Remember the 90s, when superhero movies were still figuring out what they wanted to be? Before the sleek, unified vision of X-Men or the cultural juggernaut of the MCU, there was "The Phantom" (1996) – a fascinating relic that demonstrates exactly why superhero cinema needed a complete overhaul.
In our latest episode, we venture deep into the jungle of Bengala with Billy Zane's purple-spandexed hero as he pursues magical skulls, fights pirates, and somehow manages to keep a straight face while doing it all. The Phantom originated in comic strips back in 1936 – predating Superman and Batman – as the first true costumed hero. But what works on the newspaper page doesn't always translate to the big screen, and this film struggles mightily with that translation.
Treat Williams steals every scene as villain Xander Drax, delivering deliciously campy line readings and creative murder methods (microscope eye-stabbing, anyone?) that suggest he understood exactly what kind of movie this should have been. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast – including a young Catherine Zeta-Jones – seems trapped in a more serious adventure that never quite takes flight. We analyze the film's curious place in superhero movie evolution, sitting awkwardly between the camp of Batman Forever and the more grounded approach that would soon revolutionize the genre.
The Phantom provides an unintentionally hilarious time capsule of mid-90s filmmaking choices, from its Indiana Jones aspirations to its baffling mythology involving skull lasers and a wolf that can apparently communicate with horses. What went wrong? What occasional moments work? And why can't we stop talking about that purple costume? Listen as we unpack this bizarre superhero curiosity that reminds us how far the genre has come.
Written lovingly with AI
Be our friend!
Dan: @shakybacon
Tony: @tonydczech
And follow the podcast on IG: @hatewatchingDAT
