The Phantom (1996)
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43% of critics liked it
(42 reviews) -
30% of users liked it
(43,359 ratings)
The first superhero ever, created by Lee Falk in 1936, gets another shot at movie stardom 60 years after achieving fame in comics and serials. Billy Zane stars as Kit Walker, who discovers that he's the 21st in a line of purple-clad African superheroes known as "The Phantom" or, to… More The first superhero ever, created by Lee Falk in 1936, gets another shot at movie stardom 60 years after achieving fame in comics and serials. Billy Zane stars as Kit Walker, who discovers that he's the 21st in a line of purple-clad African superheroes known as "The Phantom" or, to superstitious Bengalla Island natives, "the Ghost Who Walks." When he's not fighting the evil Singh Brotherhood with his faithful wolf Devil and white horse Hero, the Phantom lives in the hidden Skull Cave. Kit discovers that Xander Drax (Treat Williams), a slimy industrialist, is plotting to take over the world by uniting the three long lost magical Skulls of Touganda. So he travels to New York, where he finds allies in crusading newspaper publisher Dave (Bill Smitrovich) and his niece, Diana (Kristy Swanson), who's also Kit's ex-girlfriend. Kit and Diana tackle Drax's forces, including the conflicted Sala (Catherine Zeta-Jones), in a quest for the Skulls that brings both sides back to Bengalla for a showdown. The Phantom's mixture of elaborate stunts with liberal doses of tongue-in-cheek humor was characteristic of screenwriter Jeffrey Boam, whose previous films included Innerspace (1987) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- Simon Wincer
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy
- In Theaters
- Jun 7, 1996 Wide
- On DVD
- May 25, 1999
- Studio
- Paramount Home Video
Critic Reviews
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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.
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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.
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Trevor Johnston, Time Out
This belated, albeit decorative adaptation looks tamely second-hand.
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Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Expect this ghost of bad movies past to walk quickly to the back bins of Blockbuster, where it should be filed under a helpful heading, monotonous and juvenile.
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Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
It's nice to see some things done the old way.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Cast
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Billy Zane
as Phanton/Kit Walker
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Kristy Swanson
as Diana Palmer
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Treat Williams
as Xander Drax
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Catherine Zeta-Jones
as Sala
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James Remar
as Quill
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Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
as The Great Kabai Sengh
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John Capodice
as Al the Cabby
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Jared Chandler
as Styles
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Robert Coleby
as Captain Horton
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Samantha Eggar
as Lilly Palmer
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Bernard Kates
as Falkmoore
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John Prosky
as Cycle Cop
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David Proval
as Charlie Zephro
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Joe Ragno
as Ray Zephro
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Al Ruscio
as Police Commissioner Farley
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Leon Russom
as Mayor Krebs
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Casey Siemaszko
as Morgan
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Bill Smitrovich
as Uncle Dave
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William Zappa
as Ugly Pirate
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Patrick McGoohan
as Phantom's Dad
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William Jones
as Cycle Cop


