Special thanks to channel members David Huber, SWIFTO_SCYTHE, and Meth0Moth! Don't forget that channel members get early access to my weekly video essay, some members only videos, an icon in their profiles, custom emojis, and priority responses to their comments.
Alfred perfectly sumed up Andrea as he was patching Bruce up in the final scene - she had fallen into the abyss of vengeance years ago and no one, not even Bruce, could have pulled her back from it. God the writing on Phantasm was deep!
seems to be about 14 seconds, but it's slightly more complicated than that. You can't post 14 seconds, skip a few seconds, then post another 14 seconds from the same sequence. There needs to be a significant gap between each clip.
I'm sorry but the fact that Andrea "Goodbye my love"s Bruce like 4 times is hilarious to me Like do you think Bruce sees smoke and goes "Ah shit here we go again" while Andrea is acting like it's some kind of emotional goodbye
The biggest tragedy of Mask of the Phantasm for me; I was the only person in the theater other than my parents. Side Note: I can’t help but think Andrea is the reason we got Dana Delany as Louis Lane.
"I may not relate to Andrea Beaumont, but i understand her" - perfect conclusion. This is my all-time favorite Batman movie. I enjoy it on multiple levels, including how it delves into a romantic relationship in a way that none of the other Batman movies (animated or live-action) has. The Andrea Beaumont/Phantasm character is fantastic, and I really enjoyed this deep dive.
I love this movie! My favorite scene is where Bruce apologizes to his parents for being happy. He felt guilty for it and it always breaks my heart to hear him. I love Andrea and Bruce's chemistry and it's so sad how they can't really be together.
I've always preferred the idea Bruce knows who Joe Chill is but has chosen to move on from him, more from personal bias, my parents were never murdered in front of me but I've had a Joe Chill like figure in my life, someone who through violence effected my development in a negative light, who I wanted revenge against, and growing up as a kid the idea that Batman wouldn't seek vengeance but instead justice and self-healing always helped me.
Really sucks that people at present just like Andrea think Batman's crusade is vengeance for himself and his parents deaths, instead of the critical difference that he does it so others don't have to suffer the same fate. Even I was slow to catch up on that detail when I first watched Phantasm, all this time I took it to be as a warning that Batman could stray into the same territory if he wasn't careful, when the fact of the matter was at least in this era Batman was indeed someone that had great empathy for others, even the criminals that genuinely tried to break their ways, it was only later on when he became jaded of criminal reforms that made conflicts between him and his protegees like Terry or Dick.
for the most part, it is the problem which people only know Batman through movie and the popular Arkham's game trilogy instead of the comic or animated series, so you always get those "Batman should just kill his villains!" or "Batman didn't do anything to help Gotham even though he has the money" While people growth up with Batman animated series just sad those movies and games don't bother try to explore the side of Batman who care.
Sometimes I think I'm genuinely the ONLY person who likes Rachel and feels she's a good character. But comparing her to Andrea? That's not even fair. It's like comparing an Oasis cover band to the Beatles.
The Jake Chill stuff does seem kinda meh. What makes Terry being Batman so good is that he IS able to avenge his father directly and still decides to continue as Batman. The same goes for when he takes out Powers. He’s come full circle, there’s no need to be Batman anymore be he does because he knows the world needs Batman. To then say “Oh actually someone ELSE killed your parents” does nothing to enhance his story.
17:28 Chill's grandson being the one to kill Terry's dad instead of Mr Fixx on Derek Powers's orders is as bad as the "Terry is actually Bruce's son" retcon.
I absolutely hate every time "the important people are actually all of the same bloodline" bs pops up in media, especially with heroes. The point of heroes is to inspire, but if every hero is related it implies that you shouldn't even try: you can't be your heroes because you aren't related to them. That's lame. Terry doesn't need Batman's DNA to be Batman. And no one needs a hero's DNA to be a good person with morals.
Andrea is (in my opinion) the most underrated character in the entire DCAU and, by extension, any animated media, I never watched batman when I was a kid, nor was it in to him, I was pretty in animals ( extinct or alive) but i started to see why batman (from batman the animated series) is such a great character/superhero
I got the double sided disc of mask and subzero from the gas station dvd bin as a little kid and it still works to this day. The greatest Batman film of all time
Not only the best Batman movie, but possibly the best Super hero movie of all time IMO. her story is understandable, and heartbreaking. It hits Bruce/Batman in so many ways. The ending is just exactly what it needed to be. And AB/BW is much better than the Bat/Cat nonsense later on. But i also think a reunion would've been a tough write as it was. So maybe we're better off with the worse option? Idk, that complexity is what her so good IMO.
I think it would have been more powerful if Bruce just never saw Andrea again after the phantasm movie. Her leaving her locket behind for him spoke volumes. They can remember what they had with each other, but they can never recapture it because they simply aren’t those people anymore. I also agree that Batman shouldn’t know who killed his parents, because once Chill is caught and sent to jail, then psychologically, Bruce’s mission is complete. He’s not like Nightwing or Terry who fight crime solely for the purpose of helping people. For Bruce, there’s no real happiness outside of the suit. Batman Beyond demonstrates this beautifully. When he quit being Batman at the beginning of the series, did he attempt to build something new for himself, like a family or even just a new relationship? No. Not at all. He simply became a recluse, locking himself away in his mansion. If Terry hadn’t entered his life when he did, Bruce probably would died all alone at some point, and no one would know for god only knows how long.
I suppose the good thing about the tie-in comics is that you can ignore them and it doesn't make much of a difference. I was just listening to an interview with Dan Riba and Kevin Altieri where they said that, in their minds, Andrea retired the Phantasm identity at the end of the movie and never returned to Gotham.
@@SerumLakePlease correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it currently advertised as "Batman Beyond" in the UK despite having been rebranded "Batman of the Future" outside North America at the turn of the century, including throughout Europe? Still love rewatching those DBZ/Batman of the Future Toonami promos from back in the day, though.
Mask of The Phantasm is not only my favorite Batman film, and not only my favorite superhero film, it's one of my favorite films of all time, animation and live-action. This film is still a prime example of how animation can be just as good, if not more so, than live-action when it comes to storytelling. A pure masterpiece of cinema.
I think the only thing that could’ve improved it is a slightly longer run time. The film moves at a lightning pace, with no wasted moments. It would’ve been nice to have a little breathing room
Maybe a little breathing room would've been fine, but I still think the film's pacing is perfect. Sometimes, I forget it's only 73 minutes without credits and am still amazed with how much depth it has, even compared to most 90 minute or 2 hour films. Thanks for the reply.@@SerumLake
Regarding the Phantasm's official comic debut, while I didn't terribly enjoy it, I do think that the art managed to do justice to the character but I don't think that the same goes for Andrea outside of the suit. I appreciate a lot of Clay Mann's art but I think he really oversexualizes female characters and I didn't really care for the way he draws women's faces.
