capone666 The PhantomThe reason Africa doesn't have any superheroes is because they were shipped to the US as slaves.Sadly, the only guardian the Motherland has left is the white guy in this action movie.The legend of The Phantom has been told in African lore for generations. Now, like his father (Patrick McGoohan), Kit Walker (Billy Zane) must become The Ghost Who Walks.Sworn to safeguard Bengalla, the purple protector returns when industrialist Xander Drax (Treat Williams), his deadly assistant (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Kit's ex-girlfriend (Kristy Swanson) come to the undisclosed island for the powerful Skulls of Touganda.Released at the end of the pulp hero renaissance of the 1990s, this earnest adaptation of Lee Falk's comic strip icon is faithful to its swashbuckling roots. And while its whitewashed veneer is troubling, the campy adventure remains fun. Incidentally, strutting around the jungle in purple is an excellent way to attract a peahen. Yellow Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

jc-osms I'm sure I've read the odd "Phantom" cartoon strip in a newspaper, although never in a full- length comic, but that was enough to tempt me to watch this boy's own adventure brought to life. I gather the film was a major flop on original release and I can see it slightly uneasily balancing itself somewhere between the likes of the sublime "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and the later, less-so "National Treasure". In fact the film it most resembles is the soon-come "The Mummy" which of course was a commercial smash and spawned a similarly cash-generating sequel.No such luck for the team here though which is a little bit of a shame as it's an entertaining romp and with better timing may have caught a similar wave of success. It's a touch light on the special effects but then again, "The Phantom" isn't super-powered anyway, just being very athletic, a good horseman and nifty with his two-toting guns. The cinematography is excellent throughout, from the recreation of 1930's New York streets, to the climactic scenes in the Brotherhood's underground cave and in particular, some excellent landscape shots of the Bengalla jungle, the Phantom's habitat.Billy Zane makes for an energetic but genial hero, knowing that he's not really scary- looking in his purple onesie, Kristy Swanson does well as his spirited tomboy girlfriend and Treat Williams scores as the dastardly villain Xander Drax. Catherine Zeta-Jones is less convincing as a bad-girl-turned-good and the great Patrick McGoohan is wasted as the Phantom's ghostly father who makes intermittent appearances as his son's conscience. There are fight scenes a plenty and especially a fine duel between the hero and major baddie at the end which respects the traditions of swashbucklers of Hollywood's golden age.A little like its eponymous hero then, this movie was a little out of time but was otherwise light, enjoyable old-fashioned entertainment.

moviemattb As a kid, I remember calling the Phantom as Robin, because his mask is similar to Batman's sidekick; of course its not Robin, but its hard to believe that the mask is similar to Robin's. If you agree with me or not. With that said, I grew up watching this movie on an old VHS and really did had fun with it. This was before I started watching the Indiana Jones movies, because this movie is like watching one of the Saturday Matinée Serials. The character of the Phantom does have some similarities to Batman like having someone taking care of their wounds as well as having a cave as their hideout. The movie itself is based on the comic strip by Lee Falk, which I have not read any of them nor having that much of knowledge to it but I am curious to learn more about the Phantom. So does the movie hold up? Well here are my thoughts: The movie is about an immortal crime fighter, where he is being called "The Ghost Who Walks" because whenever they think he's dead he always comes back; the Phantom is also dealing with enemies as they get their hands of the Skulls of Touganda as they posses enough power that can cause destruction. It is up to the Phantom stop the bad guys before its too late. After watching this movie as a kid, I'm an adult now as I'm now looking back it, the movie really does hold up. I don't mean its a masterpiece, but it is a fun old fashion adventure flick. I don't know why this movie failed at the box-office, which it may have been that no one has ever heard of either the comic strips, a hero wearing a purple outfit that turns people off or the movie itself was badly marketed. Also, receiving a 4.9 on this website is really low, even a forty-two percent rotten on Rotten Tomatoes which I don't think its as bad as what everyone is making it out to be. I know the late Roger Ebert likes this movie, and I do find it really cool that he really likes it. By the way, I miss him too. Anyway, it is one or the other on why this movie failed at the box-office. In my opinion, I thought the story is just as simplistic as it is while the acting is well done. Billy Zane does a great job in the role for embodied the character as well as his charms, and his coolness which it kind of makes him the Clark Gable type. Treat Williams' performance is over the top, but he is fun to watch. Kristy Swanson does a good job, but nothing amazing to run home about. Her character sometimes is a damsel in distress, and she can be feisty too as she joins in the fight. Catherine Zeta-Jones is in this movie too, and she is great to look at before she would go on to do "The Mask of Zorro." I really do like the music that David Newman created, and I thought the theme for "The Phantom" is pretty memorable. I do like the look of the thirties like the look of New York, which it does make a great looking movie as the movie is suppose to be like the comic strips. I don't have a big deal with the Phantom's purple costume, which I wouldn't be surprise if I was the only one that can take this seriously than anyone that issues with the costume. The movie does take notes like the Indiana Jones movies, where you do have some nice physical stunt work as the action scenes. Sure the action may be like any other action adventure movies, but at the same time I had fun with it. There isn't that many CGI in this movie, which that is a big plus for this movie. I think the only thing that is CG is where the lasers come out of the Phantom's ring, and the Skulls of Touganda that Drax used at the movie's final act. I'm not sure about the Skulls that came out of the briefcase if its either CG or practical, but I thought the movie does have good effects for the most part. The movie is very well paced, and I never find any parts that bored me to death. Simon Wincer, to make a long story short, does a fine job directing the movie. Any problems? Yes. While I do enjoy the action in this movie, sometimes there are parts that are not fast enough in order to make it more exciting. Also, while the effects are good, the movie does feature some bad blue or green screen effects like where the Phantom and Diana Palmer are riding on an airplane. Lastly, I do wish if the movie could have some more character development. I read that Simon Wincer had cut out the romance parts in order to make the movie more fast-paced. So I guess that could be one of the reasons why there is not much characterization in this movie. I don't have this movie on DVD or Blu-Ray, but I would like to get one if it has any features which sadly it does not, thanks to Lionsgate or Paramount for getting the treatment that this movie deserve. Maybe Shout Factory should pick this up to give this movie some special features because we are in the year 2016, and it has been twenty years since this movie first came out. I'm calling for a twentieth anniversary special edition release. In conclusion, "The Phantom" may have its flaws, but I don't think it as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I had fun watching this movie, and I am giving it an 8 out of 10.

