BLOGATHON: My First Movie – Batman & Robin (1997)

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Pretty ladies—Jenna and Allie —from Flick Chicks are hosting their very enlightening blogathon about your first ever movie experience; whether it’s at the cinema, on VHS, VCD, DVD, you name it. Care to join it? CHECK THEIR POST!

For this ‘My First Movie’ blogathon (sorry girls, I modified your banner a bit), I choose the first movie I watched at the cinema—along with the embarrassing story on the background. It’s Batman & Robin in 1997.

Look how they get amazed at themselves!

The trailer was on TV, the previews were on all kid magazines, McDonald’s Happy Meal featured them as their promotional giveaway—how couldn’t that be a hype? And as a 6-year-old fanboy, I had anticipated the coming of my favorite superhero so bad (See that Batsuit? So millenium! How would you resist?). Wouldn’t that be wonderful if your first time at the cinema is watching Batman? Wasn’t that every fanboy’s expectation?

And… you couldn’t be more excited with the villains! There’s Arnie on ice as Mr. Freeze with his freezing cannon (that freezes Robin—I saw that on the trailer). Oh, and there’s Poison Ivy—green and orange and poisonous, so hot for a boy of my age, along with a plastic giant Bane (Really? That’s Bane? Come on).  How couldn’t that be more tempting? Really.

Turns out, I screwed everything on the D-Day of my first cinema experience (this is where the embarrassing part come). I went to the cinema, got so excited to the ‘it-moment’ with my auntie. There I was, deep in the cinema, when the lights were dimmed out, and the movie started playing. You know, I began not to feel comfortable with the darkness. Then, suddenly the sounds of Batmobile roaring along the alley, deafened me. And, when my hero, Batman came and spoke, his voice was so unnatural that it scared me off. I ended up crying and getting off the cinema within 15 MINUTES AFTER THE MOVIE STARTED.

They felt what I felt, I can feel it now…

My first experience at the cinema is embarrassing, that’s why, I keep asking to myself: 1) Why do I keep going to the cinema now? then 2) Why I still love Batman after what he did to me? You know, it’s funny, a year following to the event, I watched Batman & Robin in home cinema; that time, I wasn’t that “scared” to Batman anymore (and I had watched other movies in cinema–it turned out I was okay), I really thought that this movie was so funny… as funny as Batman Forever. The villains were the dullest—Mr. Freeze were tacky and Poison Ivy has the worst villain transformation ever. Oh, I forgot about Bane and how he got defeated. I suddenly felt sorry to myself.

8 years later, I watched another Batman movie: Batman Begins on DVD, and I realized: it was even darker than Batman & Robin (and Batman’s voice was even more unnatural). The villain was not as menacing in look as Mr. Freeze or Poison Ivy, but at least, R’as Al Ghul is way better than those feats. 11 years after Batman & Robin, I saw The Dark Knight at the cinema and I learned that Batman in Batman & Robin was way too cheerful than the real Dark Knight, moreover, the Tumbler is roaring even more badass than any Batmobile. 15 years after that, The Dark Knight Rises came with a completely different Bane, who made Batman & Robin‘s Bane looked like a lame hipster; and Robin also returned as a more decent man, than Chris O’Donnell’s. In Batman vs Superman (planned to release 19 years following Batman & Robin), The Batmobile looks even bigger and grittier. So what’s the point of my embarrassing first cinema experience in 1997 with Batman & Robin on the pitch?

They stared at me with pity 🙁

Thanks Jenna and Allie! Your blogathon really gives me an opportunity to rant over my disappointment about my first cinema experience with Batman as the convicted. At least, now I understand that my love to Batman, as well as to cinema, has never been easy, but there’s stages to step in to feel more. So, what do you think about my first movie experience? Please hit the comment button.

10 responses to “BLOGATHON: My First Movie – Batman & Robin (1997)”

  1. whirlwindsupernova Avatar
    whirlwindsupernova

    This was my first Batman movie. I guess it’s good to start with the awful one so the others could be appreciated more. At least this didn’t scare you from the cinema and love of movies!

    1. Paskalis Damar AK Avatar
      Paskalis Damar AK

      I agree with you 🙂 yeah, if it wasn’t the awful Batman in the beginning, there will be no love to movie!

  2. ruth Avatar
    ruth

    Ahah too funny Paskalis! I’m sorry that this awful thing was your first movie!! I can’t remember when I saw this but my first movie ever is another DC superhero, Superman: The Movie 😀

    1. Paskalis Damar AK Avatar
      Paskalis Damar AK

      Yeah, you know, I can’t regret watching this, tho… We need an awful one, too, sometimes, to start something 🙂
      Wow, a completely different generation we are hehe

      1. ruth Avatar
        ruth

        Are you saying I’m old then? 😉

        1. Paskalis Damar AK Avatar
          Paskalis Damar AK

          That’s not what I’m implying :p

  3. Wendell Avatar
    Wendell

    Outta there in 15 minutes, huh. In hindsig ht you’re probably wishing you never watched it. Since I was “slightly” older when it came out, I made it all the way through. I probably should’ve left after the few minutes, too. Glad you didn’t let that completely put you off movies. Great post.

    1. Paskalis Damar AK Avatar
      Paskalis Damar AK

      Thanks for stopping by, Wendell. Well, I was so lucky and unlucky at once as a first timer if so! I considered it a funny movie now. Lol.

  4. Jenna and Allie Avatar
    Jenna and Allie

    Haha! I love this post! You might not have had the greatest first experience but it’s a brilliant story to tell. Thanks so much for taking part!
    – Allie

    1. Paskalis Damar AK Avatar
      Paskalis Damar AK

      Thank you! I really wanted to tell anyone about this embarassing first cinema experience, but I found no right time until you hosted this blogathon.
      Well, at least I learned something. Cheers!

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