Uma Thurman has explained why she doesn’t see Batman & Robin as a bad movie, it was just made for a specific audience. In the late 1990s, the Batman franchise took a drastically different turn in tone, opting for a more colorful approach to the character. Instead of the darkness of Michael Keaton’s Caped Crusader in Tim Burton’s world, larger-than-life characters that bordered on camp took over. Following Batman Forever in 1995, featuring Tommy Lee Jones & Jim Carey as Two-Face and The Riddler, respectively, two new villains took center stage for the next sequel. While Arnold Schwarzenegger played Mister Freeze, it was Uma Thurman who captivated audiences as the devilishly desirable Poison Ivy.
Despite the movie being universally panned, Thurman’s performance stuck out and has been remembered for decades. However, considering the overtly provocative nature of her character, Thurman’s latest assertion may surprise fans. According to People, in a recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Thurman revealed that despite the rating of the film skewing towards slightly older audiences, it was geared towards youngsters. Clarkson ecstatically told Thurman how much her children loved the film, with the Poison Ivy actress stunning everyone with her reply.
It’s the one that was actually made for children.
The declaration is a shocking one given the adult nature of various scenes throughout the movie. Disregarding the innate violence of a Batman film, the story line of Batman and Robin falling under Ivy’s love spell doesn’t appear to be appropriate for children at first visit. Clarkson’s children may adore the nostalgic superhero flick, but with a 12% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, there’s no denying the critical disdain for the movie.
The Movie That Almost Ruined A Franchise
Batman & Robin did a significant amount of damage to the credibility and success of the Batman franchise. After a successful run under Burton with Keaton donning the cape, things were thriving. However, the camp and cartoonish nature of Val Kilmer and George Clooney’s portrayals put the character’s cinematic journey on ice for nearly a decade. It wasn’t until Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy that the character was reinvigorated. Luckily, Christian Bale’s iteration of the character was well-received and went on to achieve massive box-office success.
However, despite appearing in no additional Batman films since the 1997 disaster, Uma Thurman remains synonymous with the Poison Ivy character. No other actor has portrayed the role in a live-action film since, although Ivy Pepper became the character in the TV series Gotham, where she was portrayed by Clare Foley, Maggie Geha, and Peyton List. However, Ivy has appeared in several animated movies and shows, including being voiced by Lake Bell in the adult animated Harley Quinn series. While there is a good chance that we will get to see Ivy on the big screen again in the future, it seems very unlikely that she will be arriving in the form of Thurman despite her current monopoly on the role.
- Release Date
- June 20, 1997