Movie Review: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) directed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski

With the popularity of Batman: The Animated Series, the creative crew were able to make a feature-length story that was released theatrically. A new villain, The Phantasm, is killing some of Gotham's crime bosses. The Phantasm's outfit is close enough to Batman's that some witnesses think it is the Dark Knight offing the bad guys. Bruce Wayne has some problems, too. An old flame, Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delaney), has returned to town, though she is more interested in her father's accountant than in going back to Bruce. Flashbacks show how close a college-aged Bruce was to giving up on avenging his parents. He even proposed to Andrea. She abruptly broke off the engagement and went to Europe with her father, leaving a note with the engagement ring asking him to forget her forever. In the current day story, Bruce has perfected his "playboy who is never serious" persona when dealing with women. He does remember and still feel the connection he had with Andrea. A third problem comes up since the Joker (Mark Hamill) is causing mayhem in his usual style, though his presence turns out to be less random than it initially seems.

The movie gives a solid Batman story. It delves a bit into his origin, adding in the doomed romance to raise the pathos. There's plenty of action and the mystery is well-crafted. The movie follows the noir stylings of the TV show, giving Batman a dark landscape that suits him so well. The actors do a good job with their roles. Watching is a very satisfying experience even if you haven't seen the television show.

Recommended, especially for Batman fans.