The Phantom (1996)

43% of critics liked it
(42 reviews)
30% of users liked it
(42,462 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 superstitious… 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

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 40 min.
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

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.
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.
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.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
It's nice to see some things done the old way.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
If Treat Williams were the Phantom and Billy Zane the capitalist villain would any significant nuances be lost?
Lawrence Van Gelder, New York Times
The pleasures are familiar, but not the least bit inspired.
, Film4
The result is oddly ineffectual and sometimes just plain dull.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
If the biggest problem with costumed superheroes is those silly costumes, the venerable comic-book crimefighter known as the Phantom (Billy Zane) has a bigger problem than most.
Rob Vaux, Filmcritic.com
Our grim avengers of the 21st century could use some reminding that it's okay to smile once in awhile… and that 'fun' should be more than just an afterthought when stories of this ilk are told.
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
This belated, albeit decorative adaptation looks tamely second-hand.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
[It] could have been much worse.
Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
A whole lot of fun.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
Billy Zane proves he should be Superman, and Catherine Zeta-Jones breaks out before Zorro. Very campy, but well worth it.
James Rocchi, Netflix
Anyone looking for comic-strip excitement could do a lot worse.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Phil H

If you cross Indiana Jones with Tarzan and mix in some 'Goonies' type pirate tomfoolery then you pretty much have this fun cheesy boys own adventure. Actually if I think about it some more you could also throw in some camp Batman and Robin from the classic 60's series… More
If you cross Indiana Jones with Tarzan and mix in some 'Goonies' type pirate tomfoolery then you pretty much have this fun cheesy boys own adventure. Actually if I think about it some more you could also throw in some camp Batman and Robin from the classic 60's series in certain sequences, it does get alittle bit too hammy in places I must say hehe. Of course it is suppose to be almost a pantomine type flick with lots of silly lines and caddish villains but it is a touch too childish for me were as other pulp comicbook character adaptations like 'The Shadow' are abit more serious. The Phantom world is a pretty looking universe I must say, the jungle lair, 30's New York and the museum set where one of the skulls is kept are all really well created and have that lovely wooden stylish structured feel with that nice dark noirish colour range (much like The Shadow). Effects are dated now of course and the fights do look rather gentle haha I almost expected 'Kapow!' to flash across the screen when Zane punched a baddie henchman. Its a good fun film which kids will enjoy and is totally set in the period comicbook action genre of oldschool superheroes. The Phantom isn't really a great character to put on film really as he's abit too dated and soft with his natty purple tights, simple black face mask which only covers his eyes and the fact he has a wolf and horse as his sidekicks hehe its so 'awwww'. Didn't really think much of the pirates that make up the bad guys, especially at the end which really turns into Schumacher type affair but it is all taken from the original stories so that's good I suppose, its just the original stories and ideas are very out of time now. Doesn't beat around the bush and gives you exactly what it says on the tin which is a very light hearted period superhero flick with lots of charm, dames, cads and a dashing hero in a tight purple catsuit.
Emily A

Heeheehee, this movie is foolishness. This might be the simplest superhero movie I've ever seen. The only thing about The Phantom that's not lilac-scented and squeaky clean is the fact that he's got a skull on his ring. I'm still not clear exactly why it's the… More
Heeheehee, this movie is foolishness. This might be the simplest superhero movie I've ever seen. The only thing about The Phantom that's not lilac-scented and squeaky clean is the fact that he's got a skull on his ring. I'm still not clear exactly why it's the source of his power. Actually, there's not a heck of a lot about this story that makes sense. It could have been called Purple vs. Bad Guys and it would have made as much sense. In fact, I can't really remember much about this movie, except that Billy Zane kicks a bunch of people's asses, and he comes from a long line of purple ass-kickers, and it's set in the 30s, and at one poine he needs to defeat the Yakuza. Or the Triads. Or the Black Hand. Or something. It doesn't really matter. This movie is not without its charm, but it is DEFINITELY without its substance.
Jeff "

The Phantom is one of those films that you either love or hate. In my case, I loved it. Billy Zane plays Kit Walker/The Phantom aka The ghost who walks. Zane is perfectly cast in the role, and he gives a great performance. Treat Williams stars as the films antagonist Xander Drax, a… More
The Phantom is one of those films that you either love or hate. In my case, I loved it. Billy Zane plays Kit Walker/The Phantom aka The ghost who walks. Zane is perfectly cast in the role, and he gives a great performance. Treat Williams stars as the films antagonist Xander Drax, a powerful business man who is bent on destroying the world. The Phantom must do everything to stop Drax from achieving his goal.The Phantom is a seriously underrated action film. Sure the film is cheesy and has flaws, the dialogue is cheesy as well but. But for what it's worth, The Phantom is a thrilling, underrated film that really doesn't get the attention it deserves. A decent cast adorns this action period piece, and the film looks great, the sets, costumes, are awesome. The score is great too. The Phantom will definitely not appeal to many, but to the few who like these types of superheros, then The Phantom will definitely make for a good viewing experience. This is also Billy Zane's best role. The Phantom is a film that is meant to entertain, yes, it has a low budget feel to it, but who cares? I really don't understand why why people hate this film so much, I personally thought it was much better than most superhero films such as X Men: The Last Stand. Action packed, cheesy and fun, The Phantom is an superhero film that like many reviewers have pointed out has an Indiana Jones feel to it, and it's terrific, flawed, but well done nonetheless.
Tim S

