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We had a marathon of Batman movies because my wife insisted on seeing em. Considering it was my 4th-5th watch of all movies, here we go...


Batman.

THE best and solid movie adaptation yet. Jack is PERFECT as The Joker, and commands the movie from start to finish. Keaton is almost as good as Bruce, but he is so totally out-classed and out-leagued. Basinger is pure eye-candy, and the rest of the cast (Michael Gough, Billy Dee Williams and Jack Palance) are competent. Burton's second finest on-screen effort, after Edward Scissorhands, IMO.

Rating - * * * *


Batman Returns.

Excellent sequel to an awesome original. I REALLY liked how Pfeiffer performs so smoothly through all the scenes she is in, and Keaton and De Vito basically revolve around her. That being said, De Vito looks more comical than villainous as The Penguin, (I thought Burgess Meredith looked more scary in Batman: The Movie 30 years back) but full marks to him for trying. Christopher Walken is AWESOME. Max Shreck was such a deep, shady character that you cannot stop loving him in a hateful way.

Rating - * * * ½


Batman Forever.

A largely under-performing effort. Not mindblowing by any means, and on a much lesser pedestal than the previous two...it had a basic flaw. The characterisation. This movie is a perfect example of how flawed characterisation cant save big and talented names from scoring with their performances.

In Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey, one had THE perfect duo of evil EVER. Carrey's comical timing and annoying overacting was more than sufficient for The Riddler, but Jones looked totally out of place. Same goes for Val Kilmer. The dude never looked more DEAD and ill at ease in any other movie than here. Kidman had nothing to do except look glamourous, one thing which she always manages to pull off effortlessly. Saving graces - Robin's origin, and Chris O'Donnell's immature standoffishness in his performance, coupled with some more than decent moments at gags and CGI efforts.


Rating - * * ½


Batman and Robin.

First big question - Schwarzenegger as Dr Freeze?! I mean, WTF was Schumacher and his casting team thinking? Dr Freeze was a scientist, not Hercules. Schwarzenegger was so TOTALLY out of place in his character. Second big question - What was the script writer smoking when he wrote the script?! That has to be the biggest mess in the history of comic-movies. Add to it George Clooney as Bruce was NOWHERE. Ab-so-lute-ly NOWHERE. (At least Val had some sort of decency in his outing as Bruce in the earlier movie)

And add to it all, as if we didnt have enough annoying immaturity in Chris O'Donnell, Alicia Silverstone gets thrown into the mix with her silly bratish-ness. The only saving grace of the entire movie - Uma Thurman's competent take on Poison Ivy. And I still mean "competent take".

Cant believe both of the above largely disappointing efforts were made by the same man who gave us the brilliant The Lost Boys. I really hope you grew up after these pathetic jabs at cinema and comic fans, Mr Schumacher.


Rating - * *


Later tonight - Batman Begins.