Phantom

EXCELLENT ADAPTION OF A TRUE ORIGINAL
It is rare when a movie is so close to the book or comic on which it is based. Even Phantom creator Lee Falk was proud of this baby. Both the portrayal of the characters and the storyline follow closely the 63 year-old newspaper strip on which it is based. Billy Zane IS The Phantom, a character as mysterious as Michael Keaton's Batman, but as much fun to be with as Christopher Reeve's Superman. Treat Williams gives an all out performance as villainous Xandor Drax. And Kristy Swanson is great as tough, smart Diana Palmer, the Phantom's girlfriend. This woman is no stereotypic sceamer like Lois Lane. She gets in her own punches with the bad guys and figures out who the masked hero is on her own. The story has it all--chase scenes, explosions, sword fights, and the search for a mysterious supernatural power. But like the Indiana Jones movies, it's the characters that make the movie. Plus, it's a movie the whole family can enjoy!

Entertainment the whole family can watch!
My wife and I saw this movie when it was in the theater. When we left, we regretted we had not taken our then 11-year-old child to see it also. Is it the greatest movie ever made? No, but it doesn't try to be and that's part of the appeal. Unlike the top-heavy Batman and Superman films, The Phantom is a fun, simple movie. It's got a lot of action, very little profanity, and a sex-and-violence level that would be hard-pressed to offend anyone. Billy Zane is terrific as the title character, tongue firmly in-cheek and looking like he's having a great time. Treat Williams chews scenery like a dog gnawing on a bone as the over-the-top villain. And yes, that is Catherine Zeta-Jones as the femme fatale. The action sequences and special effects aren't up to the level of Indiana Jones, but I doubt they were given the budget of an Indiana Jones film considering the source material--a comic book character no one under the age of 21 has ever heard of--but it doesn't really matter. It's a fun...

The Phantom is an enjoyable movie, and true to the comics.
The Phantom is an enjoyable movie and true to the comics. The film's setting being in the 1930s really captures that time period, from the costumes to the vehicles. Billy Zane was just excellent in the role of the title character (with real muscles not fake rubber muscle suits like the Batman movies). He brought this classic comic book character to life with great personality, from humour to the serious, making a great superhero. Kristy Swanson (the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") plays the Phantom's love interest, Diana Palmer. She was just great in this movie as well, reminding me how underrated this actress is. This movie also stars Catherine Zeta Jones (the sexy lady in 1998's "The Mask of Zorro" film). She didn't have much to do here unfortunately. Treat Williams is the bad guy in this film, who, for some odd reason, portrayed it campy. This movie has some great stunts and action scenes but fails to be an Indiana Jones movie wannabe (ironically...

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