All due respect to the live action stuff which have had its share of ups and down but they do have their classics, the two Tim Burton movies and the Nolan trilogy come to mind but there is no Batman movie that has been able to top the epicness quite like Mask Of The Phantasm. 30 years later, I still say that it's the greatest DC movie ever made in any media
8:45 I think it's better when Bruce either doesn't know who killed his parents or when Joe Chill's just a common mugger because Bruce trying to stop as much crime as he can fits more than a selfish vengeful quest to find one particular criminal.
The funniest thing about spoiling this film is how the company already spoiled it by releasing a Phantasm action figure WITHOUT the mask. So you can clearly see who the person is!
I grew up watching this and Sub-Zero, that it felt like fever dreams when the Phantasm returned. I do love the design and moral Conflicts between the two. Man I hope we get the phantasm again
In the late 1930s, when Batman was created, the depression was yielding to the nascent war economy and the American Dream was becoming a reality once more, for the first time in half a generation. I suppose that at that time, street crime and violence were rampant because of the recent economic chaos. If you were a child and lucky enough to be from a family that could afford luxuries like comic books, I suppose it's only natural that you would be one of those who believed that the dominant system would _float all boats_ and that those who lashed out were beneath contempt. Thomas Wayne was a physician. Certainly a professional job, but that would likely only amass him a modest fortune - certainly by his late thirties or early forties, when he seems to have been killed. In order to have the kind of money Bruce seems to enjoy, Thomas would have to have inherited it - or else been an early investor in someone like Rockefeller. I say all this to try to explain and excuse Bruce his mission of vengeance against petty street crime. In the America of the early forties, I suppose it must have seemed like the greatest threat to the beneficiaries of the _land of plenty_ were those who wouldn't _play ball._ I'll also concede that random violence has been a long-standing problem in the United States, more than in most rich nations. But as the years go by, I am finding this explanation for the Batman more and more distasteful and implausible. A street criminal murdered a couple of millionaires and wasn't turned in - by a fairweather friend - for the paltry reward that was undoubtably offered? Very hard to believe. A man of Bruce's education and intelligence would be tortured by the notion that his society thrives on minting rage-filled individuals, and then selling them deadly weapons for profit. Which is why if the myth is to be recast for the current era, I believe the Waynes' murderers have to be a rival family, also trying to make the leap from haute bourgeoisie to America's ruling class. Perhaps their demented scion is in the know - or even responsible - a young Jack Napier, Harvey Dent, or Oswald Cobblepot. Perhaps, by the time of the Batman's advent, the murderous patriarch has already gone from rum runner, to Don Corleone, to Joseph Kennedy. Perhaps that's why in order to enact his vengeance, Batman has to operate outside the law and adopt the costume and techniques of the cat-burglar.
I have always thought that Batman's love life has always been one of if not the least interesting thing about him as a character but ever since I saw this movie as a kid I can say without question, give me Andrea Beaumont over the same annoying Bat Cat cliché (hated when they actually started referring to each other like that) and and a "forbidden" love with an assassin. Obviously there is more than those two but Talia and Catwoman are arguably the most prevalent.
After being treated to your essay about Mr. Freeze earlier this month -- which I love, by the way -- we're now rewarded with your own analysis of The Phantasm just as her movie is about to celebrate 30 years on Christmas Day. I loved all 20+ minutes of this new video and would like to thank you so much for referencing her future in the DCAU, including the underrated Batman Adventures tie-in comic that only lasted for 17 issues. I can't wait to see the special video you have in store this Christmas honoring the 30th anniversary of what is still to this day the BEST Batman movie ever made in my humble opinion. 🤩 Thank you again for all the great content you keep putting out.
9:25 this reminded me of the scene in young Justice where Batman is defending Shazam after they find they find out Shazam is a kid and the part where they bring up Robin is the best representation of Batman’s goal: Batman:”Robin need to bring the people who murdered his family to justice.” Wonder Woman:”So he could turn out like you!?” Batman:”So that he wouldn’t.”
Given the costume styling and penchant for theatrically frightening people before murdering them the phantasm kinda reminds me of ghostface of scream although theyre obviously distinctly seperated by 3 years or so
"So, if you don''t want the identity of the phantasm spoiled." Two things. 1. As an adult, that's kind of the most obvious plot twist ever. 2. Simply mentioning that you can spoil the identity of the phantasm makes it even easier to guess who the phantasm is, because it signals that the person set up to be the phantasm early in the film is a misdirection and there's really only one other character it could be. So, you kinda played yourself there. I love this movie though.
Her identity was also spoiled months before the movie came out in theatres, due to tie in toys releasing before the film did. It's the same reason the plot of Batman: Hush doesn't work, it's obvious who Hush is from the first few pages.
@@michaelandreipalon359 A lot of people really misunderstand the reveal of Citizen Kane, though. That reveal is immediately followed by them burning the sled. The whole point of the film is that what Rosebud actually was didn't matter, because it was only one thing in a long life. And honestly, I don't think the easy to guess plot twist of Phatasm really hurts the film that much, because the film wasn't' actually about the mystery of the phantasm. The film was a character study for Bruce Wayne, the same way Citizen Kane was a character study for Kane.
I think the movie implies that Bruce thinks if he didn't stop being Batman to Mary Andrea he could've saved her father and feels personally responsible, as if his parents are punished him for being happy
The moment I saw this I got excited. Still my favorite Batman film ever and I remember seeing her pop up in JLU when it was airing and lost my mind seeing her again in the future
Man. Combining all the Batman TAS and Beyond lore and tie in stuff gives us.... Bruce Wayne coincidentally meeting Terry who happens to have his blood because of his father being affected by a secret government project that his ex-girlfriend was technically part of... and then Terry loses his father *that same night* with the death being pinned on a gang inspired by the crimes of the man who killed his ex-girlfriend's father... Terry happens to figure out Bruce was Batman and then goes on to steal the mantle of Batman and then *meet the grandson of the man who killed Bruce Wayne's parents*.... who *actually* did the killing of Terry's father... only for Bruce Wayne's ex-girlfriend to show up again and stop Terry from getting the revenge by killing the man who killed his father.... who was also the grandson of the man who killed who is (technically) Terrry's grandfather and grandmother..... .... this is before we toss in the complications of adding Damian Wayne to the canon btw
Even the title of this movie is genius it refers to the fact that Batman is not the mask, Bruce Wayne is the real mask. Which mask is Andrea, well just look at the title
@@SerumLake🤔 From the emoji you employed, I guess you're referring to Tia Carrere's "I Never Even Told You" rather than Shirley Walker's "Batman's Destiny".
