Wolff rating: NOT BAD
Plot summary: ``Ghost who walks'' tries to stop evil mobster from uniting the three skulls that would give him great power.
Biased, pithy comments: The Phantom comic strip wasn't fantastic---it seemed to be a loose rip-off of other more exciting pulp comics (which is funny, since it actually predates hits like Spiderman and Batman), but turning comics into movies is quite the vogue these days. Director Wincer has made a bang-up exciting string of chase scenes and action-packed thrills, but has made a fundamental mistake---we don't care about anyone or anything in this movie. The weirdness of a strange guy in a purple suit doesn't jive very well with the rest of the movie, which is oddly played with a lot of earnestness (outside of a few laugh-out-loud moments). I'm a huge Swanson fan and Zane is friendly and genial, but not really a superhero; there's never a moment when the hero realizes, like Indiana Jones does, that he's outclassed and is really going to have to scramble. Instead, the Phantom just bops along rescuing everyone and everything without losing an eyelash. I loved the way the movie looked---great direction, good cinematography. The blatant sequel setup at the end is unlikely to come about, sadly; I think there might have been room for another good 30s pulp superhero thriller alongside the more successful ``Batman'' and ``Superman'' franchises.
Other Notes: Henchman ``Quill'' is slated to be in ``Mortal Kombat 2'' as Rayden.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Billy Zane, Treat Williams, Kristy Swanson, Catherine Zeta Jones, James Remar.
Directed by: Simon Wincer