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The Phantom

Play trailer Poster for The Phantom PG Released Jun 7, 1996 1h 40m Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
44% Tomatometer 48 Reviews 31% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
A purple-costumed superhero (Billy Zane) tries to thwart a master criminal's (Treat Williams) acquisition of mystical skulls with legendary powers.
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The Phantom

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Critics Consensus

The script gives Billy Zane little to work with, and thus he plays the Phantom as a friendly but completely one-dimensional hero.

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Critics Reviews

View All (48) Critics Reviews
Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly As the Phantom, Billy Zane, buff to the max, has a likable insouciance, but there's not much he can do to flesh out this relic. Rated: C Jul 7, 2010 Full Review Godfrey Cheshire Variety While it hardly stands to vanquish the celluloid incarnations of Superman and Batman, this version of an older cartoon crusader's exploits does have a pleasingly astute sense of its place in the great scheme of things pulp. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Trevor Johnston Time Out This belated, albeit decorative adaptation looks tamely second-hand. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Alan Jones Radio Times A glamorous cocktail of lost kingdoms, supernatural excitement and flashy special effects, Wincer's gently self-mocking tone makes this pulp-fiction treasure a slice of exotic escapism. Rated: 3/5 Feb 2, 2024 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …a plush film, even if the tone, central performance and script all badly need revisions… Rated: 3/5 Jul 3, 2022 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins No one seems to be taking any of it seriously, especially as the dialogue reflects dumbed-down conversations and repetition for viewers who may not be paying attention. Rated: 2/10 Sep 24, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
Toni A The Phantom: A Nostalgic Reflection -- Growing up, The Phantom was more than just a cartoon hero; he was a symbol of adventure and mystery that captivated my young imagination. The character’s unique blend of bravery and intrigue made him a standout figure in the world of animated heroes. It’s a shame that Hollywood never revisited this iconic character in subsequent films. The potential for a modern adaptation, with today’s advanced cinematic technology, could have brought The Phantom’s thrilling escapades to life in a way that would resonate with both nostalgic fans and new audiences alike. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/29/24 Full Review Dallas C Loved the movie as a child. Watching now with my kids, still enjoy it. Someone should remake it. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Jim222001 W An under-rated little superhero film. For people who enjoyed films like the Shadow. The under-rated Billy Zane does a fine job and even pulls off that all purple outfit. You also have the late Treat Williams having fun hamming it up as the villain. The Phantom isn't the best movie you'll see. I did always find it to be fun though. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/28/24 Full Review Lance U Idc what anyone says about it, I absolutely love ‘The Phantom'! It's a fantastic adventure/superhero movie, released at a time (1996) before there were more than a handful of superhero movies, and a only a couple of these were worth a damn. Simon Wincer's direction is solid, the script written by Jeffery Boam (who also wrote the screenplay for ‘Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade', among many others!) is sound, the action sequences are rousing, the scenery is beautiful (in both the jungle & 1930's New York City)! Billy Zane is perfectly cast as our protagonist Kit Walker/The Phantom, and Kristy Swanson & Catherine Zeta-Jones (her 1st film appearance!) make vivid impressions, as well! Highly recommended! B+ Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/07/23 Full Review Maxiquick F I watch the phantom 1996 since 5 years ago, and it was alright, And i like the other parts besides the truck chase by quills and kidnaps the boy. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Over 25 years and it’s not all terrible tbh I remember my dad got the vhs I didn't know it was based on a 1930s comic strip for the longest time Yes it got mixed reception from critics; In my opinion it’s an above average comic book film A young boy named Kit watched his father die at a young age by pirates of The Sengh Brotherhood, he jumped ship and was washed ashore on the island of Bengalla The natives took him in and raised him to be a warrior called The Phantom embued with a powerful skull ring seemingly 400 years later Years later during the 1930s a team of thugs are hunting down the magic skulls of Touganda to track down a great power All of it is financed by Xander Drax residing in New York City to gain that power and use it for their own ends A young woman Diana Palmer is also onto the mystery of the skulls and her childhood friend Kit is also undercover in New York City but she gets kidnapped by Xander’s goons and now as the Phantom he has to save her and stop Drax I love all the actors; Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson (I didn't recognize her), Catherine Zeta-Jones, James Remar, and Treat Williams even if he is a goofy cartoon come to life Zane does come off as one-dimensional though with a less than stellar script The costume is very silly even if it's comics accurate It's got that swashbuckler feel to it still matching the time period of the serials and old school stunts Disappointed at the box office but gained much popularity on home video Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/10/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

The Phantom

The Phantom: Official Clip - The Fourth Skull The Phantom: Official Clip - The Fourth Skull 2:11 The Phantom: Official Clip - Take Off Your Mask The Phantom: Official Clip - Take Off Your Mask 2:13 The Phantom: Official Clip - The Brotherhood The Phantom: Official Clip - The Brotherhood 2:11 The Phantom: Official Clip - Opportunity In Chaos The Phantom: Official Clip - Opportunity In Chaos 2:12 The Phantom: Official Clip - Show Me The Power The Phantom: Official Clip - Show Me The Power 2:00 The Phantom: Official Clip - Find Them, Stop Them The Phantom: Official Clip - Find Them, Stop Them 1:45 The Phantom: Official Clip - The Microscope The Phantom: Official Clip - The Microscope 1:48 The Phantom: Official Clip - The Skull The Phantom: Official Clip - The Skull 2:03 The Phantom: Official Clip - Good Samaritan The Phantom: Official Clip - Good Samaritan 1:50 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis A purple-costumed superhero (Billy Zane) tries to thwart a master criminal's (Treat Williams) acquisition of mystical skulls with legendary powers.
Director
Simon Wincer
Producer
Robert Evans, Alan Ladd Jr.
Screenwriter
Jeffrey Boam
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, The Ladd Company
Rating
PG
Genre
Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 7, 1996, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$17.3M
Runtime
1h 40m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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