reviews
Kids say this film is overwhelmingly criticized for its campy humor, poor acting, and excessive cheesy elements, making it one of the worst in the Batman franchise. Though some younger audiences might find amusement in its silliness, many parents warn against its inappropriate innuendos and laughable plot, stating that it's not suitable for children despite being marketed as kid-friendly.
- campy humor
- bad acting
- inappropriate content
- poor plot
- silly entertainment
Summarized with AI
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?
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. Batman & Robin'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.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes a good superhero film. In other films, Batman has a darker side. Did that come across in BATMAN & ROBIN? If not, would it have made this movie better, or worse? Why do you think people enjoy films based on comic book characters?
Did the sexual innuendo add to the overall entertainment value of the story, or did it seem forced and overdone?
This movie has been almost universally panned. What are some of the qualities that would make a movie "bad"? What are some movies you like that other family members or friends don't? Do you have any "guilty pleasure" movies?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 12, 1997
- On DVD or streaming : October 21, 1997
- Cast : Arnold Schwarzenegger , George Clooney , Uma Thurman
- Director : Joel Schumacher
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes
- Run time : 130 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong stylized action and some innuendos.
- Last updated : October 8, 2026
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