The Phantom

This is a very enjoyable movie, enough action to keep interest, yet clean enough and without gory violence for the kids.

I used to enjoy following the comic serial in the local paper when I was younger. It was discontinued in my local paper a long time ago, but it was refreshing to see this theatrical adaptation made to possibly renew interest in this ancient hero, especially to the younger crowd.

This is Billy Zane's shining moment in theater because #1, he did not have quite a big role in Titanic, and #2, he was such a dink in that movie anyway.

Treat Williams gives the best effort in this movie IMHO, it is a bit overacted, but he maintains the balance between humor and being dastardly evil.

The basic premise of the movie, to Phantom newcomers, is that The Phantom is a superhero that fights for what is right in the African Jungle. The Phantom is called the Ghost who Walks, because he has survived for 400 years. Little does anyone know that the Phantom lives on because each Phantom grooms his son to take the mantle of the Phantom should the present Phantom faces an untimely death. Unique to most superheroes, he uses guns, yet he makes every effort to not kill anyone he apprehends. He resides in the Skull Cave (Wonder if the makers of the Masters of the Universe owes Lee Falk some chunka chunka for this idea). The Phantom has the loyalty of many of the natives that reside in the jungle and receives much assistance from them.

In this adaptation, a thug from NYC by the name of Xander Drax has his henchmen attempt to procure 3 mystical skulls which gives dark powers to he who possesses them. The Phantom acts to thwart his efforts, as he knows the power these skulls contain.

This film contains action on land, sea, and air. Catherine Zeta Jones plays one of Drax's stooges. Her character has more depth than most of the characters in this movie.

As much as I enjoyed the movie, there are some things that make you go "Hmmmm..."

A horse and a wolf can both keep pace with a biplane speeding across the jungle. The Phantom must have fed them thier Wheaties...

The Phantom's alter ego, aka Kit Walker, takes a cab in New York City. He initally offers Bengala currency to the cabbie, then he offers a mitfull of jewels. Now, when you give a NY cabbie a handfull of what appears to be costume jewelry to the untrained eye, chances are you get screamed at severely at best (taking into consideration this took place in the 1930's, nowadays, the same action could get you brutalized in someway.)

Another is the Phantom chases Xander Drax and jumps into the water and clings onto the plane they take to the Devil's Vortex. Now, if any human being grabs onto a plane soaking wet, hangs on when the airplane is so many thousands of feet above ground where the air is colder and thinner, you would be freezing and getting light headed from the depleted oxygen as you hang on outside during a trip across the Atlantic.

My favorite part of the movie, aside from the great scenery, is how Xander Drax explains his name to Kabai Sengh in spelling bee fashion (Xander Drax! X A N D E R D R A X! Xander Drax!).

Well, this movie has a great ending, which I will not give out. Any fan of movies such as Raiders of the Lost Ark or Jewel of the Nile would really like this one.

Enjoy!

I liked it. It was refreshing to watch an action/adventure feature that wasn't filled with unimaginative four-letter words or eyefuls of naked female flesh. It is a classic, easily recognizable "good vs. evil" adventure, with readily identifiable heros and villains. I would class it more with "The Rocketeer," rather than with the Indiana Jones movies, even though it has much of the same look. It offers no reason to cover the kids' eyes or mute the volume, nor will adults be bored. The movie doesn't really drag anywhere, and even offers a few lively flashes, in short: Simply enjoyable.

Of all the recent pulp hero adaptation to the big screen, this one ranks as the best so far. Doc Savage was too campy. The Shadow was disappointing, The Spirit was too small and the Rocketeer was an echo of the entire genre. But the Phantom, thanks to performances from Billy Zane, Treat Williams and Catherine-Zeta Jones, came alive on the screen. There was humor, drama, excitement, suspense and action galore. This film had all the elements of a successful pulp novel or newspaper serial. The cinematography, especially on the location shots, was breathtaking. Billy Zane is very believable as Kit Walker both in and out of costume. The faithfulness of the film to the original stories is also excellent.

Though taken, almost literally, from the comic strip, this wonderful film comes across more as a pulp magazine adventure, a delightful period piece with a noble hero, spunky heroine, great primary and secondary villains, and some breathtaking stunts and location shots. Treat Williams makes a marvelous villain, and James Remar, an underrated actor, plays his henchman, an Indiana Jones gone wrong. Catherine Zeta-Jones is the villainess, and Billy Zane seems to have been born to play The Phantom. Nice cameos by Patrick McGoohan and a New York cabbie. I said it once, but it's worth repeating: fabulous stunts. Well directed, well paced, a triumph of adventure film-making.

Not many people realize that the Phantom is THE FIRST comic book hero, pre-dating Superman and pre-dating Batman. I grew up on the classic Lee Falk comic strip hero in my local newspaper. The ads for this film made me suspect it would be faithful to the character and storyline. When the film opens with the comic strip's classic line "For those who came in late…" (always used between the end of one storyline and the beginning of the next with one-day strip with a brief synopsis/reminder of the origin of the Phantom), I got goose bumps and the film maintained its integrity, unlike people who have no clue as to who is "The Phantom." While some alternations were made for it to be a little more PC (the Phantom's local pygmy people are omitted, possibly "replaced" by the Rope People we see at one point), the film's flavour remained untarnished. I can see why Billy Zane fought so hard for the role. Treat Williams clearly had a blast chewing up the scenery as the villain. Then-newcomer Catherine Zeta-Jones certainly had we males dislocating our jaws with amazement (it always pained me later she'd be referred to mostly as "Catherine Zeta-Jones from Zorro" for a time, as though this tongue-in-cheek action adventure film was to be neglected). For the non-intellect, this film may fare better on tape or on cable. For those who know the character from his origins, see it either there or if it should ever hit theatrical re-release. The saddest thing about this film is it has not yet spanned a series of sequels.