Review of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) by Andy K — 21 Jul 2016

Who ever thought an animated superhero movie was a good idea? Probably not that many people in the'90s, as they were already used to all the live action comic book adaptations they had been receiving for years. Additionally, the film's marketing campaign did not consist of all that much advertising at all, causing it to fly under the radar and perform underwhelmingly at the box office.

But more and more people are discovering this movie every passing year, and they're finding that, well, it's a really good Batman film. It has its flaws, for sure, but I can guarantee that the majority of Batman fans and non-fans alike will be able to find something in Mask of the Phantasm.

One minor negative I had with this film is a certain lack of emotional stakes. Personally, I simply often find it hard to take action seriously in cartoon movies, as it is seldom done very well. For me, Phantasm at times worked in this aspect, and other times didn't deliver the thrills I wanted it to.

However, that's just my opinion. And generally speaking, it doesn't bother me that much, because the story and the characters are so perfectly crafted in this film that you can't help but feel the same feeling that 1989's Batman and 2008's The Dark Knight left you with.

And is it as good as The Dark Knight? No, because that movie is pretty much the perfect superhero movie. But is it as terrible as Batman & Robin? Of course not. However, I do think it's the best animated Batman movie, and I'd also say it's even better than both Batman Returns and Batman Forever. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a clever, innovative animated film that I had a lot of fun with. Though it can't really match the intensity of some slightly superior Batman movies, Phantasm is sure to entertain audiences everywhere, and marks a solid entry in the DC Comics canon.

RATING: B+.