Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) User Reviews

Awesomeness!

[namashi_1 · 9/10 · 15 April 2015]

Based on the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series, 'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' is pure Awesomeness! A very fun ride, that's packed with twists & sharp action-sequences.

'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' Synopsis: Batman is wrongly implicated in a series of murders of mob bosses actually done by a new vigilante assassin.

'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' works from start to end. The main plot is extraordinary, offering an all twist in the caped crusader's legend, while the romantic-track, though slightly lethargic, has moments of emotions. And the Action-Sequences are sharp. In fact, the Animation is just top-class!

Alan Burnett, Paul Dinim, Martin Pasko & Michael Reaves's Screenplay is excellent. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm's Direction is of high-standard. Vocal-Performances are sure to mesmerize. Kevin Conroy as Batman, gives the legend a voice with sheer restrain. Dana Delany as Andrea Beaumont, is a delight. Hart Bochner as City Councilman Arthur Reeves, is deliciously despicable. Stacy Keach as Carl Beaumont, doesn't lack conviction. Mark Hamill as Joker, however, steals the show. What a frighteningly stunning performance!

On the whole, 'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' is a massive winner!

An absolute classic, the best Batman movie so far

[thecosmicjester · 9/10 · 1 January 2005]

Out of all the Batman films so far, including all the live action films, this one is still the only one to really explore the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman and examine what drove him to becoming Batman.

It has a great story that flashes back to just before Bruce took up the mantle of the bat and the woman he was involved with at the time, then skips forward to an unknown assassin killing Gotham City's mobsters, and we see how the 2 story's meet. The writing is top-notch, in no-way predictable and the voice acting by Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker truly amazing and bone-chillingly scary.

The only complaints is that the animation could have been better at some points, but that is because it was originally meant to be a straight to video release before Warner's saw what a masterpiece they had created, and also it should have run for a little bit longer, but oh well. If you haven't yet seen it i highly recommend it.

If you liked the first two Batman movies this is a DEFINITE must see

[bsinc · 8/10 · 18 February 2002]

This is just one of the greatest animated movies of all time. No exaggeration. From the almost poetic opening sequence, accompanied by a great, great score till the very ending this movie will not disappoint. A dark story, darker than in Batman Returns, but also an excellent portrayal of Batman. The characters are nicely drawn (the female character is very attractive looking) and the voices are perfect. The origin of my favorite superhero has been overdone so many times and yet the filmmakers easily succeed to bring new insight and depth to the man that is the bat. I feel like I should write something more about it, there's definitely a lot of stuff I forgot since seeing it, but this was definitely an overlooked movie.

8/10

INTELLIGENT AND MATURE BATMAN CARTOON

[Big Movie Fan · 5 March 2002]

Firstly, let me say that the 1992 Batman cartoon series was the best Batman cartoon series ever made. Just like the 1989 Batman movie it returned Batman to his dark roots and was a fantastic series.

This was a great cartoon film. I haven't seen many great cartoon films but this was one. It has an interesting storyline, an interesting villain (The Phantasm), interesting subplot for Bruce Wayne and it's even got the psychotic Joker as well.

The Phantasm is the most interesting cartoon villain in a long time and with the Joker in this movie as well it makes for an exciting movie. If you want an intelligent and thought provoking cartoon film then this is the one for you.

The Greatest of all the animated Batman films!

[TheMan3051 · 10/10 · 1 January 2003]

Not only the best animated flick but one of the greatest Batman movies ever made!

Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, and Bruce W. Timm are without doubt the best creative team of any involved in a Batman film or/television show. In this first animated film based on the animated series, the creative team does both a prequel and a sequel to the show as it introduces the characters of Andrea and Phantasm. Which both have an enormous impact on Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming Batman. And the character of Andrea helps us understand Bruce Wayne a little better. And know him a little better before becoming Batman.

Inspired by Frank Miller's "Year One" comic and Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film, Burnett/Dini/Timm create a magnificent Batman movie and a great movie as well!

4(****)out of 4(****)stars

AN ANIMATED MASTERPIECE!!!!

