Hear me Out: Clooney in Batman & Robin

[xc37runner]

Yes, it's awful. Yes, it's camp. Yes, it's just plain dumb. But something striked me while I was watching this movie (for reasons unknown). Even though Clooney's Batman was awful, he did an amazing job as Wayne. We barely saw Bruce outside the Manor (he was only really outside at the Gotham Observatory). But the scenes between Bruce and Alfred are the only redeemable qualities about this movie. Not only that, they're beautiful. Say what you want about this film, but watch those scenes again, and you'll understand what I mean. Yeah, Akiva took all the **** for writing such a kid-friendly Batman, but I honestly believe those scenes were powerful, touching, and worth watching B & R for those reasons alone.

Anybody agree with me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0adoRvjIcOo

 

[Gotham22]

I agree, Clooney was a great Bruce Wayne.

 

[pwl4life]

same here. I like how with his Bruce they hinted at his detective skills more than the previous Waynes,like in the scene where he mentions what school barbera went to because he noticed the patch on her sweater.It was Subtle but made him seem more like Bruce the detective from the comics

 

[Gotham22]

scenes envolving Clooney and Chris O'Donnell, the chemistry was more like father and son.

 

[BlueLightning]

I liked the Bruce-Alfred dynamic in the film. Its just that Clooney seemed bored or something in some scenes, just looking around, moving his head without direction, like if he was being distracted. And he didn´t act that well, I remember that scene when Bruce remembered whe he fall down and Alfred help him. When he turnedd forward his head...didn´t seem natural, for making an example.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

Hasnt there been like a MILLION threads about this already in this section?

 

[Soundwave88]

after seeing that youtube clip it made me think yah it could have worked. Alfred daying was a awesome touch to the movie.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I just can't see Clooney as Bruce or Batman. I just see Clooney. Having said that, it's the same with Bale.

 

[Chris Wallace]

To me, there was absolutely no distinction between Clooney's Bruce & Clooney's Batman. No transition took place when he donned the mask. He was just "Bruce" in a costume. This alone says to me that neither he nor Schumacher understood the character at all. In my mind, Batman would never let Robin talk back to him that way. ("I'm sick of your rules!" "Bruce, you're never gonna win this argument.") I saw absolutely nothing of Batman in that movie.

 

[xc37runner]

i know there's probably been a million threads like this before, but i appreciate everyone's input on this. i'm really interested in what everyone is saying about this topic

 

[Paste Pot Pete]

To me, there was absolutely no distinction between Clooney's Bruce & Clooney's Batman. No transition took place when he donned the mask. He was just "Bruce" in a costume.

^ This.

Anyways, you're right about the Bruce/Alfred scenes. Best part of the movie.

It's really almost all Michael Gough, though. He brings out the best in anyone. He is so incredibly heartwarming in every scene of the four Batman films, even when he's being snarky. I love Caine's Alfred, and I don't think either Caine or Gough were ever spot-on "comic Alfred", but gosh, Gough is just so loveable.

Clooney was an alright Wayne, pretty lousy Bats.

Like the rest of the film, wasted potential. Even Arnold's Freeze shows glimmers of hope from time to time.

Not to go off on a tangeant, but it's worth noting that Schumacher actually seems to really get Freeze at some points, but it's constantly erratic and contradictory. He nails some of the dramatic beats but squanders it with cheap laughs. How can you have a Freeze that goes from conducting a chorus of eskimos in polar bear slippers to pining over his frozen wife?

Maybe he's ... Bi-POLAR. Man, I'm better than Akiva Goldsman!

 

[Mutagen]

Meh. I need to watch the movie again to make a proper assessment....But I'm too scared to watch

 

[wrhssaxensemble]

^ This.
Not to go off on a tangeant, but it's worth noting that Schumacher actually seems to really get Freeze at some points, but it's constantly erratic and contradictory. He nails some of the dramatic beats but squanders it with cheap laughs. How can you have a Freeze that goes from conducting a chorus of eskimos in polar bear slippers to pining over his frozen wife?

or even worse, how apparently the whole thing was over his wife as is usually the case but he had a girlfriend in the movie played by Vivica A. Fox? Or just the mere fact that every other word was either "ice", "cold", "frozen" or "chill". And the "hockey players from hell"? comeon.... Freeze is supposed to be a brilliant scientist not someone so pathetic in their humor

 

[twilitezoner]

Meh. I need to watch the movie again to make a proper assessment....But I'm too scared to watch

Be afraid. Be very afraid..

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

I just can't see Clooney as Bruce or Batman. I just see Clooney. Having said that, it's the same with Bale.

Wow do I feel bad for you!!

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Wow do I feel bad for you!!

LOL. It's just Bale's style. He plays his own onscreen persona in every film.

 

[MrQuinn]

LOL. It's just Bale's style. He plays his own onscreen persona in every film.

kind of like Nicholas Cage.



and no that's not me trying to "take a shot at you" I just actually thought it was humorous, so don't take it the wrong way.

 

[El Payaso]

Bruce and Alfred were the only good scenes in B&R, the only good thing in it.

 

[I Am The Knight]

Maybe he's ... Bi-POLAR. Man, I'm better than Akiva Goldsman!

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Akiva Goldsman has an Oscar, you know.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

LOL. It's just Bale's style. He plays his own onscreen persona in every film.

Bale in Newsies, Bale in Little Women, Bale in American Psycho, Bale in The Machinist is not Bale in Batman Begins. How many of his films have you actually even seen? Cause to me any obvious film lover, or people with any knowledge of acting, can definitly see the MAJOR difference in the characters he plays.

 

[Lethal Weapon]

i think kilmer was a better bruce wayne than clooney but clooney did good with what he had to work with

 

[Lethal Weapon]

i think kilmer was a better bruce wayne than clooney but clooney did good with what he had to work with

 

[Nathan Petrelli]

LOL. It's just Bale's style. He plays his own onscreen persona in every film.

Are you kidding? Go watch American Psycho, then go watch The Machinist.

 

[LegendaryCaleb]

I just rented Batman and Robin for laughs...(felt like a dick renting it in front of people)
Clooney did an excellent job in his scenes with Alfred....but besides that the whole movie is a drag.