150 Movies You Should Die Before You See - Miller Steve [32]
Thumbs Down Rating:
The Crappies
The Special Reading Is Fundamental Award goes to … Antonia Banderas and Lucy Liu for apparently not reading the script before choosing to star in this miserable picture.
And the Worst Director Award goes to … Kaos for allowing his attention deficit disorder to ruin the film. Not even action scenes are allowed to play out with a consistent visual tone or flow.
They Really Said It!
Ecks: Where did you get all this ordinance?
Sever: Some women buy shoes.
Betcha Didn't Know
The film cost $70 million to make, but only brought in $14 million during its very brief U.S. theatrical run. It didn't fare that much better on DVD.
The 2001 Gameboy Advance first-person shooter game Ecks vs. Sever was based on an early version of the film's script, not the other way around.
Trivia Quiz
Who was the first internationally renowned American-born Chinese-American actress?
A: Lotus Long (born 1909)
B: Anna May Wong (born 1905)
C: Nancy Kwan (born 1939)
D: Lucy Liu (born 1968)
Answer: B. Anna May Wong enjoyed a career throughout Europe and Asia, though she struggled against racism in the United States.
BATMAN & ROBIN
Warner Bros./PolyGram Pictures, 1997
PRODUCERS Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan (executive producers), Peter Macgregor-Scott (producer)
WRITERS Avika Goldsman (script), Bob Kane (original Batman character)
DIRECTOR Joel Schumacher
STARS George Clooney (Batman/Bruce Wayne), Chris O'Donnell (Robin/ Dick Grayson), Alicia Silverstone (Batgirl/Barbara Wilson), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Mr. Freeze/Dr. Victor Fries), and Uma Thurman (Poison Ivy/Dr. Pamela Isley)
Gotham City's dynamic duo, Batman and Robin (Clooney and O'Donnell) struggle to keep their partnership intact as the city faces the evil Mr. Freeze (Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Thurman).
Why It Sucks
The silliest, worst, and last Batman movie from the 1990s, this film is so campy that it makes the classic 1966 Batman movie with Adam West look like an episode of Masterpiece Theater. The story is nonsensical, the jokes are lame, and everyone looks embarrassed. General opinion is that this movie killed the Batman franchise until the release of Batman Begins in 2005.
Thumbs Down Rating:
The Crappies
The Worst Costume Design Award goes to … Ingrid Ferrin for making Batman, Robin, and every other costumed character in the film look even more ludicrous than the average comic book. The only exception is Uma Thurman's sexy Poison Ivy outfit.
And the Worst Director Award goes to … Joel Schumacher for overloading the flim with action set pieces, the worst of which is a hockey match with a diamond as the puck that culminates in a motorcycle chase.
They Really Said It!
Batgirl: Chicks like you give women a bad name.
Betcha Didn't Know
The film had a budget of $125 million, but only made $105 million domestically. The first film in the series, 1989's Batman, had a budget of $35 million and earned $251 million during its original U.S. theatrical run.
A fifth Batman movie was planned, but this one's poor financial performance and even worse reception by fans and critics caused its cancellation.
Trivia Quiz
Which of the following actors did director Joel Schumacher not consider for the role of Mr. Freeze?
A: Hulk Hogan
B: Anthony Hopkins
C: Sylvester Stallone
D: Richard Kiel
Answer: D. Richard Kiel, best known for playing Jaws, the near-indestructible foe of James Bond, was not, alas, one of Schumacher's choices for Mr. Freeze. If Schwarzeneggar had turned down the role, Stallone was next in line.
CATWOMAN
Warner Bros./Village Roadshow/DiNovi Pictures, 2004
PRODUCERS Bruce Berman, Michael Fottrell, Robert Kirby, Benjamin Melniker,