Mr. Freeze, victim of an accident that requires he wear a suit keeping him at sub-zero temperature, keeps his wife cryogenically frozen until he can find a cure for her MacGregor's Syndrome. As he does, though, he (for whatever reason) goes on a rampage through Gotham.
Pamela Isley, devoted scientific researcher and plant lover, is transformed into Poison Ivy after a fight in her lab. She makes her way to Gotham, also to wreak destruction and plan for the plant kingdom to take over. Helping her is Bane, a super-soldier created by a fellow scientist, whose strength (when supplemented by a special serum) is beyond equal.
Batman and Robin team up to fight these new menaces even as they face a fight at home: Alfred is dying of the same disease affecting Freeze's wife. Two heroes may not be enough this time . . . but Batgirl is on the way.
Like Batman Forever, I found this 1997 movie terrible. The focus is on action (and cheesy at that); there is no character development, poor dialogue, and bad characterizations (Ivy walks around blowing her pheromones on people; Bane is a Frankenstein's monster-type who spends the whole film grunting). There are glimmers of possibility here, exploring Freeze's love for his wife and Batman's for Alfred as both struggle with sick family. But neither are done well, and so this was an opportunity lost.
The Batman series was put on hiatus after this, and didn't come back until 2005's Batman Begins reboot. That film is worth watching. This one isn't, though I hasten to add that my kids liked it better than I did (giving it a B average).
Rating: D
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