When I first saw B&R in theaters, I hated it. If I could have converted the master film to flammable nitrate stock, I would have lit the match. In retrospect I think the public DESERVED this film since they rewarded Schumacher with the huge success of Forever. Turning the Batsignal into a flirtation device and letting Dick convert the Batmobile into a hoopty car while he screamed, " Whoa look at my love machine bae-bae" was every bit as neglectful to Batman lore as anything B&R did. Perhaps even more so.
Now I'll be the first to say, we can only take the premise of a guy dressing up as a bat to fight crime (with bat-themed weapons) only so serious. So the fact that Schumacher decided to have fun with the premise never bothered me entirely. But what changed my view about this film over time (mostly through forced watching) were my kids...and now my grandson. They love this movie (and ONLY this movie from that period). At first, I just took it as a basic lack of understanding for the material (on their part). But what I began to realize was maybe the misunderstanding resided more on my side. I started to see what the kids were loving that older crowds wouldn't or couldn't accept - the look and innocence of the film.
While the movie is a treacherous ride on the brain, it's very easy on the eyes. It's an all out attack on the sensory nerves. And that's what kids experience. In many ways it's a beautiful looking picture. I like the soundtrack and I love the lighting, even when it's ill-served in some scenes. The heroes and villains are over-the-top, but even they can make up and help each other at the end. So thematically it's really a positive feeling movie throughout. It's truly a comic book come to life (just with really bad writing
). So I give it loads of style points these days for maintaining a tone consistently throughout the whole film. When I've had a tough day and my grandson comes in and says, " Batman! Batman!!" I smile and sit down to put the movie in. And he watches it all the way through with an immense interest and love for everything going on. When Robin screams, "Cowabunga!" he screams right along with him. When some of my older kids are over, they'll sit down (if it's on) and watch some of it too and reflect on how many warm memories they have about it. They clearly understand it's an absurd film these days, but that doesn't rob them of the great memories they had when they were kids. Kind of sounds like our hobby doesn't it? So who am I to criticize a film that I've watched entertain and bring smiles to more than one generation in my own family?
So these days, I accept the film on it's own terms. Watching it now brings a smile to my face, because I understand I hold someone in my lap who is so happy when he watches it. And whether he watches it every day or only once a week, I can take that ride right along side him and I'm happier for it each time. So fundamentally there must be something there that speaks well to kids and to the kid in some of us as we get older. So it's clearly a film that will endure for generations ahead of us. And if the reasons were because it made them feel good, I think that's a good reason to continue on.
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