When A Franchise Goes Bad

In this day and age of skyrocketing salaries and costs, you would think that in conjunction, the quality would increase, but alas..for every low cost cinematic joy (Fargo, Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs (all made for less than half of what they grossed) we have pieces of cinematic drivel, made for 5 times what they are worth (Lost World, Speed 2 (whatever happened to leaving well enough alone) along those lines comes the fourth in the marketing world wet dream of the Batman franchise - Batman & Robin.

This time E.R. semi-hunk "George Clooney, complete with pre-installed scowl" slides into the Bat-madness, and saddles his already shaky movie resume (Career hint George..whenever Quentin Tarantino outacts you (see From Dusk till Dawn) maybe it is time to coast in on your TV fame and resign to the game show circuit) Clooney ..along with the bland as rice cakes Chris O’Donnell, battle an extremely tacky (even for him) Arnold Schwarzenegger, (who should be ashamed for accepting this script if he read it) spouting every cold, ice and freeze cliché known to man. If I didnt know better, I would assume that a 5th grader the script was silly, full of cliches, incohesiveness and in comprehension, similar to the ramblings of a 10 yr old. Alicia Silverstone was wasted (even her limited talent deserved a little bit more than this, hmmm, comes from England with a Beverly Hills accent, yeah I believe that) but if I started in on the things I didnt believe in this movie, I would be writing until the next movie (already in the works..yikes) I know it’s a comic book, and some kids may enjoy it, as usual it is a very visual movie..the scenery is dark and gothic, the action is aplenty, if not a bit pointless.

The only redeemable quality for me was the performance of .Uma Thurman doing her best Mother Nature meets Mae West routine. Also the potential for a great side story involving Alfred..but alas it goes up in flames and still the original holds court as the best Batman still, best villain, best story..where oh where is Tim Burton when we need him. ($ of $$$$)