When I saw the name phantasm I thought oh sounds like a ghost but I was deeply wrong what it actually is Andrea seeking revenge ask a quote has said ‘’The best revenge is massive success." In Andrea’s eyes in batmans eyes his vengeance doesn’t exist he only thins about justice and protects his home Gotham meanwhile phantasm is out for vengeance against the people who wronged her father and killed him
No to be too pedantic, but as well as the Horror tactics she used, Andrea is shown having fighting skills by throwing Bruce when he tries Jui Jitsu on her But she does lose the fight against the Joker
This was a superb video! I appreciate the production background and story lore you've dug up. The Phantasm was definitely one of the most "human" villains of the Batman animated genre. Keep your high quality going.
*(checks spoiler warning)* Really now? That's like saying Gandalf the Grey never became White, Mami Tomoe didn't get chomped, the Moon landings are a true undeniable hoax... I admit, even without spoilers, the identity thing just feels obvious nowadays for some inexplicable reason. I believe both sides are on the right with this conceptual origins stuff in mind, but really, I doubt plagiarism is involved; it's just that the homages are kind of strong enough to be noticed as such (not unlike how the pacifistic, cheerfully blonde, and red-wearing gunslinger Chisato Nishikigi of Lycoris Recoil can be thought of as a rip-off of Vash the Stampede from Trigun to critics). 7:55: Every single time, I counter this with "But you are vengeance, you are the night". Can't help it, you know. [Edit at 10:01: Oh. You actually did tackle this, heeheehahaha.] Am still a fan of Batman iterations where they did reencounter the killer of their parents (knowingly or unknowingly, I don't care), chief of which being the one from The Brave and the Bold cartoon. 14:35: A plotline so good, I may want to replicate if I had my way on some other notable series of fiction. Am a huge sucker for covertly engineered hero origins that, no matter how immoral and inhumane (think kidnapping the special daughter of a main yet fundamentally broken plus magically depowered couple from one show, experimenting and weaponizing her by degrees, and then doing a "give Kal-El-to-the-Kents" by safely harboring her to a recently married and ultimately happy and kind magical, if undeniably sapphic, couple from another Multiversally connected show), end up almost flawlessly successful in the very long run. I'd rather think that Andrea shouldn't have come back to Bruce after MotB. However, the Annual 1 comic is still a fine coda, with the stuff from Batman Adventures Vol. 2 as a bit unnecessary (and even moreso since they're not resolved anyways), alongside that alt-universe Batman Beyond digi-comic. Addendum: Ah, a Toyman vid. Timely, I actually just finished up "Hereafter" on a slow but steady DCAU binge a few days back as of seeing this vid.
You may find this hard to believe, but I did have someone comment on one of my other videos to say that they wish I had left a spoiler warning because they'd managed to avoid Phantasm identity spoilers for 30 years (!!!!!!)
Tom King should never write a Batman comic or any superhero comic ever again. What do people see in that man!?? Ok, mini rant over now for my thoughts. Andrea is a fantastic antagonist. She is complex and tragic, with a great design for her darker alter ego. I knew her father was involved with gangster but it never occured to me that he would be corrupt. I feel rather silly for not realising sooner, and I have watched the film multiple times (I just finished watching it earlier). Dana gave a terrific performance as Andrea. She goes from innocent and sweet during the flashback to cold and ruthless in the present. Her rant near the end was great, with Dana conveying her pain and sorrow wonderully. It is little wonder why she was brought back to voice Lois in Superman TAS. Personally, I do not mind Bruce discovering the true identity of the man who killed his parents. I guess I want to see Bruce find closure and happiness because, frankly, he deserved it. Thanks for the great analysis Merry Christmas, Serum.
I love both The Reaper and the Phantasm!❤ If anything, I'd make The Reaper a long distant uncle to Andrea...to show her traits of the Skull are indeed traced to the shadowy path she would walk.
That's two BTAS villains Tom King has used now, and I hope he can continue this trend. The man put Batburger from the 60's show in the main universe, he can work some magic.
As much as I love this movie, the twist about the Phantasm's identity is pretty obvious. When it's a mystery and they introduce a new character, it's basically guaranteed that new character is the culprit.
One of Batman's most famous lines is "I am vengeance!". But, he always fought for something more than just that. To fight for a day when no boy should lose his parents in an alley due to someone's cruelty. He was even willing to abandon his mission because his time with Andrea brought him the chance to be happy again. The difference between Bruce and Andrea comes when they both faced great loss, Andrea sought vengeance and nothing else. At the end, all she has is the regrets of what she gave up for revenge while Batman, in spite of the pain in his soul, keeps fighting for those who are still here and need his help.
8:59 Oh. Oh now I have an idea in my head of Joe Chill taking this guilt and trying to do better, becoming a superhero too. Maybe even a Justice League. The angst... Edit: Probably should have waited until the end of the video to drop this particular thought! Oh well.
Sad thing is sometimes relationships just can't work despite all the work they put into it. (see Princess Carolyn and the relationships with Ralph vs Bojack) the thing about forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation is it's a conscious choice. Ya never really FEEL like forgiving someone, you choose to do so. In this case? bruce/batman might not see a reason to further ruin his old flame's life but finally deciding not to chase her beyond the criminal aspect is a form of forgiveness. He'd be completely in the right to say something like "I don't wish any pain or suffering on her but I don't want to persue a relationship with her. The pain I felt is real but I won't let that define how I treat her. I'm more than that."
i don't usually do this, but i'm actually going to take your advice and watch the movie before i have everything spoiled. been craving some new DC movies, and mask of the phantasm is new to me, so yeah, i'll gladly give it a watch first.
I actually like when Batman meets Joe chill for one reason, Batman is a guy who will try to convince people that the best way to get payback on the people who have wrong them is to bring them to Justice and despite the fact the Joker has done so much crap to Batman his friends and family he still doesn’t give his desire for revenge. Something that red hood has called out but he met the man who killed his parents. Something that has traumatized him for years and that scenario, would Batman stick to his morals or given to revenge the episode with the origin of Robin has Batman stated that he didn’t want Robin going after Tony was because he wasn’t sure if he would follow Justice or vengeance, which I think we can agree, would be interesting, and FYI about the tie in comic with Joe chill. I hate that just because Batman doesn’t recognize him let’s face it that night has been depicted as a common nightmare in multiple continuities so the idea that Batman would not recognize him in some form is wrong
Bruce Wayne could have paid Beaumont's debt. He also could have found them wherever in the world they were. Jack Napier should have offed Andrea instead of leaving behind a loose end. Andrea should have killed The Joker, regardless of his transformation into a costume lunatic. One of Batman's purposes for being is vengeance but only he gets to decided how vengeance is achieved? Mask of the Phantasm IS the greatest animated Batman movie BUT the characters make so many bad choices no wonder their lives suck!