Batman: Mask of the Underrated Classic

[Johnny-the-Film-Sentinel-2187 · 10/10 · 29 September 2016]

Mask of the Phantasm is one of the greatest, and criminally under-appreciated, Batman films ever made. It tells a heartfelt story about The Dark Knight which wasn't done like THIS before Batman Begins came along: Bruce Wayne was once a young man in love, trying to balance his personal life with that as a vigilante protecting Gotham City. Batman has secrets that he hides just like his identity. Andrea Beaumont is one of those memories Bruce keeps looking back on throughout the movie, and she really did change his life until she had to leave him. Little does Bruce know that she is still affecting his life as Batman: the Phantasm has been killing gangsters in the underworld, and we learn that Andrea is the Phantasm.

This movie is one of the very best animated films I have seen; I kept re-watching it on VHS in the 90s as a kid, and even now it is still entertaining for me. It compliments the Batman: The Animated Series perfectly while also standing on its own just fine. Mark Hamill is still wonderfully chilling as The Joker's voice, Kevin Conroy IS Batman in this film, and Bob Hastings gives Jim Gordon's minimal role real impact on how Batman affects Gotham-life, being a committed voice of reason.

Mask of the Phantasm has a great, emotionally complicated story and enough mystery around it to warrant a second viewing for any first-timers.

If you loved The Dark Knight Trilogy, want something new and haven't seen this, DON'T MISS OUT!

Great!

[h-agner55 · 7/10 · 23 June 2017]

Here was a "cartoon" that was written for adults. It could be viewed by older kids, but it had great depths for the adults who took any time with it. Each episode (or couple of episodes) acts as its own mini-movie. The structuring of the story in each one is just so well executed. As well, the animation (for its time) was quite good, and still holds up well enough today. Another difference from other animation, is that the color palette is quite dark- which, again, only makes it more interesting. All of the great villains are here (and others you may not have heard of), but they get a very serious and, at times, philosophical explication. One of my favorite things about the series, is that every episode has its own orchestral score- meaning, the music that you hear is tailored to fit the exact moment you are watching. Shirley Walker manages to come up with so many sub-themes and variations on the main theme- and works them in so well with the happenings on screen. For those of you that have seen the series and remember it fondly, you might be interested to know that a box-set of the first 28 episodes was recently released- you can get it just about anywhere.

The Way Batman's Origin was meant to be told

[GreyFox37 · 10/10 · 15 February 2005]

From the dramatic scroll through Gotham city in the opening theme to the duel with the joker, mask of the phantasm is an incredible ride, following the origins of how Bruce coped with the loss of his family.

SPOILER the BEST scene in the entire movie was after Andrea returned the ring to Bruce. the music saddens a bit, the camera scrolls to Bruce's parent's portrait. then, a chilling upbeat song begins as the camera then scrolls down into the bat cave. we see Alfred with a saddened face as he watches Bruce donning his destiny. after putting on his utility belt, he extends his hand for his mask. Alfred hands it to him. the main theme starts up and there is a pause as Bruce stares at the mask briefly, possibly thinking, this is the only way now. the camera goes to a close view of Bruce's lower torso, Alfred still in the background watching. Bruce puts on the mask, Alfred looking a bit unsure. Bruce turns and Alfred gasps in shock. the main theme picks up into more of a choir theme and batman's eyes are shown up close, those white eyes in the darkness. he narrows them. Alfred cries out "my...god..." as batman walks past him and out into destiny...

i get tears each time i see that scene you MUST see this movie if you are a batman fan. your life depends on it.

"There are certain advantages to having a sturdy cranium, Master Bruce."

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 4 May 2014]

A masked assassin is killing off Gotham mobsters and Batman is being blamed. At the same time, an old love of Bruce Wayne's has returned to town and brings back memories of Bruce's early pre-Batman days and how close he came to never becoming the crime fighter he is today. Also, the Joker figures into the plot nicely. The best Batman animated movie to date. Not surprising since this came out as the brilliant "Batman: The Animated Series" was on television redefining awesome. If you loved that series, you will love this.

It's not perfect. The identity of the Phantasm is fairly obvious despite their red herring attempts. But it captures what made the series work so well: the appeal to both kids and adults by using simple storytelling devices and animation but still being intelligent and emotional enough to make it more than just mindless action or silliness. The main problem with most of the DCAU movies today is that they can't seem to strike that right balance anymore. They're either too dumb for adults to like or too hyper-violent and crass for kids to even be watching. Mostly they seem to settle on only appealing to teenage boys. But the '90s series had cross-generational appeal and this movie is a good appetizer for that main course.

