A big screen outing for one of the more obscure comic strip heroes, THE PHANTOM is an approximate mixture of TARZAN, BATMAN, and INDIANA JONES, although not as much fun as at least two of those film series. This film tells of a guy in a purple bodysuit who lives out in the jungle with his animal friends, fighting crime and mischief wherever he can. It pretty much sank without trace on release and you can see why, but it's still better than some superhero films I could mention (such as FANTASTIC FOUR).
The main problem this film has is the juvenile script. Yes, we know this is a kid's film, but does it need to be so childishly simplistic in everything it does? The INDIANA JONES films were meant for children but they avoided this trap and it's a shame more effort wasn't made to turn THE PHANTOM into something adults could enjoy as well. Instead, this is lightweight stuff through and through: heavy on action and chase sequences, light on thought and integrity.
The film's cast is one of the strongest things it has going for it. Billy Zane is probably the only actor who could have looked good in figure-hugging lycra, and I enjoyed seeing him cast as the hero for once. His two supporting actors are less than impressive: original BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Kristy Swanson fails to make an impression, while Treat Williams is just bland as the chief bad guy – neither hammy nor sinister, just a bit of a ponce. Still, the supporting cast more than makes up for these deficiencies: there are B-movie regulars James Remar and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as minor villains, turns from old-timers Samantha Eggar and Patrick McGoohan (as Zane's dad!), and a pre-stardom Catherine Zeta-Jones before she made it famous as Michael Douglas' wife (it's amazing how different and more natural she looks here as compared to her later idealised Hollywood image).
The action scenes are okay and fairly lively, although they can't help looking cheap on occasion – wobbly scenery and the like. The chases are my favourite, with one excellent scene showing the Phantom jumping from car roof to roof before taking to horse to pursue the bad guys. Sadly, the climax is weak, just cutting to the usual one-vs-one battles as so many of these bland Hollywood productions do. Some might say that THE PHANTOM is deservedly forgotten: I won't disagree, but kids should have a good time with it.
The main problem this film has is the juvenile script. Yes, we know this is a kid's film, but does it need to be so childishly simplistic in everything it does? The INDIANA JONES films were meant for children but they avoided this trap and it's a shame more effort wasn't made to turn THE PHANTOM into something adults could enjoy as well. Instead, this is lightweight stuff through and through: heavy on action and chase sequences, light on thought and integrity.
The film's cast is one of the strongest things it has going for it. Billy Zane is probably the only actor who could have looked good in figure-hugging lycra, and I enjoyed seeing him cast as the hero for once. His two supporting actors are less than impressive: original BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Kristy Swanson fails to make an impression, while Treat Williams is just bland as the chief bad guy – neither hammy nor sinister, just a bit of a ponce. Still, the supporting cast more than makes up for these deficiencies: there are B-movie regulars James Remar and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as minor villains, turns from old-timers Samantha Eggar and Patrick McGoohan (as Zane's dad!), and a pre-stardom Catherine Zeta-Jones before she made it famous as Michael Douglas' wife (it's amazing how different and more natural she looks here as compared to her later idealised Hollywood image).
The action scenes are okay and fairly lively, although they can't help looking cheap on occasion – wobbly scenery and the like. The chases are my favourite, with one excellent scene showing the Phantom jumping from car roof to roof before taking to horse to pursue the bad guys. Sadly, the climax is weak, just cutting to the usual one-vs-one battles as so many of these bland Hollywood productions do. Some might say that THE PHANTOM is deservedly forgotten: I won't disagree, but kids should have a good time with it.