Rating: 
Summary: Could be better
Review: Along with "The Shadow", "The Phantom" is a lavish showcase of Art Deco settings and opulent epoch recreation. It's such a shame that the screenplay cannot be up to the standard set by the painstaking and meticulous production, soigné to the tiniest details. The film starts off fine, with the introduction of the Phantom's story and his family's century-long rift with an evil-doing sect of buccaneers, which by the 1930s seeks to conquer a world then seething with dictators. The rhythm is fast-paced but the film's resolution is wishy-washy and perfunctory. The Phantom himself is very meek and for all his brawn, he lacks the crafty self-assertiveness of the Shadow or Indiana Jones, two characters this film harks back to. The four stars count only for the extraordinary effort of epoch recreation. The story itself is hardly worth two.
Rating: 
Summary: Not perfect, but an enjoyable comicbook movie
Review: I have seen The Phantom many times since its release in 96 and have to say that I enjoyed it very much. I have never read the comicbook or comicstrip but from what I have read in the other reviews on this page, it is not 100% accurate to the feeling of the source material. Nevertheless, it is a great, campy, fun filled movie.
Catherine Zeta Jones and Kristy Swanson are very sexy as their supporting characters, and in fact give the best performances of the whole movie. Treat Williams comes off as the campiest character of all in his portrayal of Xander Drax. His one-liners could have been done without. They were, however, not going for a very serious movie so you get what you get. Billy Zane was enjoyable to watch as the title hero, and his alter ego Kit Walker but the script needed a little work.
The plot of the movie revolved around the 21st in a long line of "Phantoms" and his quest to stop an archvillian from attaining three priceless skulls. If Drax were to get his hands on all three skulls, he would become very powerful. So, Kit (aka: The Phantom) sets out with his horse and wolf to capture Drax and reclaim the skulls.
With a mix of 1930s scenery and 1990s special effects, this movie was a definite family film, but may not be what you would expect if you read the old comics.
Rating: 
Summary: YESSS!!!
Review: This movie, which I saw along with our children once it came out, is a joy and a pleasure. We have our basic comic book plot/tale/take, but unlike Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, the females are interesting, and the hero is capable of reacting to them in i non-stereotyped manner -- once made aware.
My oldest gave me this DVD for Christmas, and his choice was informed and caring. Thanks, son, for making it possible for me to enjoy this warm action-packed package whenever I wish!
Rating:
Summary: Where there is evil, the phantom is not far behind
Review: For a girl like me, who is not that big into comic book heros and the like, I must say that the movie the Phantom has a certain niche that makes it an enjoyable experience to the likes that one cannot descibe easily. The main character, The Phantom, played by Billy Zain (Titanic) is a swashbuckling superhero similar in style to a purple clad Indiana jones because he only uses his hands and a pistol as well as his head to get out of situations. Throw in the likes of Kristy Swanson, Treat Williams, and yes believe it or not Catherine Zeta Jones and you have a delightful action film full of intrigue and excitement.
Rating: 
Summary: VERY FORGETABLE!
Review: I was never a reader of the Phantom, but I do enjoy super hero movies, particularly 30's era heroes. I was very disappointed with this effort though.While I like Billy Zane, he just seem very miscast in this role and did not seem to have the charisma needed to play such a high profile role. The Supporting characters fare a bit better with Treat Williams as the over the top villian, and Kristy Swanson as the love interest. While there is decent action, the plot is weak and very hokey. It's no wonder why this tanked at the box office.
Rating:
Summary: Good Clean Fun
Review: Sure, there's no really spectacular pyrotechnics in the film. But let's think about it for a minute - it takes place in the 30's or so. Back then there was no swearing, no huge explosions and no 21st century fire-power. Just good v. evil, good guys against bad guys - good boy gets the good girl in the end - well, you know where I'm going with this. Billy Zane's portrayal of the hunky good guy in the black mask and purple tights brings the comic book to life. This is a film that no one should be ashamed of letting their child (of any age) watch.
Rating:
Summary: Much better than the other comic book movies!
Review: I just watched The Phantom a second time and found it even more enjoyable than the first. With the possible exception of the first X-Men (surprisingly good) The Phantom is the best of the comic movies. Why--because it has several things missing in Spiderman, The Shadow and The Rocketeer. Its clever, its well written, its consistently very funny, it moves and even has a little suspense. Yes, the villains ham it up but this is a comic! Its not Lawrence of Arabia. Some of the sets are cheesy but the scenary and stunts are great as are the Art Deco references. Now if you're 8 years old the idea of taking the man in purple tights less than seriously may be offensive but for us older folks (and the actors) it just makes sense. I expected The Phantom to be like Indiana Jones (a yawn, sorry) but its actually more like Big Trouble in Little China. Cinematic junk food and a fun ride.