The Best Batman Movie of All Time

[vinnybudafuko · 10/10 · 4 June 2015]

This movie made perfect use of the BTAS theme music for Bruce Wayne/Batman several times. The best example of such use was in THE BIG CHASE. "THE BIG CHASE" is the greatest Batman Scene ever made. The story is quite tragic and doesn't have a happy ending. Batman is being blamed for a series of high-profile murders in Gotham and the police quickly turn against him. In reality, the Phantasm is the one killing the mobsters. Andrea (Bruce's former love) flies into Gotham weeks after the murders begin.She triggers several flashbacks throughout the story that show us the events that led to Bruce becoming Batman. This includes the incredibly sad movement that prompts Bruce to don the cowl. Alfred's shocked gasp of, "My God . . ." says it all.

This is a continuation of the famous BTAS (Batman the Animated Series) of the 1990's. Many fans consider it to be the definitive version of Batman. Kevin Conroy is THE voice of Batman.

"The series was widely praised for its thematic complexity, darker tone, artistic quality and modernization of its title character's crime-fighting origins. IGN listed The Animated Series as the best adaptation of Batman anywhere outside of comics, the best comic book cartoon of all time and the second best animated series of all time (after The Simpsons). Wizard magazine also ranked it #2 of the greatest animated television shows of all time (again after The Simpsons). TV Guide ranked it the seventh Greatest Cartoon of All Time (out of 60). The universal acclaim led the series to win four Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Animated Program."

Not as Good as People Say

[august-34947 · 6/10 · 17 January 2017]

I sat down with high expectations for this movie and, on that front I was completely disappointed. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was merely a mediocre movie. I'd like to start off positive by saying the effort put into this movie was incredible. To see TV quality animation in a movie is rare. I guess what I'm saying is that visually, this movie is great. I also loved the darker tone and the violence. The voice acting was stellar. Those are the greatest aspects of this movie and, they keep it from hitting rock bottom. One of my main issues with the movie is it feels like a single stretched out episode of the TV show. It feels like 22 minutes laced with flashbacks to give context to the seen your watching. In this way Mask of the Phantasm feels longer than it is. The problem with this movie feeling to long is that it's only 76 minutes long. This is a major stilted pacing issue of Mask of the Phantasm. As for the final twist at the end of the movie it was nothing but predictable. Giving the Joker a locked down backstory in this canon is something I view rather neutrally. As I view most of the movie. The movie is at best very slightly above average if only for the dark tone. That's about the most I can say without spoiling the movie but, if you have a brain and, can remember things for a period of longer than 24 hours than you'll be able to be 40 minute ahead of this movie at all times.

The first great animated Batman movie.

[lewiskendell · 8/10 · 1 February 2016]

Superhero fans of my generation had tons of great cartoons to watch while we we're growing up, and Batman: The Animated Series was right up there among the best. It combined action with a cool art style and serious plots that made the show just as appealing to adults as it was to kids. Mask of the Phantasm is a side-story of that amazing show, so it's no surprise that I still love it all these years later.

Phantasm works so well because it pairs the usual themes of the show with an extremely bittersweet love story and tons of the detective elements that are always present in Batman's best tales. Equal time is spent with the present day mystery of the Phantasm, and Bruce's early experiments with vigilante justice.

It's great to see Bruce Wayne get equal focus in the story, and in many ways the scenes with him out of costume are the most interesting and pivotal to the story. The Joker plays a crucial part in the plot, and a woman is introduced who had a powerful influence on Bruce's decision to become Batman. What more could the true Batman fan ask for? Mask of the Phantasm is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as The Dark Knight and Batman Returns. There's a classic story within its animated trappings.

diverting

[Jonny_Numb · 6/10 · 3 November 2005]

At its best, "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" is a fun, freewheeling trip down Memory Lane, rife with the three-dimensional characterizations, film noir-style design, and a refreshingly mature storyline. At its worst (in which case, it still isn't too bad), "Phantasm" serves as a reminder of how "Batman: The Animated Series" packed a better punch in 30-minute episodes that recalled the good old days of dimestore pulp. Even at an economical feature length of 77 minutes, the film's story is too basic to be so drawn-out. Still, the infusion of a new villain (the mysterious title character), a fleshing out of Batman's history, and a generous helping of Mark Hammill's Joker makes "Phantasm" a safe bet for fans of the show.

