The Phantom

I grew-up reading Lee Falk’s Phantom paperbacks but the acting is beyond atrocious and the story anemic. Yes, the Doc Savage movie is worse but then again, that movie is worse than any movie ever made. Even the old Sinbad movies are better than this one. Do NOT waste your money or time!

This is an old style serial/pulp fiction/comic book movie. The music, characters, action and setting are pitch perfect. This story has pirates, ancient warrior tribes, gangsters, treasure hunters, horses, wolves, guns, swords, car chases, airplanes and not one, but two beautiful women ~ everything you could wish for in a pulp serial adventure. The art deco 1930's set design and costumes are truly a feast for the eyes. Wish there were more movies like these!

It's a bit like watching Indiana Jones in a skin tight purple suit with lots of help from friendly natives, local police, a New York cab driver, his former girlfriend, and his animal companions. The storyline was a bit cheesy at times, but it's a traditional hero film. There was plenty of action between gun fights, fist fights, a car chase, horse back riding, and jumping out of a plane right before it crashed. The animals were gorgeous and had good roles to play (apparently Hero and Devil understand each other and their master quite well. And the Phantom can befriend a tiger in seconds). Catherine Zeta Jones had an interesting role as a flirt, a ruthless villainess, and a friend. The scenery is gorgeous with rolling green meadows, jungles, caves, and a canyon. The music is hauntingly beautiful in the sweet moments of the film and epic when it needs to be. I love watching the end credits just to listen to the piano solos and the symphony.

I loved this movie. I grew up reading this comic series and was excited when they finally made a movie from it. I read some of the negative reviews and I laugh at the lack of knowledge that people have in the history of this character & movie. This movie was basd on a comic book from the 1930s created by the late Lee Falk. This was a big hit and was published worldwide (including India, where I was introduced to the character). Someone said that this was a "failed takeoff" of "Indiana Jones". Actually it was the other way around. The "Indiana Jones" character was borrowed from different characters (like Allan Quartermain, the Phantom and from the classic movie serials kids used to watch in the 1950s - and I think a few others; according to Speilberg & Lucas). The movie style may be like the "Indiana Jones" movies, but noit the concept. I also checked on who wrote the screenplay, and it was the same person who wrote "Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade" (so some of the style of "Indiana Jones" does show through in this movie). Also, Billy Zane stated in an interview that he was a big fan of the series (he read the comic book in Australia when he filmed "Dead Calm"), so when he heard that the movie was going to be made, he petitioned hard to get this role. He said he lost weight, exercised to bulk up a bit to prepare him to play this role and wear the fabric costume instead of a s&m style rubber costume with fake muscles. A movie becomes more enjoyable when an actor or actress enjoys the role they play and it shows on the screen. BTW: before Lee Falk died, I remember reading somewhere that he was happy with the way the movie was made. I read on wikipedia (don't know how true this is) that this movie did well at the box office and a sequel was in the works, but the project had stalled.

This movie is terrible. It is a failed takeoff of Indiana Jones. Don't buy this movie.

This a great action adventure pulp fick! I wish more movies were like this!

This was a fun movie, certainly, and started out with great gusto, but the whole affair clearly began to run out of money and/or ideas once they got to the Pirate's Island and the Brotherhood were all there, in 300 year old costumes and reducing the whole thing to a weak sauce Pirates of the Caribbean knock off (the attraction, not the movies). Billy Zane was pitch perfect, mind (but what was Patrick McGoohan doing, going all ObiWan?). Very disappointing.

It's a cartoon made into a movie, not Shindler's List. It is a tongue-in-cheek action adventure set in beautiful locations with a nice film score. It was written by the same person who brought us 'Briscoe County Jr.' Good escapism after a long day.

I'm a Phantom and I found this movie to be a good solid action comic book movie. Sure it's not your crazy Batman/Superman high octane action movie. But the score is spot on for this and the way that it's captured, helps the stay true to it's roots.

one of the single best comic book adaptations ever! true to the source material!