Reviews of Movies You've Already Seen: Batman- Mask of the Phantasm

Last night the roommate and I decided to battle the mid-week malaise by firing up one of the two movies Netflix had so kindly placed in our mail slot. Might I say that one of the greatest pleasures Netflix offers is a game I like to play called:

The rules are as follows:

1. Log-in to your Netflix account

1a. Should you not currently possess a Netflix account, get one (I recommend the 3 DVD deal-io for the simple reason that that is what I use and when have you ever known me to steer you in the wrong…wait, no… better rethink that question.). Once you have procured a Netflix account, return to step 1 [above].

2. Add a whole bunch of movies into your queue. I suggest first rating films you’ve seen and adding almost anything the algorithm says you would enjoy.
3. Enter your queue and shuffle things around a bit. You wouldn’t want to receive three films of the same ilk, now would you? Trust me, even Twyker can get old after a time, not to mention the off-chance that the algorithm suggested you rent all American Pie movies back to back. If so, my condolences to your family.
4. Await the fun!

So, ANYWAYS, yesterday arrived Batman-Mask of the Phantasm and 3:10 To Yuma, both of which seemed to be aching for a view, but as the roommate and I were in dire need of fighting the aforementioned mid-week malaise we popped Batman- Mask of the Phantasm into ye olde DVD player(e); a good choice.

The film starts off promisingly enough with a choral version of the ubiquitous Batman: The Animated Series theme song. The world of Bruce Timm is deliciously foreboding as we sweep through the streets of Gotham just in time to see the Dark Knight kicking the ever-loving bajeesus out of some baddies. Off to a good start, yo.

Now, as most of us have probably not seen this film in about fifteen years, let me pause to remind of its premise. The tagline tells us that “The Dark Knight fights to save Gotham city from its deadliest enemy”; which I automatically assumed to be pollution. Poised and ready to witness the Batman turn Gotham green I dimmed the lights in our apartment so as to help the cause. APPARENTLY that’s not was this film is about, but whatever.

So basically, this “Ghost of Christmas Future” dude (aka The Phantasm, even though we never hear the character referred to as such) starts showing up all mask and long flowing cape complete with magical-voodoo-make-you-disappear fog and killing the various mob bosses in Gotham (seemingly a recent development as the only mob bosses setup so far in the Animated Universe were Arnold Stromwell and Rupert Thorne…maaaaybe Tony “Boss” Zucco if you absolutely must split hairs) who have apparently wronged said Phantasm in some way. The catch is- donning a mask and cape, witnesses of the crimes mistake the Phantasm for Batman and thus a smear campaign begins (again) against Gotham's Greatest Defender.

Enter random love interest for Bruce Wayne in the guise Andrea Beaumont- girlfriend/fiancé from Bruce Wayne’s youth…wait, what? FIANCÉ? Our Bruce Wayne?! Clearly, I did not remember this portion of the film when I was ten years old. But anyways, she shows up and starts messing with Mr. Wayne’s mentality, calling into question the very reasons he pursues his midnights quests.

So things proceed along undulating nicely between love interest, chase scenes, a fight with the Phantasm and the Batman getting shot at in a construction site (a scene I definitely remember being concerned about as a child and now find myself going, “Holy hell, Spiderman III totally ripped off of Batman:MotP. Wtf.”) during which we are treating to varying flashbacks recounting how a young and dashing Bruce Wayne met said Andrea Beaumont, their courtship, Alfred’s approval and the following dénouement of the relationship involving a giant ol’ rock, Daddy Beaumont’s mob ties and an unscarred Joker…wait…Joker?! Oh hells yeah, this just got good. Good and confusing as we now try to figure out exactly who Gotham’s deadliest enemy is. Pollution? A corrupt infrastructure? This Phantasm cat? Or The Joker?

Not wanting to spoil any film noir surprises you may have in store for you (whatever you do, don't look to the left. DON'T DO IT! I told you not to.), I will simply fast forward to a part of the film I was strangely/happily intrigued by. The Joker, being hidden away so nicely, has taken up residence at the abandoned Gotham World’s Fair (I’m guessing the site is about fifteen years old based on that fact that Brucie met Andrea in college and they attended the World’s Fair in one amusing flashback) all on his lonesome. Seemingly for no better reason than Harley Quinn is tucked away in Arkham and all other villains have fled the Gotham city limits, the Joker has decided to pack the twenty miles of tunnels running underneath the fair grounds full of TNT. Now, I ask you, why would anyone do that? I mean, I know he’s the Joker and crazier than Naomi Campbell on an airplane, but c’mon…who packs twenty miles of tunnels with full-on eff-your-shit-up dynamite and then tells Batman that he has done so?! Definitely not your best work, Clown Prince of Crime (which was, I might add, your turning a Christmas Tree into a rocket and busting out of the loony-bin. CLASSIC!).

But I digress, Batman: MotP most definitely stood the test of time as a well-written, awesomely animated Bruce Timm production. If you are a Batman fan and have not yet seen this, shame on you; but if you have seen it then congratulations, let’s go buy some beer and watch cartoons together.

P.S. Eff you, Starman.