Not very good

[frazierandrew-63114 · 5/10 · 14 October 2018]

I don't know why I read so many great reviews about this movie. It's orett boring. There are much much better Batman movies out there. Go watch Under the Red Hood, The Dark Knight Returns or even LEGO Batman.

Best portrayal of the Dark Knight.

[Joldax · 8 October 1998]

Ever since Phantasm came to the theaters, I was hoping that WB would put another animated movie of that caliber on the big screen again. Phantasm is the essence of the true Batman. No bogus sidekicks, the Gotham PD hunting down Batman as if he were a threat, and a great interaction with Alfred. For any die hard Batman fan this is truly a must.

You walk the edge of that abyss every night.

[sharky_55 · 8/10 · 4 December 2016]

Bioshock's iconic opening was surely inspired by that of the one in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. They both use the same Futurist- steeped, sleek Art Deco style which inspire the towering structures of the city, and swoop in, out and between the 3D models to establish their mood and atmosphere. The film is from a time when animation was getting more and more comfortable with these types of three dimensional sequences which turn the traditionally flat canvas into a visual playground; think Quasimodo swinging around the bell towers of Notre Dame like Spiderman, or the iconic chandelier shot in Beauty and the Beast. It's an altogether more classical rendition of Gotham City and its inhabitants, cobbling together various anachronistic elements to resemble something of a neo-noir: steel arches, fedoras, figures ripped straight from Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, shameless womanisers, bikers with chains and bats, and the long halls and longer shadows of Wayne Manor. This is a far cry from the recent realist depictions of Nolan's Batman trilogy, which evoked a frantic, terror-stricken, post-9/11 atmosphere in a setting far larger than what a simple animated figure could cover in one night. Nolan's Gotham has slums within slums and cities within cities, indulging in panoramic widescreen IMAX shots, and reflect a reality where the enemy isn't merely thugs with guns but larger sociopolitical and economical structures. It is worlds away from the moralities that Phantasm initially implies in its art: stark, boldly lined, clearly drawn.

Like a true good old fashioned noir the story dives almost immediately and often into flashbacks that dole out the backstory. The film avoids the usual familiar territory that has been etched out in previous cinematic adaptations, but also effectively revisits the mythos of Batman and the fear surrounding the dark knight that makes him such a fan favourite. Early on in his crime-fighting career, Bruce juggles intimidation tactics and the conflict between the streets and the empty family home - never before has a cinematic Batman skipped the double murder in the alley and instead shown a torn Bruce Wayne bargaining at his parent's grave, struggling to reconcile his promise to clean up Gotham's grime and his desire for romance and a normal life. When he proposes to Andrea he gets more than a telling sign, an ominous column of bats curling and fluttering into the sky like the first ever bat signal. The ending suggests more of the same; that Bruce Wayne and Batman are two separate entities, that only one of them can truly exist in more than empty shape and form, and that other figures have also experienced similar tragedies and conflicts.

The true success of Phantasm is being able to tie these difficult questions into what the caped crusader is truly beloved for: a hammy superhero with an entire arsenal of gadgets and gizmos who fully embraces what he is. The Batman figure has always been a little bit ridiculous - why not go with it? What will endless vengeance solve? It's a good question for an adult in a bat costume, but aside from trying to answer it, there's also classical action taken straight from the animated series and the comic books they are based on, with the type of hits and blows where you can almost visualise the outlines of the 'KA-POW' on the screen. The set pieces are appropriate; the huge, full moon illuminating the city, and the Batman and his arch-rival posed like giants as they battle in the model future world exhibit. Mark Hamill is the voice behind the excellent Joker, who might be the only super-villain able to make brandishing an electric mixer even remotely menacing. With his wide grimaces and infamous cackle, Hamill turns any fight sequence into a heightened battle of the wits, alternating one-liners and swinging fists. Shirley Walker's brass- heavy theme is reminiscent of Danny Elfman's from the Burton movie, retaining most of its grandiose, darkness and mystery as the opening surveys the city skyline. And Kevin Conroy's steely tones are worthy of being included in the best of the on-screen Batman portrayals. He's just, formidable, unwavering - until he is confronted with a glimpse of a second chance at a different life.

