ForComicJunkies: BATMAN & ROBIN - SERIOUSLY GUYS. LET'S CHILL OUT WITH THE HATE!

I don't think I'll ever forget seeing the first preview for Batman and Robin. When the original Star Wars movies were re-released, I saw the preview before The Empire Strikes Back. I was so excited I couldn't think straight. It was a new Batman movie and it looked so awesome! When the movie finally came out, I was blown away! It was funny and cool and had great action. But you know what? I was 9 years old going on 10. To me, this movie was awesome. It wasn't until years later that I realized how wrong I was.

Or was I?

I mean the movie did its job, right? It entertained a kid. My parents and older siblings weren't too impressed but I loved it. That was the summer of Batman and Robin. I was so disappointed when they never made a sequel. The sequel was supposed to be Batman: Triumphant starring George Clooney as Batman, Nicolas Cage as the Scarecrow, and supposedly Jack Nicholson was going to make a cameo as the Joker.

In another universe, we never would've had the Dark Knight trilogy . . .

Of course, everything worked out in the end. We got the Dark Knight trilogy and the promise of a new incarnation of Batman in the DC Cinematic Universe. It's a good time to be a Batman fan!

One question - what the hell is with all the hate toward Batman and Robin? I mean yeah, it's pretty bad. There a lot of terrible jokes, ridiculous costumes/sets, and overall the film is a 2 hour toy commercial.

Worked for me. My 10th birthday was fucking great!

But you know what else had terrible jokes, ridiculous costumes, and sold a shit-ton of merchandise?

Oh yeah that's right. I went there! The irony is that when I was a kid I wasn't a big fan of the Adam West Batman TV series. I watched the movie a bunch of times because it was Batman (cuz duh, you can never have enough Batman) but I liked the Burton/Schumacher films better. Now as an adult I watch Batman and Robin and think, "Wow, this is so cheesy and ridiculous." I also watch the Adam West series and think, "Wow, this is so cheesy and ridiculous!" Because, essentially, they are the same thing.

I'm probably going to get a lot of flak for this from older Batman fans but I'm not wrong. The original Batman series was intended to be a comedy and a fun action show for kids. Batman and Robin was Warner Bros trying to make a more "family-friendly" Batman film after the backlash against Batman Returns. Granted Batman Forever was campy but still had it's serious moments. Batman and Robin was technically the film that WB wanted. It had big name stars, tons of merchandise, and the possibility for more films. Obviously, it didn't go the way they wanted because most fans and critics hated it. And they're not wrong of course, it's not a very good film despite the talent that made it.

I had to baby sit my nephews and I asked if they wanted to watch Batman. I grabbed Batman and Robin and man did I make the right choice! They loved it! They thought the action was great, the jokes were funny, and the film was fun to watch. It's essentially a live action cartoon just like the Adam West series was. I mean Clooney might bash it nowadays and Schumacher apologizes for it, but I think everyone just needs to chill out and get over themselves.

It's a superhero movie and they were making it for kids. I believe on that front they succeeded. When Nolan came by he made a more sophisticated, mature take on Batman, as was his intention. There is nothing wrong with multiple takes on a franchise. As a kid friendly version of Batman, Batman and Robin is perfectly fine. Well except for the nipples. That's weird.

I mean . . . Nipples? Really?

Trust me guys. I get the hate for Batman and Robin. I hated it for a while too. But then I realized that hating it was a waste of time. Hating it because it wasn't as "dark and serious" as the other Batman movies was ridiculous. It was DELIBERATELY meant to be campy and goofy just like the 60s series. The target audience was kids and I think, for the most part, kids liked it. I watch it now and think about how crazy it is but the little kid in me still has a soft spot for it. So anyone out there that bashes Batman and Robin but defends the Adam West series - you might want to take a minute to realize how hypocritical you are.

But I'm fair. I realize it's OK to like one and not the other. I get that. And maybe in the 60s it was easier to swallow a campy take on Batman than it was in 1997. I don't know. All I know is that having a more "kid-friendly" Batman isn't a bad thing. It means that kids can get into Batman early in life. And by my estimate the more Batman you have in your life, the happier you will be.