Popular reviews

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  Review by Ian West ★★★½ 2

  Movies like this and The Shadow are my ideal comic book outings—period piece/Art Deco overtones, jungle excursions a la Indiana Jones, goofy mustache twirling villains, and some classic snappy dialogue. Hugo Weaving with a CGI red skull or a shrivel chin cgi brolin have absolutely nothing on a Treat Williams or his mustache. Plus this cast is awesome (James Remar!) and how could I forget to add PEAK purple suit Billy Zane?

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  Review by Matt Singer ★★★

  This one didn’t do much for me as a kid. In 1996, I had a tough time connecting to the Phantom. He has no powers and he doesn’t really fight crime so much as he protects these three mystical skulls. So why does he wear a purple costume and a domino mask and eye black? And what about a purple bodysuit makes people think he’s “The Ghost Who Walks”? I didn’t get it.  

  Now I see that ours is not to reason why; ours is to slam evil. (I also appreciate that they didn’t try to force an origin story.) There’s some really terrific practical stunt work, a very charming Billy Zane as the Phantom, and a young and…

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  Review by Ziglet_mir ★★★★ 3

  What is this, a ship full of women?

  
  The Phantom is a classic, pulpy and delightfully charming swashbuckling adventure that hits all the right chords in its adaptation of the source material. While I am not totally informative on The Phantom comics I am aware and have been aware of its existence since my youth. It is only until now that I have ventured upon the cinema iteration of this heartwarming romp and grounded escapade that basks in the most chilling form of integrity above all else.

  I enjoy superhero films made today, probably not as much as most, but I do. There is however something inarguably lost from the streamlined and polished products we see that are also enmeshed…

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  Review by Kylo ★★★★ 1

  I’ve always had a soft spot for this one. Dated in the best 90’s sort of way. Silly and adventurously. The hunky Billy Zane. He’s great in this one. His career sure took a villainous turn after this with Titanic.

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  Review by Gibnerd ★★★★★ 5

  it's really no wonder this thing bombed so massively. Billy Zane's performance is a stiff as his skin tight purple body suit and the whole thing has a "gee-whiz!" quality that was 1000% not cool in the angsty mid 90s. the movie seems destined for love by only the dollar comic book bin digging super nerdiest of the nerds. and god bless it for all of that. the movie has an innocence and sense of fun & the perfect level of camp that just isn't seen anymore. yeah, Zane is not good and if the filmmakers would have cast Bruce Campbell as originally planned the film might have been more a cult hit today.... but as it stands the Phantom still plays as a oddball good time.

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  Review by Remobo ★★½ 15

  Me, in 1996: "What a lame movie. The sets are chintzy, the fights are poorly staged, and the final effect, literally looks like a 7th grade science fair project. The Phantom is such a cool character, with so much potential, and this movie just makes him out to be Indiana Jones in a purple bodysuit! And who the hell is Billy Zane?"

  Me, in 2021: "What a lame movie. The sets are chintzy, the fights are poorly staged, and the final effect, literally looks like a 7th grade science fair project. The Phantom is such a cool character, with so much potential, and this movie just makes him out to be Indiana Jones in a purple bodysuit! Needs more Billy Zane."

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  Review by Travis Lytle ★★★★ 6

  Fully embracing its newspaper funny-pages roots, Simon Wincer's "The Phantom" is a entertaining, delightfully cornball, and surprisingly rousing superhero epic. Revolving around a purple-clad hero dedicated to protecting those in harm's way, the film revels in its source material's inherent silliness with a fully committed and earnestly charming sense of self. Making no apologies for its goofier sensibilities, "The Phantom" is an action gem deserving of audience affection.

  Taking place in the 1930s, "The Phantom" revolves around the ghost who walks, a jungle-dwelling masked hero who leaves seclusion to slam evil. Also known as the Phantom, the ghost who walks finds himself working to prevent three mystical skulls from falling into the wrong hands.

  The core story makes for a…

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  Review by Dave Edwards ★★★

  “Have you heard the exciting news? We’re going to the Devil’s Vortex!”
  Xander Drax
   
  It’s been roughly a month since the passing of Treat Williams. While Treat was never one of “my guys”, I’ve enjoyed his work for years, whether it be in classy affairs like Prince of the City or movies he was overqualified for, like the Substitute series*. The one thing I’ve always admired about Treat as a performer is he always gave 100%, never phoning in a performance; even if the movie was pure trash, he was going to show up and earn his paycheck. While some may argue (foolishly, in my opinion) The Phantom belongs in the latter category, I think he’s one of the…

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  Review by DreamScape40 ★★★½ 2

  The image that is embedded into my brain at the moment is Billy Zane in that purple suit riding his steed 🐎.. on the beach.. yeahhh

  💀

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  Review by {Todd} ★★★

  "This is New York City, I'm not concerned with some jungle folk hero half a world away." - Trump-inspired bad guy.

  - Scavenger Hunt #52 (July 2019): boxd.it/3kIS0
  Task 25: One of BSB's 100 favorite films (24/31)

  After this, Spielberg still made that Crystal Skull bullshit? Man, I think that dude has some problems.

  The phantom is an inter-generational hero of European descent who protects native lands deep in the jungle. He ends up getting mixed up in a kidnapping/bad guys plot that brings him back to New York. The Phantom has to stop bad guys from getting 3 separate skull MacGuffins before the world is destroyed. It's fine. I really like the old timey comic book style of this.…

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  Review by Jesse ★★★ 4

  The youth of today are spoiled. They have multiple films based on Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, and hell even a movie about Morbius.

  I grew up with a couple Batman movies, Dick Tracy, and THE PHANTOM!

  This movie is just the epitome of 90s B-Tier action/adventure and I cannot get enough of it. I also loved every second of Treat Williams’ mustache twirling villain, Xander Drax. Check this one out if you’re in the need for a simple but entertaining good time. Pairs well with The Shadow.

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  Review by MenOnFilm ★★★

  Treat Williams is either so good at playing a pulp villain or is so colossally tone deaf acting there is no middle ground here. Billy Zane looks like a total idiot running around in a purple bodysuit , a real hoot. It was so easy coming up with super heroes in the 30s “yeah he’s a guy who can shoot two guns at once and lives in a sex cave with his dad’s ghost and a whole lotta boy butlers”