JIMPRAISE: 10 GOOD THINGS ABOUT "BATMAN & ROBIN"

NOTE: Apologies for taking so long with this... but I do find it funny that jimPRAISE was delayed.. Anyway, now that the anticipation has been built up so much, I give you.....

--------------------------------------

"JimPRAISE!"
Due to excessive amounts of hate mail wrongfully accusing that I am always negative, I proposed to you Readers a week of "JimPRAISE". I asked for suggestions of topics for me to post only POSITIVE things about, and you answered (you Jackals!). I have chosen the top 5 requested topics and will post 1 per day this week. Just remember, you asked for these.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 GOOD THINGS ABOUT
"BATMAN & ROBIN"
(in no particular order)

NIGHTWING EMBLEM OVER GOTHAM SKY
As a huge Nightwing fan, this was sweet.

---

BLACK-LIGHT MOTORCYCLE GANGS OF GOTHAM'S UNDERGROUND

Gotham is a weird, scary town and it's not strictly confined to the "Super Villains". I liked the idea of an Underground Motorcycle Racing World deep within the dark bowels of Gotham City. Add the freaky black-light gangs, and it brought some of the fun comic aspects into the film instead of just Batman running around inside a Tim Burton painting.

---

BRUCE'S NON-CLICHE LOVE INTEREST

Vicki Vale, Selina Kyle, Chase Meridian.. enough with the love interests for Bruce! He rarely has them in the comics, so why must he fall in love with "The One" each theatrical outing? .... oops, forgot - jimPRAISE... so yeah, it was refreshing to see that his love interest was not "The One" and neither one of them wanted marriage or anything beyond the companionship they had. Refreshing!

---

ROBIN [tries to] FIGHT BATMAN

It's always fun when Batman & Robin/Nightwing fight each other. You always wonder if Dick has surpassed the old man yet. He never does, but you know that's his destiny. Anyway, for a split second... CONCEPTUALLY... the two fight each other!

---

GET TO SEE THE NIGHTWING COSTUME
(sort of)

When Nightwing got his own solo comic series with NIGHTWING #1, I became an instant fan. The character was interesting and I loved his costume. In this film, we kind of see that costume, to a degree. Neat.

---

BRUCE/ALFRED HEART-TO-HEART

BRUCE: 
I've spent my whole life trying to beat back death.
What good are all my heroics now if I can't save you?

ALFRED:
Everyone dies, Master Bruce.  There'sno defeat in that.
Victory comes in fighting for what we know is right while we still live.

BRUCE:
I love you, old man.

ALFRED:
Remember this.
And remember italways.  I'm proud of you.
AndI love you too, son.
---

THAT ONE SHOT: ROBIN DITCHED

The two crusaders racing and arguing. Dick being hot heated, defiant and irrational. Batman shuts down his bike, leaving him stranded as he watches the Batmobile haul ass past him launching off the giant finger of the ridiculously giant Gotham Statue. Robin yelling in anger as the wind whisps his cape. Pure geeky drama, baby. And that was a cool shot.

---

MR. FREEZE LOOKED KINDA COOL
(get it?)

It's almost too bad the Animated series came out before this movie because the reinvisioned animated version of Mr Freeze was incredible! But this version is actually more true to the comic book version; Big & Armored (if only his helmet was the dome!). Remove the dialogue, and Schwarzenegger was a visually fun Mr. Freeze.Plus, Arnold-Freeze looked great in the striped "prisoner garb" of Arkham. Perhaps, he was a more successful Mr. Freeze OUT of the costume/armor.

---

BRUCE'S BROTHER-TO-BROTHER SPEECH

BRUCE:
"You once said to me that being part of a team means trusting your partner.
That sometimes counting on someone else is the only way to win.  
DO you remember?
You weren't just talking about being partners.   
You were talking about being a family.   
Well, part of our family is dying.
I'm not going to lose everyone I've ever loved.  
So I'masking you now,  
friend, partner, brother -
will you trust me?"