The Phantom

I didn't know when I rented this DVD that it was an unrated made for cable TV movie. So when I popped the disc into the player and there were previews for SYFY shows, and then I saw "Play part 1" and "Play part 2", I thought, Oh boy this is going to be a wasted 3 hours. I was pleasantly surprised. This TV movie was actually done very well. The acting was good, the effects were good and the story was pretty easy to follow, but also had some nice twists to it that kept it interesting all the way through. I never got into the Phantom comics, so I don't know how true it stayed to the history of them, and so I didn't care about that aspect of it. It was just an enjoyable few hours spent with the family, watching a pretty darn good TV movie. There were a few scenes of graphic violence that would rate this a PG-13, so if you have little ones, it may be too violent for them. I hope it gets turned into a SYFY series. I will watch it if it does.

The Phantom was one of my favorite comics when I was a kid, so my excitement was understandable when I sat down to watch this movie. Alas, the excitement waned almost immediately. This was not a movie worthy of the comic strip, it hardly had anything to do with it whatsoever. It was overly 'modernized', apparently in order to adapt it to the 21st century... Why on earth would you want to do that? It looks more like a music video than an action flick.

Another major problem is the casting of the main character; Ryan Carnes would be much more believable impersonating a teenage MTV pop star than he is starring as the Phantom. And then there is the costume... Suffice it to say that it looks totally ridiculous, and it has nothing to do with the Phantom. The set decoration is rather tacky (I believe due to budgetary restrictions), the cinematography and sound are average, so there is really nothing that really stands out in this movie. Large TV productions have accustomed us to much better products in recent years. It's a pity really, the idea to film the Phantom was a good one, but it should have been done in a different way, a completely different way.

Perhaps it's because I know nothing of the Phantom, but I enjoyed this quite a lot. I don't usually pay much attention to CGI if the concept and characters are compelling, and I found they were here. I did notice (after reading the reviews here) that the jet was not very realistic, but that took little away from the overall storyline.

I was particularly satisfied with the involved plot line that didn't telegraph the ending. Yes, it was basically good against evil, but the characters were well done, the pace was quick and the leads were charismatic. I'd like to see the romantic angle developed and an heir for the Phantom. I loved the lair and the locations, but the Indians I could've done without.

I look forward to seeing SyFy pick this up.

The Phantom (starring Ryan Carnes in the title role) tells the story of a superhero who serves as the defender of justice for all.

The mini-series, which also serves as a pilot for a potential television series, has enough action and romance to make you forget its length. The adaptation of the Phantom gives us a superhero with a clear-cut and unbendable knowledge of right and wrong that has been mostly lacking in the modern superhero movie era.

Those already familiar with the comics will find enough of the comics' elements in the mini-series to satisfy the spirit, if not the absolute letter. However, purists of the comics and those unwilling to suspend some disbelief will find extreme difficulty in enjoying a mini-series that brings the franchise into the 21st Century.

If there are any defects to this show, it is at times when the mini-series works too hard at looking like a pilot, having many scenes throughout to serve as the background for future plots and character development. Especially the final scene (Which I won't give away) that could have served well as the cold opening for the first episode of the first season.

This series is well worth watching. Here's to hoping SyFy can make a cut in the Roger Corman Knockoffs Deptartment to give The Phantom chance it deserves. After all, no one refuses the Phantom.

This is rating the first 61 minutes because that was all my DVR recorded of the 4 hr program. I liked what I watched and I wish to see more in a series. My only complaint is that Syfy does not have it on the schedule to be seen again any time soon. With all the ways to see shows when it is convenient and this is a network that can show the episodes more than once they should give viewers more chances to see their shows. Sorry for the ranting but this has happened numerous times to me from Syfy, I hear about a great show and never get to see it because they do not give multiple chances to view their shows, I am going to use this one as an example. . .I really liked the 61 min I saw of this film but I give Syfy a 1 on satisfaction!!