(1993)3.5Jeremy WheelerWarner Bros.' first foray into animated features for their Batman franchise continued the television series' signature noir-ish aesthetics as well as the creator's attention to character-driven story lines, making Batman: Mask of the Phantasm a satisfying adventure yarn with all of the flourishes that fans had come to expect from the groundbreaking show. The scale of the tale is larger in both scope and emotional resonance as Bruce Wayne is tested by his memories of his first love and by his subsequent transformation into the crime-fighting superhero that all criminals fear. With solid voice talent backing up their three-dimensional roles and a real mystery intermixed with grand action scenes, the film makes for a nicely packaged Batman flick that, while geared toward the youngsters, still manages to keep a strong integrity for the character and his mythos. The film does have its dark underpinnings, though, as seen years after the character's later incarnations, but signature moments do tend to be played a tad lighter than usual (Bruce and Alfred's banter especially). Still, it's a solid story that's handled expertly by people who nailed the hero long before Joel Schumacher went and destroyed him.