May I just say that I never saw Batman's famous "I am the night" line as him being vengeance for the death of his parents, instead I look at it as him being vengeance for those who cannot protect themselves, Ie the downtrodden and innocent citizens of Gotham City who get robbed or worse, when he stops those crimes and saves the innocent and does what he can as Bruce Wayne to help Gothan City, THAT is what the vengeance part of that line means to me. I love this movie, it's such a shame that it was a bomb at the box office because this was easily some of the best writing for BTAS. Wonderful recap
I think there’s so much to say about him (and other key villains like Lex Luthor) that a single video wouldn’t do him justice. I’ve done one video about his best episode, but I need to pick a juicy topic for the next video.
I could definitely see a later comic writer bringing Revves back by stating that he survived the fall but fell into a coma and when he wakes up he decides to lure Phantasm and Bruce Wayne out again by becoming another Joker, leading to an adaptation of an obscure Two Jokers storyline which saw the villain return following A Death in the Family.
Half the times in these stories while well-written I’m surprised there isn’t a hero who is ever truly selfish. Like a good man who just goes “know what I’m done. Time to use my powers for what I want”. And they go full crazy & find the girl & call them an idiot to their face. Think the scene from Rezero in the anime where the protagonist breaks after dying so many times. And selfishly claims to deserve Satella for all he’s done.
This is a fantastic video but i wanna talk about a comment made here about Batman knowing who killed his parents. I think there’s a comic that tells a good story using that, which was oddly the 3 jokers. Like the idea of Bruce moving on from trying to get revenge for his parents death and being willing to forgive Joe Chill in his death bed is in my opinion the best story about Bruce knowing Joe Chill.
The film has so much going for it but Batman accomplishes nothing and the Joker continuing to appear in DCAU properties which just makes Andrea "winning" in the end confusing. "Did Jet just ...die?" "You know, it was really unclear"
It's such a fantastic movie. Honestly, this movie just highlights why BTAS and by extension, the TIMMVERSE was so amazing. Not just good guys beating up bad guys.
One of the best dynamics of TAS was the fact that while batman would catch the criminals, Bruce Wayne would work to rehabilitate them and make the city better through his money and influence. It was even to the point that when a villian does actually find out and reveal his identity to other villains, they refuse to believe him and even act insulted he would dare to try and accuse someone as nice as Bruce Wayne as being the one they hate because of how much he's tried to help them.
Special thanks to channel members David Huber, SWIFTO_SCYTHE, and Meth0Moth!
Don't forget that channel members get early access to my weekly video essay, some members only videos, an icon in their profiles, custom emojis, and priority responses to their comments.
A Mask of the Phantasm review and pervious Mr. Freeze episode. You get it.
what is this bot spewing nonsense.
Alfred perfectly sumed up Andrea as he was patching Bruce up in the final scene - she had fallen into the abyss of vengeance years ago and no one, not even Bruce, could have pulled her back from it. God the writing on Phantasm was deep!
Such a wonderful speech. I wanted to include it in the video, but it’s too long for TH-cam’s fair use policy!
@@SerumLake Never mind - this was still a really good essay :)
Hmm, what's the fair use timer limitation, good sir?
seems to be about 14 seconds, but it's slightly more complicated than that. You can't post 14 seconds, skip a few seconds, then post another 14 seconds from the same sequence. There needs to be a significant gap between each clip.
its also one of the few times Alfred simply refers to Bruce... as Bruce
I can't hear Andrea without hearing Lois
I'm sorry but the fact that Andrea "Goodbye my love"s Bruce like 4 times is hilarious to me
Like do you think Bruce sees smoke and goes "Ah shit here we go again" while Andrea is acting like it's some kind of emotional goodbye
The biggest tragedy of Mask of the Phantasm for me; I was the only person in the theater other than my parents.
Side Note: I can’t help but think Andrea is the reason we got Dana Delany as Louis Lane.
I wish I got the chance to see it in theaters...
You are correct. They enjoyed her performance/working with her.
I saw it in theaters as well, it was a bit fuller than your situation but not by much
Lucky that you decided not to go through an alleyway
"I may not relate to Andrea Beaumont, but i understand her" - perfect conclusion.
This is my all-time favorite Batman movie. I enjoy it on multiple levels, including how it delves into a romantic relationship in a way that none of the other Batman movies (animated or live-action) has. The Andrea Beaumont/Phantasm character is fantastic, and I really enjoyed this deep dive.
Glad to hear it, and thanks for joining the channel!
I love this movie! My favorite scene is where Bruce apologizes to his parents for being happy. He felt guilty for it and it always breaks my heart to hear him. I love Andrea and Bruce's chemistry and it's so sad how they can't really be together.
Agree, what a wonderful scene. I’ll talk a little more about that in Monday’s video!
I've always preferred the idea Bruce knows who Joe Chill is but has chosen to move on from him, more from personal bias, my parents were never murdered in front of me but I've had a Joe Chill like figure in my life, someone who through violence effected my development in a negative light, who I wanted revenge against, and growing up as a kid the idea that Batman wouldn't seek vengeance but instead justice and self-healing always helped me.
Really sucks that people at present just like Andrea think Batman's crusade is vengeance for himself and his parents deaths, instead of the critical difference that he does it so others don't have to suffer the same fate.
Even I was slow to catch up on that detail when I first watched Phantasm, all this time I took it to be as a warning that Batman could stray into the same territory if he wasn't careful, when the fact of the matter was at least in this era Batman was indeed someone that had great empathy for others, even the criminals that genuinely tried to break their ways, it was only later on when he became jaded of criminal reforms that made conflicts between him and his protegees like Terry or Dick.
for the most part, it is the problem which people only know Batman through movie and the popular Arkham's game trilogy instead of the comic or animated series, so you always get those "Batman should just kill his villains!" or "Batman didn't do anything to help Gotham even though he has the money"
While people growth up with Batman animated series just sad those movies and games don't bother try to explore the side of Batman who care.
I'm not sure how an unpopular opinion this is, but I think Andrea Beaumont is a better love interest than Rachel Dawes in the Dark Knight.
I agree!
