Review of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) by Eric C — 08 Jan 2010

Incredible filmmaking is had here, from awesome animation, to a terrific score, this film has it all.

Those behind the amazing series Batman: The Animated Series(1992-1995)have come together bring us an animated film in the theaters, without the restrictions of TV's 25 minutes.

Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett bring us the dual story of a new masked vigilante, who decides to step over that line that Batman won't. By killing all the mob bosses in Gotham and striking terror in their hearts for good. Meanwhile we also get the story of Bruce's beginning as Batman and the love of his life that almost ended it before it began.

The familiar voices have been bought back(thanks to the ever talented Voice Casting Director Andrea Romano).

Kevin Conroy is Bruce Wayne/Batman, the cunning dark knight, whose constant push was caused by the death of his parents. I love the voice acting done by this guy, he would go on to voice this character until Justice League: Unlimited(in 2003), as well as different versions of the same character in Batman: Gotham Knight(2005) & Superman/Batman: Public Enemies(2009). In this film he plays the character a bit different, as he goes back and forth between the present Batman, whose been there a while and the Batman, who still made mistakes. Definitely a performance that needs to be seen and is in a lot of cases better than Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Christian Bale's versions.

Another performance worth noting is that of actress Dana Delany, as Andrea Beaumont, Bruce's one time love interest. Her role is small in the film, but turns out to be one of those roles that are extremely important to know. While her character is not seen much, except in flashbacks, we still get an amazing character development in the story. This is of course before she would go on to play the feisty Lois Lane on Superman: The Animated Series(1996-2000). This character would show up again much later in the DCAU, but it would have been nice to see a little more of her throughout the years.

Mark Hamill chimes in as the ever psychotic Joker, a voice he has made just as famous as his role of Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars Trilogy. Here we get to know a bit more on The Joker, but at the same time we still never get to know anymore. Sound weird, well when you watch this film, you will find yourself impressed. The Joker here is a minor character who just happen to get in the radar of The Phantasm.

The rest of the voice actors from Batman: The Animated Series makes an appearance and does their respective voices very well, but what should really be noted outside the voice acting is the incredible score by Shirley Walker, the composer from the Animated Series really bumps up the score and makes it feel like a real epic. She makes sure the film is as different, but the same as the TV series. Just watch the beginning credits and tell me you don't feel a sense of a true epic being shown. The animation is a bit better than what we see in the TV show, but considering how well, dark and gritty the series is, that could only mean better. The animation to me appears more fluid and real. Its amazing that this film started out as a multiple part episode, than as a DTV film and ended up on the big screen.

While its nice and definitely makes watching this even more fun, you don't have to have watched the series to know what's going on. The story doesn't make references to the series, except through the voice acting, but that's it. This was a fun experience that could only get better if WB decided to make a special edition, with commentary, deleted scenes and featurettes.

5 out of 5 stars.

SOUNDTRACK SONGS I HAVE:

Tia Careere-I Never Even Told You.