Films

Batman & Robin (1997)
[2nd watch]

Believe it or not, Batman & Robin isn't a complete disaster. Relatively significant screen time is given to a subplot involving Alfred being very ill. Thanks to the general warmth of feeling felt toward the character, plus the acting abilities of Michael Gough and George Clooney, this storyline deserves to be part of a far better film.

Also, the realisation of Gotham is impressive. Mixing gigantic sets, model work and CGI, Schumacher and co crafted a towering fantasy landscape straight out of the comic's wilder imaginings. The neon colouring may not be to everyone's taste, but this is an animated-series-style Gotham writ in live-action.

The rest of the film is an irredeemable mess, however. I'll write more on 100 Films in a few days, but one thing I hate is a foul new look for the Batmobile -- though the DVD featurette on the film's vehicles almost makes you appreciate it. The behind-the-scenes version is much more impressive than what we see in the film.