Sometimes I think I'm genuinely the ONLY person who likes Rachel and feels she's a good character. But comparing her to Andrea? That's not even fair. It's like comparing an Oasis cover band to the Beatles.
@CapnAlces I hear people either love or hate her. I'm more on the latter, but if you like her that's fine.
Heh, why pick Oasis?
@@michaelandreipalon359 There's a long-standing joke that Oasis tried to knock off the Beatles. I don't really think it's fair, but that's the bit.
The Jake Chill stuff does seem kinda meh. What makes Terry being Batman so good is that he IS able to avenge his father directly and still decides to continue as Batman. The same goes for when he takes out Powers. He’s come full circle, there’s no need to be Batman anymore be he does because he knows the world needs Batman. To then say “Oh actually someone ELSE killed your parents” does nothing to enhance his story.
Agreed!
17:28 Chill's grandson being the one to kill Terry's dad instead of Mr Fixx on Derek Powers's orders is as bad as the "Terry is actually Bruce's son" retcon.
I absolutely hate every time "the important people are actually all of the same bloodline" bs pops up in media, especially with heroes. The point of heroes is to inspire, but if every hero is related it implies that you shouldn't even try: you can't be your heroes because you aren't related to them. That's lame. Terry doesn't need Batman's DNA to be Batman. And no one needs a hero's DNA to be a good person with morals.
I’m glad this movie was released theatrically, so even when asked what my favorite movie Batman and Joker are, I can answer with Kevin and Mark
I’m the same way. The amount of dumbfounded expressions I get from people when they ask who I think the best cinematic Batman is… Shameful!
Andrea is (in my opinion) the most underrated character in the entire DCAU and, by extension, any animated media, I never watched batman when I was a kid, nor was it in to him, I was pretty in animals ( extinct or alive) but i started to see why batman (from batman the animated series) is such a great character/superhero
It’s such a shame that Batman Adventures got cancelled before they could finish off Andrea’s story…
Yeah real shame
@@SerumLakeTrue.
Andrea is my favorite too
@@SerumLakeAt least we got a follow up with her character in the JLU episode Epilogue and the Batman Beyond comics.
I got the double sided disc of mask and subzero from the gas station dvd bin as a little kid and it still works to this day. The greatest Batman film of all time
You won’t hear any arguments from me
Must be some well made disk to last that long.
As a kid I always wondered how the Phantasm pulled off the magic smoke disappearing act. She even did it with the Joker at the end.
Joker: Chaos
Two Face: Duellity
Riddler: Genius
Penguin: Class
Catwoman: Grey Morality
Poison Ivy: Obsession
Mr. Freeze: Vengeance
Scarecrow: Fear
Ras Al Ghul: Justice
Phantasm: Tragedy
Clayface: Vanity
Baby Doll : Lost Childhood
Killer Croc : Monstruosity
Not only the best Batman movie, but possibly the best Super hero movie of all time IMO. her story is understandable, and heartbreaking. It hits Bruce/Batman in so many ways. The ending is just exactly what it needed to be. And AB/BW is much better than the Bat/Cat nonsense later on. But i also think a reunion would've been a tough write as it was. So maybe we're better off with the worse option? Idk, that complexity is what her so good IMO.
I can get behind this being the best superhero film.
@@SerumLakeI can get behind this being the best Batman movie of all time.
I think it would have been more powerful if Bruce just never saw Andrea again after the phantasm movie. Her leaving her locket behind for him spoke volumes. They can remember what they had with each other, but they can never recapture it because they simply aren’t those people anymore.
I also agree that Batman shouldn’t know who killed his parents, because once Chill is caught and sent to jail, then psychologically, Bruce’s mission is complete.
He’s not like Nightwing or Terry who fight crime solely for the purpose of helping people. For Bruce, there’s no real happiness outside of the suit. Batman Beyond demonstrates this beautifully. When he quit being Batman at the beginning of the series, did he attempt to build something new for himself, like a family or even just a new relationship? No. Not at all. He simply became a recluse, locking himself away in his mansion.
If Terry hadn’t entered his life when he did, Bruce probably would died all alone at some point, and no one would know for god only knows how long.
I suppose the good thing about the tie-in comics is that you can ignore them and it doesn't make much of a difference. I was just listening to an interview with Dan Riba and Kevin Altieri where they said that, in their minds, Andrea retired the Phantasm identity at the end of the movie and never returned to Gotham.
Still love the fact that Kenner action figure spoiled the identity of the Phantasm before the movie released😂
That made me figuratively foam at the mouth, back in the day (Almost as much as Batman Beyond being renamed Batman of the Future in Europe…)
@@SerumLakePlease correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it currently advertised as "Batman Beyond" in the UK despite having been rebranded "Batman of the Future" outside North America at the turn of the century, including throughout Europe? Still love rewatching those DBZ/Batman of the Future Toonami promos from back in the day, though.
@@VALonTH-cam you’re right, they’ve corrected that travesty
I don't know, "Batman of the Future" still sounds schway as heck, and is loads better than "Beasties" for Beast Wars: Transformers in Canada.
@@SerumLake Thank you. 🙂 Happy Holidays.
Mask of The Phantasm is not only my favorite Batman film, and not only my favorite superhero film, it's one of my favorite films of all time, animation and live-action.
This film is still a prime example of how animation can be just as good, if not more so, than live-action when it comes to storytelling.
A pure masterpiece of cinema.
I think the only thing that could’ve improved it is a slightly longer run time. The film moves at a lightning pace, with no wasted moments. It would’ve been nice to have a little breathing room
Maybe a little breathing room would've been fine, but I still think the film's pacing is perfect. Sometimes, I forget it's only 73 minutes without credits and am still amazed with how much depth it has, even compared to most 90 minute or 2 hour films. Thanks for the reply.@@SerumLake
Regarding the Phantasm's official comic debut, while I didn't terribly enjoy it, I do think that the art managed to do justice to the character but I don't think that the same goes for Andrea outside of the suit. I appreciate a lot of Clay Mann's art but I think he really oversexualizes female characters and I didn't really care for the way he draws women's faces.
As an aside, I have yet to see evidence that proves that Clay Mann isn’t just a pseudonym for Clayface.
All due respect to the live action stuff which have had its share of ups and down but they do have their classics, the two Tim Burton movies and the Nolan trilogy come to mind but there is no Batman movie that has been able to top the epicness quite like Mask Of The Phantasm. 30 years later, I still say that it's the greatest DC movie ever made in any media
Right, they all have their place, but Mask of the Phantasm’s place is atop the pile!
@@SerumLake you know it! 💯
There is the Under the Red Hood film, for one.
