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A fascinating event occurred following the release of Tim Burton’s “Batman” in 1989. As a reminder, “Batman” had a production cost of approximately $48 million, yet it achieved remarkable success at the box office, earning more than $411 million. In today’s currency, this would be equivalent to a $125 million film generating over $1.07 billion.Tim Burton emerged as a box office champion.Naturally, Hollywood quickly aimed to produce more hits similar to “Batman,” with numerous other superhero initiatives being approved right away throughout the industry. It’s worth mentioning that Burton’s “Batman” movie was very visually distinctive, aiming to resemble a fantasy version of the 1930s. It had an oddly timeless feel, which might explain its success; it wasn’t easily identifiable by era. “Batman” seemed more like a 1930s pulp comic strip than a high-tech contemporary comic book film.
When Hollywood began to copy “Batman,” they focused on its pulp elements rather than the original hero. Interestingly, there wasn’t an immediate surge of expensive superhero films featuring Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern, or The Flash. Instead, a series of visually striking movies about 1930s pulp heroes emerged, or at least gave off a 1930s pulp vibe. In 1989, Hollywood avoided Spider-Man but was eager to produce “Dick Tracy.” Sam Raimi directed “Darkman,” and Disney released the excellent “The Rocketeer.” In 1994, Alex Proyas created the goth-influenced “The Crow,” while Russell Mulcahy produced a high-profile adaptation of “The Shadow.” Naturally, there were sequels to “Batman” in 1992 and 1995.
By 1996, the “pulp hero” trend had one last surge in the form ofSimon Wincer’s overlooked superhero film “The Phantom,”Based on Lee Falk’s 1936 comic strip. “The Phantom” featured Billy Zane in the lead role, and it’s much better than people think.
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The Phantom is actually quite good.
It’s evident that the creators of “The Phantom” aimed for a retro, sensational feel, as they brought in screenwriter Jeffrey Boam, known for “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” to craft the script. Despite being set in 1938, “The Phantom” had a distinctly 1990s, playful tone, with characters often delightfully embracing the adventurous scenarios they found themselves in. Billy Zane proved to be an effective lead actor, handling action and adventure sequences with ease while adding a humorous, sarcastic touch to the film. The Phantom, dressed in his eggplant-purple spandex suit, was not a serious, isolated figure. Picture Batman constantly in Bruce Wayne’s persona, and you’ll have a clear sense of the Phantom’s character.
Zane is responsible for roughly half of the film. The remaining portion is completely dominated by Treat Williams, who portrays the movie’s charming antagonist, Xander Drax. Williams doesn’t come across as a gruff villain but rather as a slick-haired gentleman, who smiles and laughs throughout the movie’s storyline with enjoyment.”The Phantom” could have used more of Treat WilliamsHis objective is to collect and combine three mystical skulls crafted from gold, silver, and jade, which, when brought together, are said to form a weapon capable of massive destruction. Working for Drax is a seasoned explorer portrayed by James Remar, along with a captivating biplane pilot played by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
The Phantom, on the other hand, tries to win over the pure-hearted city girl Diana (Kristy Swanson), teams up with his assistant Guran (Radmar Agana Jao), and speaks with the spirit of his deceased father (Patrick McGoohan). The late, legendary Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa portrays a pirate king that both Xander and the Phantom must interact with. The main storyline follows the Phantom traveling through the city under his secret identity, a wealthy playboy named Kit Walker.
Unfortunately, The Phantom performed poorly at the box office.
There is more mythology surrounding the Phantom, but it doesn’t really make the character feel very mythical. The Phantom is actually the most recent in a long line of Phantoms that has spanned several generations for over a hundred years. Normally, the Phantom resides in the jungles of Touganda (yes, a fictional nation), but he ventures to the big city for the film. The details are presented in a straightforward manner, which keeps the movie feeling light-hearted. The filmmakers understand that we aren’t here for heavy magic, but rather for exciting and humorous entertainment, and “The Phantom” delivers on that. It only struggles with its budget. Although it was made for roughly the same amount of money as “Batman” seven years prior, it looks significantly cheaper, with some special effects sequences appearing as if they were just blue-screen experiments. The final weapon is little more than an animated green laser beam.
Audiences avoided “The Phantom.” It earned just $23.5 million at the box office, following in the footsteps of “The Rocketeer” and “The Shadow,” which also struggled financially. Hollywood was mistaken in thinking that viewers were interested in 1930s pulp heroes being brought to the big screen; the appeal of “Batman” wasn’t due to its pulp elements. Critics were also unkind, offering mostly negative reviews of “The Phantom”; it only received a 44% approval rating onRotten Tomatoes (based on 46 reviews). Roger Ebert enjoyed the movie, however, awarded it three and a half stars. (“Exceptionally enjoyable, energetic, and inspiring,” he noted.) Ebert appreciated the authenticity of the main character, highlighting that he was an average person, not someone with extraordinary abilities.
It’s a lively, enjoyable film that’s definitely worth seeing. Itavailable to stream on Hoopla at no cost.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.