Batman & Robin

***Batman & Robin*** is a 1997 American superhero film based on the DC Comics characters Batman and Robin. It is the fourth installment of Warner Bros.'s initial *Batman* film series, a sequel to *Batman Forever Directed by Tim Burton and written by Akiva Goldsman, it stars Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman Arnold Schwarzenegger as Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze and Chris O'Donnell reprising his role as Dick Grayson / Robin, alongside Uma Thurman, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle, and Elle Macpherson. The film follows the titular characters as they attempt to prevent Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy from taking over the world, while at the same time struggling to keep their partnership together. It is also to date the only live-action film appearance of Batgirl, portrayed by Silverstone, who helps the title characters fight the villains.*

## Plot

Batman and his partner, Robin, encounter a new foe, Mr. Freeze, who has left a string of diamond robberies in his wake. During a confrontation in the natural history museum, Freeze steals a bigger diamond and flees, freezing Robin and leaving Batman unable to pursue him. Later, Batman and Robin learn that Freeze was originally Dr. Victor Fries, a scientist working to develop a cure for MacGregor's Syndrome, hoping to heal his terminally ill wife. After a lab accident, Fries was rendered unable to live at average temperatures and forced to wear a cryogenic suit powered by diamonds for survival.

At a Wayne Enterprises lab in Brazil, botanist Dr. Pamela Isley is working under the deranged Dr. Jason Woodrue, experimenting with a drug called Venom. She witnesses Woodrue use the formula to turn serial killer Antonio Diego into a hulking monstrosity, whom he dubs "Bane." When Isley threatens to expose Woodrue's experiments, he attempts to kill her by overturning a shelf of various toxins. Isley transforms into the beautiful and seductive Poison Ivy before killing Woodrue with her poisonous kiss, setting fire to the lab, and escaping with Bane. She finds that Wayne Enterprises funded Woodrue, though they eventually cut Woodrue's funding. Poison Ivy concocts a plan to use Wayne's money to support her research, and goes to Gotham City with Bane. Meanwhile, Alfred Pennyworth's niece, Barbara Wilson, makes a surprise visit and is invited by Bruce to stay at Wayne Manor until she goes back to school.

Wayne Enterprises presents a new telescope for Gotham Observatory at a press conference interrupted by Isley. She proposes a project that could help the environment, but Bruce declines her offer, which would kill millions of people. That night, Wayne Enterprises holds a charity event with special guests, Batman and Robin, and she decides to use her abilities to seduce them. Freeze crashes the party and steals a diamond from the event. Although he is captured by Batman and detained in Arkham Asylum, he eventually escapes with the help of Ivy, who kills two security guards with her kiss in the process. Meanwhile, Dick discovers that Barbara has participated in drag races to raise money for Alfred, who is dying of MacGregor's Syndrome.

Friction arises between Batman and Robin when Ivy seduces Robin, but Bruce eventually convinces Dick to trust him. Ivy is able to contact Robin once more, kissing him but failing to kill him, as Robin is wearing rubber lips. Meanwhile, Barbara discovers the Batcave, where an AI version of Alfred reveals he has made Barbara her own suit. Barbara dons the suit and becomes Batgirl. Ivy captures Robin but Batman rescues him, and Batgirl arrives to subdue Ivy before revealing her identity to the pair.

Batman, Robin, and Batgirl decide to go after Freeze together. By the time they find Freeze and Bane, however, Gotham is completely frozen. Bane attacks Batgirl and Robin, but they eventually defeat him by detaching his Venom tubes, halting the flow of Venom to his body.

Batman defeats Freeze in combat, while Batgirl and Robin manage to thaw the city. Batman shows Freeze a recording of Ivy during her fight with Batgirl, who had informed the latter that she killed Freeze's wife. However, Batman tells Freeze that his wife is still alive, in cryogenic slumber, before moving to Arkham Asylum, waiting for Freeze to finish his research. Batman then asks Freeze for the cure he has created for MacGregor's Syndrome to administer to Alfred. Freeze atones for his crimes by giving him the medicine.

An insane Ivy is imprisoned in a freeze beam at Arkham Asylum, with a vengeful Freeze as her cellmate who vows to make her life a living hell of winter. Alfred is cured, and everyone agrees to let Barbara stay at Wayne Manor and fight crime with them.

## Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze
Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman

Chris O'Donnell as Dick Grayson / Robin

Uma Thurman as Dr. Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy

Alicia Silverstone as Barbara Wilson / Batgirl

Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Pennyworth

Pat Hingle as Commissioner James Gordon

John Glover as Dr. Jason Woodrue

Elle Macpherson as Julie Madison

Vivica A. Fox as Ms. B. Haven

Vendela Kirsebom as Nora Fries

Robert Swenson as Bane

Michael Paul Chan as Dr. Lee

Christian Boeving as Snowy Cones Thug

Coolio appeared in a cameo at the start of the motorcycle race as Jonathan Crane, later stating he was to reprise his role, as Scarecrow, in the sequel, *Batman Unchained*