Under The Red Hood is definitely up there and it's in my top 3
8:45 I think it's better when Bruce either doesn't know who killed his parents or when Joe Chill's just a common mugger because Bruce trying to stop as much crime as he can fits more than a selfish vengeful quest to find one particular criminal.
The funniest thing about spoiling this film is how the company already spoiled it by releasing a Phantasm action figure WITHOUT the mask. So you can clearly see who the person is!
I grew up watching this and Sub-Zero, that it felt like fever dreams when the Phantasm returned. I do love the design and moral Conflicts between the two.
Man I hope we get the phantasm again
If only DC would let Ty Templeton and Dan Slott finish off their Batman Adventures storyline with Phantasm and The Red Hood. Sigh.
Too bad Andrea didn’t show up in Batman: Noel, would have been spectacular to see Lee Bermejo draw her.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Mr. Lake!
In the late 1930s, when Batman was created, the depression was yielding to the nascent war economy and the American Dream was becoming a reality once more, for the first time in half a generation. I suppose that at that time, street crime and violence were rampant because of the recent economic chaos. If you were a child and lucky enough to be from a family that could afford luxuries like comic books, I suppose it's only natural that you would be one of those who believed that the dominant system would _float all boats_ and that those who lashed out were beneath contempt.
Thomas Wayne was a physician. Certainly a professional job, but that would likely only amass him a modest fortune - certainly by his late thirties or early forties, when he seems to have been killed. In order to have the kind of money Bruce seems to enjoy, Thomas would have to have inherited it - or else been an early investor in someone like Rockefeller.
I say all this to try to explain and excuse Bruce his mission of vengeance against petty street crime. In the America of the early forties, I suppose it must have seemed like the greatest threat to the beneficiaries of the _land of plenty_ were those who wouldn't _play ball._ I'll also concede that random violence has been a long-standing problem in the United States, more than in most rich nations.
But as the years go by, I am finding this explanation for the Batman more and more distasteful and implausible. A street criminal murdered a couple of millionaires and wasn't turned in - by a fairweather friend - for the paltry reward that was undoubtably offered? Very hard to believe. A man of Bruce's education and intelligence would be tortured by the notion that his society thrives on minting rage-filled individuals, and then selling them deadly weapons for profit.
Which is why if the myth is to be recast for the current era, I believe the Waynes' murderers have to be a rival family, also trying to make the leap from haute bourgeoisie to America's ruling class. Perhaps their demented scion is in the know - or even responsible - a young Jack Napier, Harvey Dent, or Oswald Cobblepot. Perhaps, by the time of the Batman's advent, the murderous patriarch has already gone from rum runner, to Don Corleone, to Joseph Kennedy. Perhaps that's why in order to enact his vengeance, Batman has to operate outside the law and adopt the costume and techniques of the cat-burglar.
I have always thought that Batman's love life has always been one of if not the least interesting thing about him as a character but ever since I saw this movie as a kid I can say without question, give me Andrea Beaumont over the same annoying Bat Cat cliché (hated when they actually started referring to each other like that) and and a "forbidden" love with an assassin. Obviously there is more than those two but Talia and Catwoman are arguably the most prevalent.
After being treated to your essay about Mr. Freeze earlier this month -- which I love, by the way -- we're now rewarded with your own analysis of The Phantasm just as her movie is about to celebrate 30 years on Christmas Day. I loved all 20+ minutes of this new video and would like to thank you so much for referencing her future in the DCAU, including the underrated Batman Adventures tie-in comic that only lasted for 17 issues. I can't wait to see the special video you have in store this Christmas honoring the 30th anniversary of what is still to this day the BEST Batman movie ever made in my humble opinion. 🤩 Thank you again for all the great content you keep putting out.
The greatest flaw of this film was it's release date being Christmas.
At least it gives us an excuse to rewatch it over Christmas
I'd be happy to let this join the list of technically-a-Christmas-movie classics.
Gremlins, Die Hard... Batman: Mask of the Phantasm!
Don't forget The Nightmare Before Christmas, boyos!
13:23 I've never liked that excuse because Joker had become even worse than when he was Valestra's hitman and killed Carl.
Yeah its just in-story rationalization for joker immunity.
9:25 this reminded me of the scene in young Justice where Batman is defending Shazam after they find they find out Shazam is a kid and the part where they bring up Robin is the best representation of Batman’s goal:
Batman:”Robin need to bring the people who murdered his family to justice.”
Wonder Woman:”So he could turn out like you!?”
Batman:”So that he wouldn’t.”
I actually made up my own story about what would happen if Batman ever actually discovered the identity of the man who murdered his parents.
Given the costume styling and penchant for theatrically frightening people before murdering them the phantasm kinda reminds me of ghostface of scream although theyre obviously distinctly seperated by 3 years or so
"So, if you don''t want the identity of the phantasm spoiled."
Two things.
1. As an adult, that's kind of the most obvious plot twist ever.
2. Simply mentioning that you can spoil the identity of the phantasm makes it even easier to guess who the phantasm is, because it signals that the person set up to be the phantasm early in the film is a misdirection and there's really only one other character it could be.
So, you kinda played yourself there.
I love this movie though.
Her identity was also spoiled months before the movie came out in theatres, due to tie in toys releasing before the film did.
It's the same reason the plot of Batman: Hush doesn't work, it's obvious who Hush is from the first few pages.
"It Was His Sled", said Citizen Kane.
@@michaelandreipalon359 A lot of people really misunderstand the reveal of Citizen Kane, though. That reveal is immediately followed by them burning the sled. The whole point of the film is that what Rosebud actually was didn't matter, because it was only one thing in a long life.
And honestly, I don't think the easy to guess plot twist of Phatasm really hurts the film that much, because the film wasn't' actually about the mystery of the phantasm. The film was a character study for Bruce Wayne, the same way Citizen Kane was a character study for Kane.
Thank you for all your hard work.
No, no, thank you for your support! I wouldn't keep doing it if nobody watched
Ahhhh yeaaaa peak childhood for me. Thank you for this.
You're welcome, hope you enjoy it!
I think the movie implies that Bruce thinks if he didn't stop being Batman to Mary Andrea he could've saved her father and feels personally responsible, as if his parents are punished him for being happy
The moment I saw this I got excited. Still my favorite Batman film ever and I remember seeing her pop up in JLU when it was airing and lost my mind seeing her again in the future
I was speechless the first time I saw her show up in Epilogue. 😲
Can't believe I misread the calendar. Christmas is on MONDAY, not Tuesday. Better get cracking!
Time to ready Solomon Grundy then.
