Batman und das Phantom

Ever since Phantasm came to the theaters, I was hoping that WB would put another animated movie of that caliber on the big screen again. Phantasm is the essence of the true Batman. No bogus sidekicks, the Gotham PD hunting down Batman as if he were a threat, and a great interaction with Alfred. For any die hard Batman fan this is truly a must.

This movie measures up to the first two Batman movies and surpasses the last two in quality and story telling. The animation was fantastic. It was dark and mysterious, and that is way Batman should be done. Kevin Conroy's voice is perfect for Batman. Of course, when speaking of the voices for this movie, Mark Hamill can not be ignored. He gives a great performance as the menacing and hilarious Joker. My problem with this movie was the very short confrontation between Batman and the Phantasm. But the fight with the Joker makes up for it. This is a great Batman movie, even though this is animated and made for the kids.

Superhero fans of my generation had tons of great cartoons to watch while we we're growing up, and Batman: The Animated Series was right up there among the best. It combined action with a cool art style and serious plots that made the show just as appealing to adults as it was to kids. Mask of the Phantasm is a side-story of that amazing show, so it's no surprise that I still love it all these years later.

Phantasm works so well because it pairs the usual themes of the show with an extremely bittersweet love story and tons of the detective elements that are always present in Batman's best tales. Equal time is spent with the present day mystery of the Phantasm, and Bruce's early experiments with vigilante justice.

It's great to see Bruce Wayne get equal focus in the story, and in many ways the scenes with him out of costume are the most interesting and pivotal to the story. The Joker plays a crucial part in the plot, and a woman is introduced who had a powerful influence on Bruce's decision to become Batman. What more could the true Batman fan ask for? Mask of the Phantasm is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as The Dark Knight and Batman Returns. There's a classic story within its animated trappings.

This movie is incredibly cool. It's the most accurate film portrayal of Batman yet. Not only is this movie well-animated, exciting, and tautly-plotted, it's also refreshingly understated. Unlike its live-action cohorts (more specifically, the Schumacher duo), "Phantasm" does not rely on splashy effects, ridiculous action sequences, and a hokey soundtrack to pull it through. As much as I love *Batman Returns,* I have to admit this is probably the best-written of the Batman films. And tell me you don't get chills down your spine the first time Bruce Wayne puts on that cowl. Awww yeah!!

Not only the best animated flick but one of the greatest Batman movies ever made!

Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, and Bruce W. Timm are without doubt the best creative team of any involved in a Batman film or/television show. In this first animated film based on the animated series, the creative team does both a prequel and a sequel to the show as it introduces the characters of Andrea and Phantasm. Which both have an enormous impact on Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming Batman. And the character of Andrea helps us understand Bruce Wayne a little better. And know him a little better before becoming Batman.

Inspired by Frank Miller's "Year One" comic and Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film, Burnett/Dini/Timm create a magnificent Batman movie and a great movie as well!

4(****)out of 4(****)stars

AN ANIMATED MASTERPIECE!!!!