Not a total stinker.
Conner R

A character that should have never gotten a movie adaption, there is just no way that you can make a superhero in a purple jumpsuit believable. Add an extremely low budget and it makes for one mess. It's just a hard movie to watch, there are almost no redeeming qualities.
Aaron N

Quill: I've killed the Phantom. The Great Kabai Sengh: Join the club. We've all killed him over the years. He keeps coming back. The original costumed superhero, the Phantom, has no powers and is based mostly around myth. In this film, Billy Zane stars as said… More
Quill: I've killed the Phantom. The Great Kabai Sengh: Join the club. We've all killed him over the years. He keeps coming back. The original costumed superhero, the Phantom, has no powers and is based mostly around myth. In this film, Billy Zane stars as said character, and does exactly what is needed to make it work. The film works as a great B-movie, with fun action, good production values. The film is basically a superhero movie set in the world of Indiana Jones, and I like it. The Great Kabai Sengh: I know your secret, Phantom. The Phantom: Take it to your grave, Kabai Sengh.
Anthony L

Rubbish. I thought Billy Zane would make a really good superhero, I was wrong!
Jason O

Only saw it once and loved it a lot. I REALLY want to see it again to see how it holds up, seeing as how everyone else hates it.
Justin Y

The Phantom isn't a big budget blockbuster super hero movie. Does that make it bad? Of course not. In fact, this is more than a decent watch.The story is as thin as paper and that isn't surprising. It is extremely easy to follow and at only 90… More
The Phantom isn't a big budget blockbuster super hero movie. Does that make it bad? Of course not. In fact, this is more than a decent watch.The story is as thin as paper and that isn't surprising. It is extremely easy to follow and at only 90 minutes, it blows by rather quickly. There isn't a lot of character development and there are no huge explanations behind the plans of the villains. This is a film to just sit back and kill some time with.The color purple is all over the marketing for this picture. It does seem like an odd color for a costume, but the characters are a creation of comic creator Lee Falk and the colors and settings successfully provide a comic book feel without the usage of CG unlike, oh say, Ultraviolet.The effects are cheap looking, which is a little disappointing, however it is only seen in small quantities throughout this picture. The stunt work on the other hand is pretty good.Billy Zane, who may not seem like the person for a super hero lead, actually does a decent job at pulling this off. Kristy Swanson fills the shoes of the female love interest with no problem. Treat Williams, James Remar, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and the lovely Catherine Zeta Jones show up as the villains. They all overact, and believe it or not, that doesn't hurt this movie in anyway. Watching Kristy and Catherine argue throughout this picture is also a nice treat.Sure, The Phantom may not seem like anything special and it really isn't. Still, this is a movie to sit down and watch if there is time to spare.
Lenny M

Hell Yea I like Purple spandex wearing white-horse mounting superheros that in reality looks like a sadomasochistic pornstar.
Jason S

I liked this one. It was a little cheesy but I thought it fit well with the idea of the movie. I would have liked to see a darker version made.
Lafe F

Billy Zane is cool as a purple-clad super hero. It's a fun runaround, but nothing mega-cool about it.
Dean !

Vey average comic book action film with Billy Zane playing the Phantom.
xGary X

A rubbish actor stars in a rubbish film about a rubbish superhero. It's...now what's the word...?
Dean M

Billy Zane did a decent job of looking like a believable square-jawed hero, but there was just no way to dress someone in purple spandex without them looking like a ribena mascot.
Michael G

This is why superhero movies should be restricted.
Michael R

This film is soulless. The villains make it interesting and Billy Zane almost pulls it off, but it's a total waste of time and money. Whatever it had going for it, this film is muddled by an uninspired and drearily painted atmosphere that totally sucks out all of the enthusiasm… More
This film is soulless. The villains make it interesting and Billy Zane almost pulls it off, but it's a total waste of time and money. Whatever it had going for it, this film is muddled by an uninspired and drearily painted atmosphere that totally sucks out all of the enthusiasm you could ever have for the concept and completely blows it away in the wind. I want to like it, I really do, but the truth is that there really isn't that much *there* to like. It's an empty and meaningless film. Perhaps the title character's other, more insubstantial, nom de guerre "The Ghost Who Walks" would have been a more appropriate title for this movie. "The Phantom" deceptively sounds like a "mysterious and action-packed" story... "Slam evil", indeed... Oy vey...
Juan C

godawfully, laughably, stupidly bad and is complete idiotic crap. F
The S

Not truly bad but certainly of that breed of super-hero movies that were made before people really learned how to do it. Characters are as flat as a comic book drawing and the script is rather weak and played a little bit too much for laughs.
Jonny C

Pretty dull actioner.