I like the first character design in that concept art for the Phantasma
Man. Combining all the Batman TAS and Beyond lore and tie in stuff gives us.... Bruce Wayne coincidentally meeting Terry who happens to have his blood because of his father being affected by a secret government project that his ex-girlfriend was technically part of... and then Terry loses his father *that same night* with the death being pinned on a gang inspired by the crimes of the man who killed his ex-girlfriend's father... Terry happens to figure out Bruce was Batman and then goes on to steal the mantle of Batman and then *meet the grandson of the man who killed Bruce Wayne's parents*.... who *actually* did the killing of Terry's father... only for Bruce Wayne's ex-girlfriend to show up again and stop Terry from getting the revenge by killing the man who killed his father.... who was also the grandson of the man who killed who is (technically) Terrry's grandfather and grandmother.....
.... this is before we toss in the complications of adding Damian Wayne to the canon btw
Even the title of this movie is genius it refers to the fact that Batman is not the mask, Bruce Wayne is the real mask. Which mask is Andrea, well just look at the title
love that closing music
🎷
@@SerumLake🤔 From the emoji you employed, I guess you're referring to Tia Carrere's "I Never Even Told You" rather than Shirley Walker's "Batman's Destiny".
When I saw the name phantasm I thought oh sounds like a ghost but I was deeply wrong what it actually is Andrea seeking revenge ask a quote has said ‘’The best revenge is massive success." In Andrea’s eyes in batmans eyes his vengeance doesn’t exist he only thins about justice and protects his home Gotham meanwhile phantasm is out for vengeance against the people who wronged her father and killed him
BTAS is the BEST Batman character! Most versions of batman, take away the BEST villians of all time, then Spider-Man or Wolverine is the best
The birth of Batman in this movie will never be beaten, its not triumphant or heroic, its a broken man resigned to a fate he thought he had escaped.
No to be too pedantic, but as well as the Horror tactics she used, Andrea is shown having fighting skills by throwing Bruce when he tries Jui Jitsu on her
But she does lose the fight against the Joker
This was a superb video! I appreciate the production background and story lore you've dug up. The Phantasm was definitely one of the most "human" villains of the Batman animated genre. Keep your high quality going.
🫡
This was the first BTAS media I ever watched. I loved it and it’s what got me into Batman
*(checks spoiler warning)* Really now? That's like saying Gandalf the Grey never became White, Mami Tomoe didn't get chomped, the Moon landings are a true undeniable hoax... I admit, even without spoilers, the identity thing just feels obvious nowadays for some inexplicable reason.
I believe both sides are on the right with this conceptual origins stuff in mind, but really, I doubt plagiarism is involved; it's just that the homages are kind of strong enough to be noticed as such (not unlike how the pacifistic, cheerfully blonde, and red-wearing gunslinger Chisato Nishikigi of Lycoris Recoil can be thought of as a rip-off of Vash the Stampede from Trigun to critics).
7:55: Every single time, I counter this with "But you are vengeance, you are the night". Can't help it, you know.
[Edit at 10:01: Oh. You actually did tackle this, heeheehahaha.]
Am still a fan of Batman iterations where they did reencounter the killer of their parents (knowingly or unknowingly, I don't care), chief of which being the one from The Brave and the Bold cartoon.
14:35: A plotline so good, I may want to replicate if I had my way on some other notable series of fiction. Am a huge sucker for covertly engineered hero origins that, no matter how immoral and inhumane (think kidnapping the special daughter of a main yet fundamentally broken plus magically depowered couple from one show, experimenting and weaponizing her by degrees, and then doing a "give Kal-El-to-the-Kents" by safely harboring her to a recently married and ultimately happy and kind magical, if undeniably sapphic, couple from another Multiversally connected show), end up almost flawlessly successful in the very long run.
I'd rather think that Andrea shouldn't have come back to Bruce after MotB. However, the Annual 1 comic is still a fine coda, with the stuff from Batman Adventures Vol. 2 as a bit unnecessary (and even moreso since they're not resolved anyways), alongside that alt-universe Batman Beyond digi-comic.
Addendum: Ah, a Toyman vid. Timely, I actually just finished up "Hereafter" on a slow but steady DCAU binge a few days back as of seeing this vid.
You may find this hard to believe, but I did have someone comment on one of my other videos to say that they wish I had left a spoiler warning because they'd managed to avoid Phantasm identity spoilers for 30 years (!!!!!!)
@@SerumLake Charmingly humorous, such a thing.
Tom King should never write a Batman comic or any superhero comic ever again. What do people see in that man!??
Ok, mini rant over now for my thoughts. Andrea is a fantastic antagonist. She is complex and tragic, with a great design for her darker alter ego.
I knew her father was involved with gangster but it never occured to me that he would be corrupt. I feel rather silly for not realising sooner, and I have watched the film multiple times (I just finished watching it earlier).
Dana gave a terrific performance as Andrea. She goes from innocent and sweet during the flashback to cold and ruthless in the present. Her rant near the end was great, with Dana conveying her pain and sorrow wonderully. It is little wonder why she was brought back to voice Lois in Superman TAS.
Personally, I do not mind Bruce discovering the true identity of the man who killed his parents. I guess I want to see Bruce find closure and happiness because, frankly, he deserved it.
Thanks for the great analysis
Merry Christmas, Serum.
I’ve enjoyed his Wonder Woman run so far, but there’s still time for it all to go south 🤣
I would've presumed that Arthur Reeves had died from the dose of Smylex.
I love both The Reaper and the Phantasm!❤ If anything, I'd make The Reaper a long distant uncle to Andrea...to show her traits of the Skull are indeed traced to the shadowy path she would walk.
That's two BTAS villains Tom King has used now, and I hope he can continue this trend. The man put Batburger from the 60's show in the main universe, he can work some magic.
These are great. I would love more episodes about Batman Beyond.
Now there’s a Schway idea…
I don't get how it is controversial about Batman Year Two that seems like a lot of bullshit and sour grapes from Mike W. Barr
Fantastic video, came across your channel earlier today, brilliant content, you’ve got yourself a subscriber 👍🏻
Welcome aboard! 🫡
I saw this opening night!!! What an experience!!!
Bruce apologizing for being happy always hits hard. Why cant we get writing like this in modern animated shows
Amazing show review
As much as I love this movie, the twist about the Phantasm's identity is pretty obvious. When it's a mystery and they introduce a new character, it's basically guaranteed that new character is the culprit.
mask of the phantasm is THE BEST Batman Film. excellent video
One of Batman's most famous lines is "I am vengeance!". But, he always fought for something more than just that. To fight for a day when no boy should lose his parents in an alley due to someone's cruelty. He was even willing to abandon his mission because his time with Andrea brought him the chance to be happy again. The difference between Bruce and Andrea comes when they both faced great loss, Andrea sought vengeance and nothing else. At the end, all she has is the regrets of what she gave up for revenge while Batman, in spite of the pain in his soul, keeps fighting for those who are still here and need his help.
