Does Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Live Up to the Hype?

redmangoreviews

April 13

Julien Neaves, Editor

Plot: Batman tries to uncover identity of a masked figure killing mobsters in Gotham while dealing with the return of a former lover and the murderous antics of the Joker.

Context: The 1993 animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is based on the acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995) and was co-directed by Bruce Timm, the mastermind behind the DC Comics animated franchise (Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Batman Beyond et cetera). The film received high critical acclaim but a decision to change from a direct-to-video release to a theatrical release on short notice resulted in a failure at the box office, though it was a financial success on home media. The film has a reputation for being one of the best (if not THE best) movie ever made about The Dark Knight. I watched it many years ago, and while I enjoyed it, I was not blown away as others were. But I decided to revisit it recently with my more seasoned film reviewer sensibilities to see if it truly lived up to the Bat hype. With a smoky SPOILER ALERT let's break down Mask of the Phantasm in three punches!

Punch #1 Star-crossed lovers

When a Bat loves a woman...

Batman alter ego billionaire Bruce Wayne has a reputation for being a playboy. In the animated series we see him flirting with Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Ra's al Ghul's daughter Talia, but neither of these are conventional relationships. But what if he had a normal relationship? Or even got married? Mask of the Phantasm explores this possibility with the doomed romance between Bruce (the late great Kevin Conroy reprising his iconic role from the series) and the alluring Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany of China Beach, Tombstone and the voice of Lois Lane in Bruce Timm's animated DC shows).

This romance and Bruce's early struggle between having a normal life and becoming a crimefighter are two elements that make the film truly standout. The couple have a wonderful chemistry and are easy to root for even with the knowledge that their lovemaking will not end well. And when Andrea leaves and breaks his heart it hits harder than a punch to the chest from Bane. Timm and company mine a depth of tragedy and pathos here that none of the other Batflicks even come close to doing, and that includes the legendary The Dark Knight. And that is mighty impressive.

Punch #2 Smoke and Mirrors

Nino Brown! Your soul is required in hell!

Batman: The Animated Series has frequently been praised for its gorgeously gothic animation style and music, and that trend continues with Mask of the Phantasm. They even threw in a computer rendering of Gotham City at the beginning which was a cool touch. And in keeping with the dark and gothic theme of the show is the mysterious vigilante the Phantasm, who we later discover to be Andrea in disguise. With the Grim Reaper-inspired costume, intimidating hand blade and ability to appear and disappear using smoke, the Phantasm makes for quite the imposing antagonist.

But apart from the aesthetics, the most important aspect of the character is that it is a mirror for Bruce/Batman. Andrea, like Bruce, is inspired to fight crime by the death of a parent. And both chose costumes and methods to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. Had things been different Batman and the Phantasm could have been allies helping to clean up the streets of Gotham together. But where the two diverge is in their motivation. As we see in his early days as a rookie crimefighter, Bruce channels his anger and pain into a fight for justice and he is guided by a "no-kill" rule. Andrea, on the other hand, is solely interested in revenge and she breaks with Batman because her methods are lethal. The two are clearly mirrors for each other and the Phantasm is a cautionary tale of what Batman could have become. He is a dark figure (the masterful scene where Bruce puts on the costume for the first time and terrifies Alfred perfectly encapsulates this) but a necessary one and a noble one.

Punch #3 Joker's Wild

Say what you will about the Joker, but he sure knows how to show someone a good time

The film must also receive kudos for how well it balances its deep story with the usual superhero action. You still get Bats taking it to the bad guys with his fists and array of gadgets. There is a scene where Batman stamps on a door with a mob henchman beneath that made me chuckle. And the superhero entertainment gets turned up to eleven with the introduction of the Joker.

Mark Hamill reprised his incomparable role as the clown prince of crime from the animated series and delivers easily one of his best performances. The excess of dark humour and manic energy is simply a joy to behold, including his interactions with his robotic "wife". And the high energy climax in his repurposed amusement park feels like it was pulled straight out of comic book. The denouement of Andrea leaving on a ship grounds the film again as a tragedy as both the character and the audience ponder of what could have been. And we are left with the solitary Batman patrolling the night until the end of his days.

With its brilliant, mature story that features a powerful exploration into the nature of Batman, superb animation, thrilling action, terrific music and top notch voice performances, Mask of the Phantasm fully deserves its reputation as the best Batflick ever.

Editor Jules' Score: 10 out of 10

Are you a fan of Mask of the Phantasm? How would you rate it? And you can check more animated action featuring the Caped Crusader on Robot Mango Reviews below:

Julien "Editor Jules" Neaves is a TARDIS-flying, Force-using Trekkie whose bedroom stories were by the Cryptkeeper, learned to be a superhero from Marvel, but dreams of being Batman. I love promoting Caribbean film (Cariwood), creating board games and I am an aspiring author. I say things like "13 flavours of awesome sauce". Read more.