 | |
List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 32350
Released: May 25, 1999 |
| Our Price: $28.99 |
| Used Price: $14.11 |
|
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
This plain-vanilla version of the old Lee Falk comic strip stars Billy Zane as a 1930s incarnation of the Phantom, an African-based, masked hero whose forefathers have all donned the costume at one time or another. Sworn to crush evil, the Phantom leaves his jungle lair to venture to New York, where he takes on a charming but criminal mastermind (Treat Williams). There's no oomph to this film at all. The very capable director Simon Wincer (Phar Lap) seems to be working with a leaden production and an inferior talent pool behind the camera. The talent in front of the camera do their best, but it isn't enough. --Tom Keogh
The Phantom Reviews:
An underrated gem! 
2009-11-16 - I never understood why this movie wasn't a success.I remember seeing the trailer and really getting pumped for it,I've probably seen over 15 times.Billy Zane is one of those actors who is great but never really took off,and look out for Treat Williams who is a delight as the villanious businessman,and Catherine Zeta-Jones is hot as ever as the leader of the female air-pirates.If you're looking for a fun,fast-paced actioner for the whole family,then the Phantom is the one you're looking for!
Yes its purple. 
2009-11-10 - Billy Zane portrays the Phantom as a confident, masculine, buff hero, clad in the silliest costume seen on film since Howard the Duck. The story is entertaining, reminiscent of the serial comics from which the original Phantom sprung. Good supporting cast with Kristy Swanson and the always-entertaining Treat Williams. Billy Zane of course went on to bigger roles (and better costumes) in Titanic and Cleopatra, but he seems to truly be having fun here. Well worth watching, if you can get past the purple suit.
Hey Gang, Let's Go To The Devil's Vortex! And Other Improbabilities! 
2009-10-12 -
The Phantom takes some getting used to. Being familiar with Lee Falk's comic strip of the same name, the Phantom was part Batman, part Tarzan, being in the jungle in a skin tight purple spandex outfit, offending villains with his fashion sense.
Actually the film covered the story fairly accurately: a boy on a ship whose father was killed by pirates, washes ashore (no worse for wear, oddly) and is adopted by a fierce Caribbean tribe and grows to be The Phantom, aka The Ghost Who Walks.
OK, all caught up? Good.
Because now the film dives into a similar style story as Indiana Jones. No surprise there as the scriptwriter and co-producer, Jeffrey Boam, also write the script to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. And with a few changes here and there, I am sure this could have been the real Indy 4, but I digress.
The plot (or what there is of one) is essentially this:
Billy Zane (Titanic) stars as The Phantom who searches for the legendary skulls of Touganda which when placed together with a few other skulls (none of them are Crystal by the way) harness great power.
While the search is on, he meets the girl of his dreams, talks to his dead father (in a very Obi Wan Kenobi like way) contemplates how he will carry on the family name. Gangster Xander Drax, who has 1930s New York in his pocket, is also after these skulls for the power they contain.
Fighting: Lots of fighting. Catherine Zeta Jones is a bad girl who must have kicked the nuts out of at least three men. Kristy Swanson is the rich publisher's daughter who gets kidnapped but not before delivering a mean right hook. And Billy Zane rides a horse, hangs off an airplane and skids down an elevator shaft cable, no worse for wear.
There are scenes like a microscope with knives and when someone he thinks lied to him is told to look into the microscope, the knives come out and blind the guy. Drax laughs at this but in the real world he would have been sued or locked up for maiming someone.
But this is 1930s New York, man. Kinda like the Dick Tracy, The Shadow and The Rocketeer-type films. Rockem Sockem, makes little sense and is a heck of a lot of fun to watch.
So if you want to unhook your brain and ingest some mindless entertainment, The Phantom is for you.
Interesting facts: Roger Ebert loved it for some reason, appreciating the accuracy of the comic book style. And there are plans (as of December 2008) to make a re-make with the same spandex but in modern times instead of the retro '30s.
Billy Zane movies include:
Zoolander (Special Collector's Edition)
Bloodrayne (Unrated Director's Cut)(DVD ROM game is included)
Titanic
A good movie that could hve been great.
2009-07-16 - When I was "knee high to a grasshopper" in the early fifties - my favorite comic hero was The Phantom. Not even Batman or Superman could come close. This is a good movie - that could have been great.
The reason is that - unfortunately for those of us Phantom fans - Jeffrey Boam (Co-Producer) - an immensely talented individual - carried much of his Brisco County, Jr. "mantra" of "Just below over the top" - into this film. If he hadn't scripted The Phantom's skull ring a/k/a "The Orb" (Brisco County) and "just under over the top" humor - we could have had a much more serious - and - enjoyable film - more along the lines of Indiana Jones.
Having said that - the action sequences were second to none - (I'm still wondering how they did the airplane to horse "transfer") - and - Billy Zane captured the spirit of the 21st Phantom perfectly.
The plot was stronger in the first half of the film - than the second. However - all was in great fun and enjoyable to watch.
So - for those of you looking for good hearted family entertainment - I strongly recommend The Phantom. Hero - the Phantom's horse - is Roy Rodger's Trigger & The Lone Ranger's Silver rolled all into one. Devil - thankfully played by a real wolf and not a spray painted German Shepherd - could easily outmatch Rin Tin Tin any day of the week.
And as to the future? I for one - am anxiously awaiting the start of filming of "The Phantom Legacy" an Austrilian production - which - if the Ghosts of the Skull Cave smile upon us - is due to start filming sometine in 2009 or 2010.
Enjoy!!!
Great Movie
2009-06-12 - This movie was great. Billy Zane was great for the part of the Phantom. The setting in the early 1900s was great, made things interesting. Also the superhero costume was fantastic, loved the design.