8:59 Oh. Oh now I have an idea in my head of Joe Chill taking this guilt and trying to do better, becoming a superhero too. Maybe even a Justice League. The angst...
Edit: Probably should have waited until the end of the video to drop this particular thought! Oh well.
Sad thing is sometimes relationships just can't work despite all the work they put into it. (see Princess Carolyn and the relationships with Ralph vs Bojack) the thing about forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation is it's a conscious choice. Ya never really FEEL like forgiving someone, you choose to do so. In this case? bruce/batman might not see a reason to further ruin his old flame's life but finally deciding not to chase her beyond the criminal aspect is a form of forgiveness. He'd be completely in the right to say something like "I don't wish any pain or suffering on her but I don't want to persue a relationship with her. The pain I felt is real but I won't let that define how I treat her. I'm more than that."
i don't usually do this, but i'm actually going to take your advice and watch the movie before i have everything spoiled. been craving some new DC movies, and mask of the phantasm is new to me, so yeah, i'll gladly give it a watch first.
I actually like when Batman meets Joe chill for one reason, Batman is a guy who will try to convince people that the best way to get payback on the people who have wrong them is to bring them to Justice and despite the fact the Joker has done so much crap to Batman his friends and family he still doesn’t give his desire for revenge. Something that red hood has called out but he met the man who killed his parents. Something that has traumatized him for years and that scenario, would Batman stick to his morals or given to revenge the episode with the origin of Robin has Batman stated that he didn’t want Robin going after Tony was because he wasn’t sure if he would follow Justice or vengeance, which I think we can agree, would be interesting, and FYI about the tie in comic with Joe chill. I hate that just because Batman doesn’t recognize him let’s face it that night has been depicted as a common nightmare in multiple continuities so the idea that Batman would not recognize him in some form is wrong
Honestly I just remember this as the movie where the Joker broke character for a second
Chuckie soooool…… your Angel of death awaits
One of the greatest Batman movies. It would be amazing live action but they'd probably ruin it with bad cg
Bruce Wayne could have paid Beaumont's debt. He also could have found them wherever in the world they were. Jack Napier should have offed Andrea instead of leaving behind a loose end. Andrea should have killed The Joker, regardless of his transformation into a costume lunatic. One of Batman's purposes for being is vengeance but only he gets to decided how vengeance is achieved? Mask of the Phantasm IS the greatest animated Batman movie BUT the characters make so many bad choices no wonder their lives suck!
Always liked Andreas design. I like a woman with curves.
May I just say that I never saw Batman's famous "I am the night" line as him being vengeance for the death of his parents, instead I look at it as him being vengeance for those who cannot protect themselves, Ie the downtrodden and innocent citizens of Gotham City who get robbed or worse, when he stops those crimes and saves the innocent and does what he can as Bruce Wayne to help Gothan City, THAT is what the vengeance part of that line means to me. I love this movie, it's such a shame that it was a bomb at the box office because this was easily some of the best writing for BTAS. Wonderful recap
Yeah it really shows how different classic Btas Batman is to his New Adventure series
Merry Christmas, Serum Lake!
Merry Christmas to you too!
Excellent video. Additional point: The music in that movie is amazing
The movie in particular really is one of the best Batman movies, at least in my opinion.
Are you gonna cover the joker ? Because it’s really interesting what you have to say about him
I think there’s so much to say about him (and other key villains like Lex Luthor) that a single video wouldn’t do him justice. I’ve done one video about his best episode, but I need to pick a juicy topic for the next video.
I haven't checked your past videos yet, but have you done a video on Joe Chill yet? Or just on "Those who have killed the Wayne Parents?"
I haven’t done one on the murders of the Waynes, but I’ll add it to the list.
Jesus the main comic one just comes off as a horrible person
you're really smart and well spoken
Just want to give you the highest compliment I can, you’re a brilliant channel to put on in the background while I’m drawing. ❤
That’s very kind of you, thanks!
This is the best Batman movie ever made.
God, this is such a good movie. It's still my favorite Batman film of all time.
Best Batman movie ever 😊
Shes so underrated and imp Bruce's one true love
Protecting the weak, defending the innocent. The Knight in the Dark.
He. Is. BATMAN...
Another Batman beyond stuffed into justice league ending- I love how the tied so many stories together
I could definitely see a later comic writer bringing Revves back by stating that he survived the fall but fell into a coma and when he wakes up he decides to lure Phantasm and Bruce Wayne out again by becoming another Joker, leading to an adaptation of an obscure Two Jokers storyline which saw the villain return following A Death in the Family.
Half the times in these stories while well-written I’m surprised there isn’t a hero who is ever truly selfish.
Like a good man who just goes “know what I’m done. Time to use my powers for what I want”.
And they go full crazy & find the girl & call them an idiot to their face.
Think the scene from Rezero in the anime where the protagonist breaks after dying so many times.
And selfishly claims to deserve Satella for all he’s done.
Remember watching this film on VHS at my grandparents' house in 1994, lol.
This is a fantastic video but i wanna talk about a comment made here about Batman knowing who killed his parents.
I think there’s a comic that tells a good story using that, which was oddly the 3 jokers.
Like the idea of Bruce moving on from trying to get revenge for his parents death and being willing to forgive Joe Chill in his death bed is in my opinion the best story about Bruce knowing Joe Chill.
The film has so much going for it but Batman accomplishes nothing and the Joker continuing to appear in DCAU properties which just makes Andrea "winning" in the end confusing.
"Did Jet just ...die?"
"You know, it was really unclear"
It's such a fantastic movie. Honestly, this movie just highlights why BTAS and by extension, the TIMMVERSE was so amazing. Not just good guys beating up bad guys.
One of the best dynamics of TAS was the fact that while batman would catch the criminals, Bruce Wayne would work to rehabilitate them and make the city better through his money and influence. It was even to the point that when a villian does actually find out and reveal his identity to other villains, they refuse to believe him and even act insulted he would dare to try and accuse someone as nice as Bruce Wayne as being the one they hate because of how much he's tried to help them.
This movie was beautiful. Batman at his peak. Phantasm was a perfect one shot villain that really shone in this specific movie
I love this movie. Really sums up revenge , obsession, and dedication can change a person. I watch this every Valentine’s Day.
Guy says The Phantasm is a copy of a character he made! Which is actually....a copy of a character he didnt make lmao