Rating: 
Summary: The Phantom
Review: It just goes to show you will hardly ever read a negative review of anything on Amazon.com. Billy Zane is a wooden mumbler who may look good in tights but otherwise brings nothing else to this role. There was enough ham in Treat Williams' performance to feed the state of Virginia. The only person who survives this film with a smidgen of dignity is Catherine Zeta-Jones, who brings a sense of flair to her role (perhaps too much; I thought I saw her hair flair at one point). My favorite continuity problem in the film: after Phantom and Swanson leap onto a horse from an airplane(!), watch for the wolf running behind. Sometimes it is in the scene, and sometimes it is not. Finally, why in the world would anyone in their right mind leap through the jungle in skimpy purple tights? At least Batman wears body armor. The Phantom: D-
Rating:
Summary: Long-time PHANTOM fans couldn't be happier
Review: To really appreciate the 1996 PHANTOM, it helps to know who he is: whereas other costumed heroes depend heavily on at least one super power and are forever in your face about it, the PHANTOM is the only one who relies on good genes, a white Palomino, a pet wolf, a loyal tribe of pygmy poison people (the Bandar), and a personal fortune to get him past bad times and bad people. He also has this stone fox of a girlfriend (Diana Palmer), a skull throne [THE Skull Throne], and the coolest home on the face of the earth, the Skull Cave. Many "super"-type heroes have elements of the PHANTOM's lifestyle: Batman, for instance, ripped off the Skull Cave with his Batcave and his wealth; but unlike the PHANTOM Batman isn't saving the world 24 hours a day. Batman clocks in at sundown, works all night, then sleeps it off the next day. Presumably, too, crime in Gotham City isn't always afoot; Batman, as billionaire socialite alter ego Bruce Wayne, mixes it up with the nation's wealthiest 1% whenever possible. And who built the Batplane, the Bat-o-cycle, the Batmobile, the Batboat, etc? If Batman's got his own pygmies building this stuff for him, let's see 'em! And what kind of "hero" ADOPTS a teenage boy (Robin) and votes Republican? The PHANTOM, on the other hand, would drop everything to come to the aid of some pygmy whose ox ate too many dung beetles. When the Bandar have a bake sale, the PHANTOM bakes a pie. Diana been away for a month and hasn't had a chance to write? The PHANTOM broods for about two seconds and puts on a hat, sunglasses, and a checkered trenchcoat, leaves town for the States, and breaks heads until he finds her and knows she's OK. Is that love or what? Batman, as I mentioned, definitely uses his wealth to give him an edge over the bad guys in the application of technology to whatever skills he's otherwise developed, such as detective work (including working undercover and surveillance) and crime scene analysis. Batman applies his wealth to his own defense as well--the miniaturized gas masks, the canisters of chemicals in his utility belt to bail him out of an endless array of tight jams, and the aforementioned Bat-vehicles aren't cheap. And when he's not sleeping, eating, socializing, and home-schooling Dick Grayson, he's MAKING REPAIRS on all these things. Presumably. And what's with the smoking jacket? The PHANTOM, on the other hand, is wealthy like nobody's business. In his Treasure Room he has, among other things: a goblet cut from a single diamond once owned by Alexander the Great; the Golden Fleece; Excalibur; The Holy Grail; and a specially-designed display case with a single, slightly withered apple inside with two bites taken out of it! I think he has a LITTLE LULU collection in there somewhere too. What impresses me, though, is that with all these chests full of precious stones and jewels and coins and all the rest, this guy is as rich as Scrooge McDuck and you'd never know it. When he's not out in the world actively opposing bad people on behalf of the innocent, he's doing community service or speaking to schoolkids about the rule of law. And when there is NOTHING to do, he sits on that Skull Throne waiting to spring into action. No fancy weaponry, just a couple of pistols and a right-handed punch hard enough to leave the permanent impression of his skull ring on whatever bad guy's jaw it lands on. No "PHANTOM car/boat/bike/copter/plane" either--just one great big white horse he takes everywhere. Now you know.
Rating:
Summary: Mostly Harmless
Review: Actually, this wasn't a bad little summer flick. One thing that may have doomed it at the box office was the choice of the hero; if the Phantom is not the original hero in tights (he definitely predates Batman, and probably Superman as well) he's definitely the only one of the originals who has survived into contemporary times, but even so he's never been as popular or as familiar as the classic heroes (such as those of the DC and Marvel comics stables) who have come later. At any rate, in order to really appreciate this movie you may have to suspend your critical faculties just a bit; this isn't great cinema, and it isn't striving to be great cinema. The acting is deliberately a bit over the top (Treat Williams and Catherine Zeta-Jones put in wonderful performances as two of the villians), and the movie always seems to be looking at you over its shoulder to give you a reassuring wink to let you know it's not taking itself too seriously, and neither should you. Billy Zane is adequate as the hero, but the sterling performances are those of Williams, Zeta-Jones, Kristy Swanson (as The Phantom's feisty love interest) and Patrick McGoohan as the ghost of the last Phantom. A good popcorn flick, and well worth the price of a rental. Get the Orville's ready, sit back in the couch and enjoy!
|