The Best Romantic Film I've Ever Seen

[waelkatkhuda · 10/10 · 2 March 2013]

For me this is the best film of batman, it is in the same level or even better than Tim Burton's Version ( batman 1989).

For me The best thing in this film is the story it is full of passion in a very good way that both children and adult can watch it without feeling sick of their stomach with those nude scenes that are featured now these days in movies. I loved the flash back on this film it tells u the story of Bruce Wayne before becoming THE DARK KNiGHT and the LOVE OF HIS LIFE.

The Love Story was made in a very professional way thanks to the writers, Kevin Conroy & Dana Delany who performed the voice of the two leading character (Bruce Wayne and Andrea Beaumont) and the brave Directors who had done a brave job by turning this TV version into a fantastic theatrical version. and who could forget the magnificent Mark Hamill as the joker who stole many scenes by his fabulous performance.

For me this is my number one Romantic Film along side (GWTW 1939,Atonement(2007)and now voyager 1942).

there are unforgettable scenes on this movie The rain scene when Bruce talks to his dead parents grave and Andrea came to him ( That was my favorite one) and when they first saw each other after 10 years, and the first spoken scene between each other and of course the final scene for both Andrea and Batman.

The Final song "I Never Even Told You" bye Tia Carrere was one of my favorite song all the time.

I wish if in the future they would made a new version of this film with real actors.

Finally I recommended this film for everyone who is had once a love in his life or having a new one now.

The Animated Adventures...

[cordaro9418 · 7/10 · 11 September 2008]

With the critical acclaim of the syndicated cartoon, receiving awards and praise for groundbreaking animation and stories, it was only a matter of time.

With a story that rivaled Val Kilmer's turn in 'Batman Forever', this shorter and crisper version actually out does the Schumacher film.

With flashbacks and a well paced script, our animated hero faces old flames, new foes and of course, saves Gotham from the Joker.

A Joker very much based in the comic books but surprisingly more realistic than Jack's. Combine that with the retro style of the series and it transitions very well.

If your either a fan of animated films or just a Batman fan, this film will appeal to most.

like a brilliant four-part episode from the series; lots of personal wounds revealed, and the Joker to boot!

[Quinoa1984 · 9/10 · 25 December 2007]

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm stands on its own feet extremely well, when at least compared to some of the lessor Batman animated movies (Batman vs Dracula anyone?), and packs a good punch for fans so many years later. The original series was in its own other region- taking what more stories from the comics (if not overall style and atmosphere like Burton or Nolan)- and was able to cover some fine ground with our troubled hero the Dark Knight. This story tells of a character, not ever quite named but called here as 'Phantasm', who is killing off some of the high-rolling gangsters in town. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne meets an old love of his, Andrea, and old wounds are opened over a brief and untimely ended engagement. And then there's also Andrea's father, who... OK, not much to try and spoil here, lets just say at some point the Joker gets involved, and everything jets into a 'laughing matter'.

Even as it was meant originally for TV, the directors Radomski and Timm, through their writer collaborators, have applied a drawing style that is distinctive amongst other cartoons of its ilk from the period: very direct lines and sharp, jagged edges, lots of smoke at (specific) times, the right blend of noir when it comes to revealing the caped crusader when he enters a room in the dead of night. In a sense they're stylists as are the (good) directors of the franchise live-action films. Only here there's a catch: the running time is short (originally the filmmakers thought it would be meant for TV before WB changed their minds), so there's only so much time to dig into the dilemma Wayne is caught in in the movie, where his identity is being cross-checked all over as the killer of the gangsters, and then the personal connection with Andrea and her father. Its some fairly significant probing into the character, if not the deepest there's ever been.

