Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a 1993 animated feature film directed by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm. It was made by Warner Bros. Animation and released theatrically, where it had a tepid box office reception, though its home video release would prove lucrative.
Batman (Kevin Conroy) is spotted at the murder scene of gangster Chuckie Sol (Dick Miller) who was killed by the mysterious Phantasm (Stacy Keach). Councilman Arthur Reeves (Hart Bochner) believes Batman is responsible and goes over Commissioner Gordon’s (Bob Hastings) head to recruit Detective Bullock (Robert Costanzo) to lead a strike force. Alfred (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) encourages Bruce to solve the case, but the arrival of his old girlfriend Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany) causes flashbacks to his early days defending Gotham City and meeting her and her father Carl (Stacy Keach). When another gangster is killed, aging mob boss Salvatore Valestra (Abe Vigoda) desperately turns to none other than the Joker (Mark Hamill) for help.
I remember seeing this animated feature film in the cinemas. As a five-year-old, I was completely blown away. I had already started watching Batman: The Animated Series, which serves as the predecessor to this movie. Seeing Batman, my favorite comic book hero, come to life on the big screen was mind-blowing to me.
Rewatching it as an adult following its 4K release my opinion on this movie has not changed. I believe Batman co-creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger would have loved the film. While Finger had tragically passed away decades prior, Kane was alive but only commented on the live action films as far as I can find.
Unfortunately, the movie was a box office bomb. The production team would blame Warner Bros. for originally pitching it as a home video exclusive. It was originally titled “Batman: Masks” and meant to be much smaller, but WB seemed to have faith in it. To prepare it for the big screen, they were then given much more creative freedom and had to edit the animation done by third-party studios to match the silver screen. It would go on to make a profit on VHS and soundtrack sales.
It is a shame because, without a doubt, it is the best Batman movie. Obviously, it is not a live action flick, but it did have a wide theatrical release and was the only animated Batman film to receive such an honor until The Lego Batman Movie.
The animation is somehow superior to anything that has come after. Yeah, I said it. Timm’s dark deco style will go down in history as one of the greatest animation techniques, and this will be cited as one of his greatest examples. He and the rest of the animation team did a fantastic job of bringing the world to life through stunning backgrounds, realistic terrains, compelling character illustrations, and seamless action sequences.
Shirley Walker did a fantastic job with the score. During her lifetime, she won very few awards, but she deserved one for this soundtrack. It is epic, visceral, and impressive. The music perfectly punctuates what is happening on the screen, but that opening theme song is what hooks you as the title sequence plays in front of you.
Obviously, the cast is unmatched. Delany, who would go on to voice Lois Lane in the related Superman: The Animated Series, truly shines as Andrea, who was named after casting director Andrea Romano. She captures all of the complexity of the character and delivers her lines with a tremendous amount of talent.
To be clear, the rest of the cast does an amazing job. I still think of Zimbalist as the ideal Alfred and Hastings as the ideal Gordon. Arleen Sorkin, the original and true Harley Quinn, does not appear as her iconic character (more on that later) but has a “cameo” as Ms. Bambi, a character mentioned in the pilot “On Leather Wings.” It is a shame that all three of these actors passed away before their time.
Of course, the standout performances are Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker. The two of them always had an amazing chemistry as the two foes, but here, it is peak acting. Their scenes highlight just how deadly the Clown Prince of Crime truly is. Despite The Dark Knight’s skills, he finds the Joker’s pure savagery to be a challenge. Their banter is some of the most well-written dialogue in a DC Universe movie.
Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko, and Michael Reaves, all of whom worked on Batman: TAS, were tapped to write the movie. Burnett wrote the overall story, Pasko was given the flashbacks, Reaves handled the climax, and Dini was tasked with filling in “holes here and there.” They took inspiration from Batman: Year Two for the general story and Batman: The Long Halloween for a lot of the action.
Timm told Dini that Harley Quinn could not appear, as he wanted the Joker to be a standalone threat. Dini was disappointed in this, but I actually agree with Timm. It would have been a totally different movie with the added presence of the Charismatic Quinn.
The one thing I do not understand is that they never explain how the abilities of the Phantasm work or where they came from. During an analysis with the Bat-Computer, Batman explains a chemical compound was left behind by the violent vigilante, but never its significance or origin.
Outside of that, it is a pitch-perfect animated feature film that takes on a ride through the streets of Gotham. We see Bruce Wayne begin his days as a vigilante without his more well-known persona. Later, he meets Andrea who heals the wound left behind by his parent’s murder. From here, he sees how just a little bit of happiness could have soothed his heart until it is ripped out and he becomes the Batman.
There is no debate on whether “Batman is the mask or Bruce is the mask.” There is no psychoanalysis of Bruce’s psyche. There is simply a tale of vengeance that shows just how delicate the balance is between hero and villain. It is subtext and not riddled with unnecessary moralizing lectures. We get everything we need from the eyes of Batman, the Phantasm, and the Joker. This is why it will long be remembered by fans of the Caped Crusader, animation enthusiasts, and even casual moviegoers.
Bottom line, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was and still is the best Batman film. It has a compelling plot, a fantastic cast, and some of the best animation you can find.
PARENTAL CONCERNS: Strong violence, Frightening images, Innuendo
FAVORITE QUOTE: Vengeance blackens the soul, Master Bruce. I’ve always feared that you would become that which you fought against. You walk the edge of that abyss every night, but you haven’t fallen in and I thank heaven for that.
Check out the trailer below:
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, anime, or novel you would like me to review.