Film Review: The Mask of Phantasm

Gotham's criminals are being stalked by a dark cowled and masked figure. Silent in the night this menace preys upon them, first filling them with dread, then toying with them before eventually catching them and killing them.

No, this is not Batman gone rouge, this is the titular Masked figure who seeks revenge upon Gotham's underworld on a trajectory that leads straight to Gotham's most maniacal villain, The Joker.

The story's twists and turns are sign-posted pretty clearly and as such come as no surprise. However the story zips along at such a pace with revelations about character's that are interesting enough to keep a viewer engaged and forgiving. What needs to be forgiven, apart from the slightly obvious plot, is some laboured dialogue and an unfortunate restriction of the medium in that makes characters feel as life-like as, well, cartoons.

For Batman lore, adventure and action this is a great watch. Stylish, fast paced and a lot of fun.