Sometimes, one simple apology will suffice. But in other cases, like George Clooney’s performance as half of the Dynamic Duo in Batman & Robin, “sorry” may not seem like enough. At least according to Clooney, as the actor himself keeps trying to make up for the “terrible” performance he gave in 1997’s poorly-reviewed DC Comics film, and now he's explained why he consistently maintains he's "terrible" in the movie.
While chatting with GQ, as part of his Icon of the Year profile, Clooney engaged in his trademark candor and self-reflection when bringing up the subject of Batman & Robin. His insights, though simple, were not only limited to his performance, as they also picked apart more of what made the fourth Batman film at Warner Bros. the turkey everyone loves to carve from now and again. Citing honesty as his personal policy, George Clooney explains his relationship with the movie’s quality, noting,
The only way you can honestly talk about things is to include yourself and your shortcomings in those things. Like, when I say Batman & Robin's a terrible film, I always go, ‘I was terrible in it.’ Because I was number one. But also because then it allows you the ability to say, ‘Having said I sucked in it, I can also say that none of these other elements worked, either.’ You know? Lines like ‘Freeze, Freeze!’
Just as he has in previous interviews, George Clooney has admitted that, in his own opinion, he feels that his Batman & Robin performance was only part of the problem and admitting that allows him to open doors that lead to honest critiques. With the entire movie being written off by fans and critics alike as a schlock fest, Clooney has continued to double down on how Batman & Robin simply “wasn’t a good film.” He owns it, along with the bat nipples.
Those jokes, no matter who you were in the Batman & Robin cast, did no favors for anyone taking part in the experience. Well, anyone who wasn’t Arnold Schwarzenegger or Uma Thurman, as their villainous duo of Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy seemed to have enough fun with the puns. And as you’ll see in the clip reel below, there’s still some chuckles mixed in with the cringe that George Clooney is talking about:
It’s not like George Clooney is slamming anyone in particular for Batman & Robin, nor is he even treading new ground with his criticisms. Even the film’s writer, Akiva Goldsman, has gone on record as making his own apologies, saying that while he didn’t mean for the film to be bad, he still admits that it just didn’t work. So if you’re a fan of second-hand embarrassment co-mingling with a dash of good-natured humor aimed at one’s own career, you’ll always have an outlet in George Clooney.
Mr. Clooney can next be seen in Netflix’s The Midnight Sky, which heads to limited theatrical release this December, with a streaming debut set for December 23rd . However, if you’re curious as to what other films are sticking to the path to a theater near you, you can check out our 2020 release schedule, and see what’s still on the menu. Though if you’re looking for some more Batman action, you’ll have to look at the 2021 release schedule to find out when you can take your next trip to Gotham.
