At its best, "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" is a fun, freewheeling trip down Memory Lane, rife with the three-dimensional characterizations, film noir-style design, and a refreshingly mature storyline. At its worst (in which case, it still isn't too bad), "Phantasm" serves as a reminder of how "Batman: The Animated Series" packed a better punch in 30-minute episodes that recalled the good old days of dimestore pulp. Even at an economical feature length of 77 minutes, the film's story is too basic to be so drawn-out. Still, the infusion of a new villain (the mysterious title character), a fleshing out of Batman's history, and a generous helping of Mark Hammill's Joker makes "Phantasm" a safe bet for fans of the show.
Review of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