But also, aside from the slightly darker impulses, Mask of the Phantasm is a lot of fun, even up to a point if you didn't watch the series much. Just seeing Hammil ham it up as the Joker is a blast, even though he doesn't appear (almost, one might think, as a lark) until halfway through the movie! But he (via the filmmakers trying their best to give fans the best of the animated basics) supplies a hugely entertaining climax, one which involves a big fight among an immense diorama of Gotham City, rigged with explosives!

Very good, the original Batman series should have been depicted the same way.

[paulmamak · 7/10 · 25 September 2007]

It was great to see a Batman film that remained faithful to the comic books and also consisted of a bit of creativity.

Its only downfall was that the person portraying the Phantasm was a bit of a giveaway. Other than this though the film contained a strong and moving plot, which particularly put emphasis on the torture Batman has to go through for the girl he truly has feelings for that was a change from just him grieving over his parents. Unlike the cartoon the Joker was given a bit more origin and because of this he played an even more darker character, as he actually kills one of the mob bosses in terrifying circumstances. As a result he lost that silliness that the character was more based upon in the series. What the film does as well is that explores Batman's origin with a similar theme to Year One. The scene that will always be remembered is when Batman puts on the cowl for the first time, putting fear into Alfred.

The score was absolutely fantastic, in many ways it is better than Elfman's and what gave it that edge was that it was a more climatic version to that of the series.

Overall great plot and score, the way Batman should be portrayed.

The psychological, the subtle, and the emotional side of Bruce Wayne are all more deeply looked at in this fantastic animated movie

[gc_mzm · 10/10 · 14 May 2005]

Mask of the Phantasm is one the best Batmans movies ever conceived. It gives that dark brooding look of the batman TV show, throws in an amazing original score, excellent voice acting, and a storyline that encourages us to look at the Batman story in a more human and emotional way. We have well established bad guys instead of just having a guy escape from prison, we have strong inner-conflict dilemmas and very well drawn action scenes. The only downside is that it could have been longer, although the rather short (compared to most movies) length does a good job of not making the flow feel dull or boring.

I highly suggest this movie.

Completely made by the Joker!!!! The rest of the Storyline was kind of lazy.

[MildInconvenienceMan · 7/10 · 22 October 2012]

This was a good film but I cant help but feel that it was completely made by the joker, none of the other characters were really put any emphasis on at all, so it was once again left to the Joker to make it interesting, the idea of having him in some rundown old theme park was great idea as it gave so much diversity in his weird and whacky creations.

The character of the Phantasm was mildly interesting but, I still don't get why she took her mask of, or more importantly why it gave her the magical power to teleport, as it was never really described how she was doing this. There was also no real end to the mob boss storyline, it was just kind of all left again on the joker, and that was what was annoying about this film.

Batman and Bruce Wayne were played fairly well and it was pretty enjoyable to see this character in this situation, but most of the answers were given to him rather than him having to use any real skills to uncover the mystery and at the end he just kind of guessed who the phantasm was in my eyes, and it was pretty obvious as the only new person in town.

All in all I enjoyed the film, but to some reviews I've seen say ti s the only batman that could rival the dark knight I simply don't understand, it was good as just a bit of extra context and worth a watch but not as good as made out.

The Most Absolute Batman Animated Movie Of All Time

[moviemattb · 10/10 · 8 February 2015]