Phil Hubbs If you cross Indiana Jones with Tarzan and mix in some 'Goonies' type pirate tomfoolery then you pretty much have this fun cheesy boys own adventure. Actually if I think about it some more you could also throw in some camp Batman and Robin from the classic 60's series in certain sequences, it does get a little bit too hammy in places I must say hehe.Like Batman the Phantom has no super powers, he merely relies on his strength, intelligence and the fact people think he's an immortal ghost...oh and he lives in a cave. So basically he is Batman but with less cash to have hi-tech...and minus Robin for a couple of wild animals he trained.Of course it is suppose to be almost a pantomime type flick with lots of silly lines and caddish villains, but it is a touch too childish for me in places, where as other pulp comicbook character adaptations like 'The Shadow' are a bit more serious. The Phantom's world is a pretty looking universe I must say, the jungle lair, 30's New York and the museum set where one of the skulls is kept, are all really well created. They have that lovely thick structured wooden stylish design with that nice dark noirish colour range (much like 'The Shadow').The story of this character is just as cheesy as his attire. A boy (400 years in the past) witnesses the murder of his father by some pirates who attack their ship. The boy is washed ashore and gets looked after by some tribes folk. They give him the Skull Ring for some reason and because of this he decides to dedicate his life to stopping naughty people...by becoming the masked avenger The Phantom. This role is passed down from father to son over generations (along with the Skull Ring) and leads to the rumour that the Phantom is an immortal crime fighter (everyone thinks all these Phantoms over the hundreds of years are the same one person). So its all a bit Batman-ish really (but Batman came first!), the rest of the plot mainly involves the Phantom searching for skulls that have great power of destruction and stopping bad guys from getting their hands on them (in the present day of 1938). Simple clichéd stuff really.Effects are dated now of course and the fights do look rather gentle, hell even back when the film was released it wasn't that great effects and stunts wise. I almost expected Kapow! to flash across the screen when Zane punched one of the cookie cutter henchmen baddies. Its a good fun film which kids will enjoy and is set totally within the classic period of the comicbook action genre, old school superheroes. You just have to look at the main villains name...'Xander Drax', could that be anymore ridiculously over the top? Oh and pools of man eating sharks? is this a Bond movie?In all honesty the Phantom isn't really a great character to put on film as he's a bit too dated and soft looking with his natty purple tights and simple black face mask which only covers his eyes. The fact he has a wolf and horse as his loyal sidekicks is also kinda odd really, odd combination wouldn't you think, plus he does look a bit daft on that horse in his purple catsuit. Didn't really think much of the pirates that make up the bad guys either, especially at the end which really turns into Schumacher-esque type affair. I must say I think Treat Williams was miscast as the main villain, I'm sure they could have found someone more caddish looking. But overall its all taken from the original source material (three stories) so that's good I suppose, its just the original stories and ideas are predictably very out of time now.I love how no one recognises 'Kit Walker' when he dons his Phantom black mask, just like Robin its so stupid that no one see right through it...figuratively speaking. Despite the rather familiar plot involving mystical skulls and ancient tribes ('Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'?), the film doesn't beat around the bush and gives you exactly what it says on the tin. A very light-hearted period set superhero flick with lots of charm dames cads and a dashing hero in a tight purple catsuit.6/10