A '90s Superhero Blockbuster Flop Is Better Than Most Marvel Movies

By Drew Dietsch | Published 3 seconds ago

The Phantom I have been doing a lot for you. It was a great product, had a strong marketing push, and was positioned as the perfect summer superhero movie. Unfortunately, none of those helped it tank at #6 on its opening weekend.

Why? The Phantom failed to capture the audience? And nearly twenty-five years later, is it time to revisit this swashbuckling adventure?

Let's beat some crap as we look back The Phantomis a much more entertaining film than its reputation would lead you to believe.

WHY THE PHANTOM IS BETTER

Before we go in The Phantomwe need to cover this unique piece of comic book history. Originally appearing in a 1936 newspaper strip by Lee Falk, the Phantom was a superhero from the golden age of superheroes. Predating Batman by three years, the Phantom had a loyal servant, a secret cave as a hideout, and used the villain's cowardice and superstition against him by beating himself up as a real ghost. Yes, the Phantom was a clear inspiration for Batman.

So, it seems obvious that Tim Burton's greatest achievement Batman in 1989 would rekindle interest in its predecessor. It was finally realized in 1996, The Phantom he was one of the pulpy action heroes who got feature films after that Batman.

What does The Phantom a happy experience is how honest it is to adapt. Set in 1938, director Simon Wincer and screenwriter Jeffrey Boam treated the film as if it would be produced in 1938. Raiders of the Lost ArkThere is not an iota of humor or self-deprecation in the bones of this movie. From the precise design of the Phantom's costume to the correct performance of the period, it seeks to be the truest adaptation of the character and his world that it can be.

That means the actors play things in a warm but admittedly old-fashioned way. That's easy to read as cheesy but essential to the film's performance. Every player is in a classic comic book movie. This keeps the tone light, fun, and breezy. Of course, this is not a movie with heavy thematic resonance or overly complex characters. And that's fine. Its goals are simple and it meets them every time.

Don't take this to mean that there are no good concerts The Phantom. The cast is full of notable stars and great actors. Billy Zane plays the Phantom aka Kit Walker like Clark Gable or Errol Flynn. There is a perfect supporting turn from Catherine Zeta-Jones and James Remar as the two minor villains. Kristy Swanson plays the no-nonsense romantic lead, Diana Palmer, with old-school assurance. The always amazing Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa shows up late in the film as a badass villain and it's hilarious. It's also fun to see veteran actor Patrick McGoohan appear as the ghost of Kit's father, the former Phantom.

If there's one character who threatens to steal the show, it's Pata Williams as the antagonist, Xander Drax. Williams enjoys every moment he gets to be a space-chewing bad guy. You can see his teeth marks on the set. He's the kind of consistent, lovable bad guy we don't see enough of in these types of movies.

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Perhaps the most commendable feature The Phantom its production design and environmental impact. As I said, this comes across as a 1938 film made in 1996. The sets, scenes, costumes, and cinematography all emphasize that this is a movie that knows it's a movie. The truth is not what you are aiming for. With that in mind, the film is allowed to look at the stage and not try to go overboard with modern effects. Instead, it can be as pulpy and cartoony as it wants in every way.

That could be one of the reasons why it was disappointing.

WHY IS THIS PULP COURSE NOT DOWN?

One of the most important takeaways from this ongoing column is that a movie's failure is rarely the fault of the perceived quality of the movie. There are always many factors that cause a film to fail in the beginning.

With The Phantomit may have coincided with a change in what audiences enjoyed about action cinema. Michael Bay's place A rock it opened the same weekend and claimed the #1 spot. Objective: Impossible again The Twister were at #2 and #3 and are in their third and fifth weeks of release, respectively. Audiences could see that action films were becoming even bigger spectacles due to advances in special effects. The Phantom he just looked so old compared to everything else in the theater.

There is also the issue that these pulp adventures have never clicked with modern audiences. Rocketeer, Shadow, again Dick Tracy (all with their merits) were far from successful. Moviegoers seemed to be disinterested in these characters and their time (or the era's motivation) was taking over.

An aspect of that problem is recognition. The Phantom didn't have the same level of cultural saturation or widespread nostalgia as a character like Batman. Truth be told, the feature film was the first knowledge I ever had of the character. It is possible that most of these heroic characters need to be familiar with the audience in order to be seen.

That's incredible The Phantom he didn't hit much at the box office. Prominent film critic Roger Ebert awarded it three and a half stars in his review and called it “one of the best looking movies in a long time.” If you're looking for a movie that captures the basic spirit of a comic book adventure, The Phantom it belongs to you. Masterfully crafted in its simplicity, it's not a movie that deserves attention or underappreciation.