Batman has always been my all time favorite superhero besides Superman, Spider Man, Hulk, Wolverine and many other superheros. Now, "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" is not only the best Batman animated movie, but it is one of my favorite Batman movies along side with Tim Burton's classic 1989 movie and the awesome trilogy by Christopher Nolan. This movie gets so overlooked, and it deserves to be talked about as it has already become a cult classic. The movie centers around Bruce Wayne's past about as he once had a love one named Andre Beaumont as they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. Sadly, Andre breaks up with Bruce as he now turns himself into the Dark Knight to fight crime. During the present, the mysterious figure known as the Phantasm hunts down some of the crime bosses as Batman is being framed and goes out to find who the Phantasm really is. What can I say? Of course, you know the movie is based on a popular animated TV series which it is without a doubt one of the greatest animated shows about Batman. The movie is definitely larger than life as the movie went into theaters instead of being straight to video as it was originally intended. The movie open to great reviews, but did not perform well at the box-office due to how bad the marketing went. However, it did well for being success as it was first released on both VHS and Laser discs. I have it on VHS, and now I have it on DVD. Unfortunately, it has never been released on Blu-Ray yet which I will get to that later. I thought the animation is incredible as it does add a stylish look into as it represents what the comic books were. Also, the story is perfectly well told for showing the psychology of Bruce Wayne and following the path of becoming Gotham's greatest protector. The direction by Eric Radomski and Bruce W. Timm is absolutely top notch perfect. The voice acting is indeed perfect. Kevin Conroy does a heck of a job to voice both Bruce Wayne and Batman, as well as Mark Hamill for voicing the Joker. Of course, the late Gene Siskel from Siskel&Ebert did not like Hamill's voice, but that is his opinion. At least both Siskel and Roger Ebert gave the movie a two thumbs up which it deserves to. Dana Delany has also done a great job for voicing Bruce Wayne's love interest. The movie is 76 minutes long which it does go by at a very good pace, when it does keep you interest with the story and characters. I do love Shirley Walker's music which it is whether or not one of her greatest achievements. Now, about this movie for not being released on Blu Ray. Like Disney's remake of "Mighty Joe Young," the movie does need another release on DVD as well as an official release on Blu Ray; it needs a heck of a restoration for cleaning up the movie's transfer, but no DNR like what Fox did to "Predator" because if it did then it will loose some of its textures and details. Warner Bros. needs to be faithful on how this movie looks, and maybe have it be supervised by Bruce W. Timm and some of the people that work on this movie. Also, the DVD only has a trailer but no audio commentary from the cast and crew as well as having deleted scenes, still galleries, maybe other trailers and TV spots and most of all a documentary on how the film was when it came to make a Batman animated feature film as it went from straight to video to theaters, and how the marketing turned out to be a huge disappointment but thanks to the fans for having it become a cult film. There is a petition that I found online, which I did sign it and I hope that Warner Bros. release this movie on DVD again, and making an official Blu Ray release with an all new video transfer with sound and an amount of special features. If you aren't interested to sign it, that is fine and I am not going to be upset or anything like that. I just want this to be release as soon as possible. If you are interest, then that will be wonderful. I will put the link on it whether you are interest to sign the petition to have this movie be released on Blu Ray. With that said, "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" is the most absolute Batman animated movie of all time, and it will continue to be a classic movie. I give it a 10 out of 10.

Here is the link for the petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/release-batman-mask-of-the- phantasm-on-blu-ray

For a reminder, if the link has issues just type the movie's name with petition on Google so that it will take you there. Thank you.

An OK animated "Bat" film yet nothing special.

[blanbrn · 6/10 · 14 August 2008]

This animated film of "Batman" was well done as the voices done in the film especially Hamill's "Joker" and the effects were good. Yet for some reason "Mask of the Phantasm" just didn't capture my attention or interest like most other "Batman" stuff does. The tale is simply just a little multi-layered with a theme that focuses on a past flashback. The plot is also a little off the chart with "Batman" being accused of murders that's carried out by a sinister masked figure know as "Phantasm". It's an OK mystery type for an animated film yet the biggest treat is the appearance of "The Joker" as Hamill's voice carries it well. Overall an OK animated film of the "Bat" yet nothing special.

Batman Mask of the Phantasm: Don't see the appeal

[Platypuschow · 4/10 · 2 January 2018]

Mask Of The Phantasm is a direct spinoff from the 1990's animated television show and alike the show was extremely well recieved. Though set in modern day it has that 1940's look and feel that made the Tim Burton films so memorable.

Here we have the caped crusader tackling the Joker, gangsters & a mysterious new vigilante. And you know how it works, vigilantes are only okay if its Batman if it's not then he has to take them down because reasons.

Sadly I don't see the appeal, though I don't consider Mask Of The Phantasm to be bad I don't understand why so many hold it in such high esteem.

Hamill & Conroy stand out as usual as outstanding voice actors, the animation is on point but the story simply did nothing to grab me.

Passable stuff, but underwhelming for me.

The Good:

Mark Hamill

Kevin Conroy

The Bad:

Messy plot

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Phantasm looks awesome

Phantasm is incredibly incompetent

It's so sad that Hamill will never play a live action Joker