An old-fashioned adventure yarn is the best description of this modern-day comic book-hero-come to life-story. This almost like one of those early Tim Burton directed-Batman type adventures without all the darkness. The language is mild (as it should be in these type of films),the special-effects are decent and the sound is good. Best of all is the scenery, some beautiful landscapes filmed in Thailand and Australia.

Instead of the city being where our comic book hero performs his heroics, this is out in the jungle, more like an Indiana Jones-type story. It's fast-moving, it's hokey, it's unrealistic but its generally fun to watch. Even the villain ("Xander Drax" played by Treat Williams) isn't really all nasty.

The Phantom (Billy Zane) has the normal off-and-on corny romance situation with feminist-journalist (does Hollywood know any other kind?) "Diana Palmer" (Kristy Swanson) and the film gives you an entertaining 100 minutes. It's no award-winner but at least it's something you watch with your kids.

There's always a danger in bringing comic book heroes to the screen in that most are pretty bad. Some are satisfying, e.g., the Batman and Superman films come to mind. But, the Phantom was essentially a strip comic by Lee Falk that I used to read as a kid and which had been around long before me (I'll be 65 this year). I remember seeing the serial at the Saturday morning matinees and loved the comic strip. Time passes and the Phantom faded and then, in 1993, I went to Somalia as a consultant during the UNITAF occupation and was billeted with the Aussies. To my amazement, I discovered the Phantom was not only alive and well Down Under, but there were active comic books cults, conventions and the like there as well. So, no wonder the film enjoyed a revival of a defunct strip but, alas, there is much to be desired in the effort and the final product is almost a parody of the original. My wife and I saw it for a bargain matinee and I enjoyed it. However, I suffer few illusions that it could not have been done better. It was a romp and maybe, as one reviewer noted, Catherine Zeta-Jones was worth the price of admission. Well, for my part, I liked young Billy Zane's Phantom with the sheepish grin, Treat Williams's sardonic evil smile and Christy Swanson's Diana, a pleasant departure from her Vampire staking role as Buffy. It was also good to see Patrick McGoohan, former Secret Agent Man as the Phantom's predecessor. I think this film is worth the price of a rental for a rainy afternoon.

In many ways, "The Phantom" is a neat sort of action picture. Like "Raiders of the Lost Ark", it is a glossy, big-budget modern take on an old movie serial of the 1940s. However, despite the good, it also suffers from one god-awful plot device...the 'plucky lady'. When she is introduced, I immediately rolled my eyes with the incredibly stupid things the screenwriters had her say to prove she was a tough feminist....and in the process made her sound like a jerk (at best). A few examples of the really dumb things she says:

After the plane she is in is shot down, she says to the leader of the baddies...."Do you know how many laws you have broken?"

After the Phantom saves her from certain death...."Not so fast! Why should I go with you?!"

After being held prisoner and threatened with death, she says...."Thanks...you've done a good job. I can take it from here."

After countless shootouts and tons of evil done by Drax and his second in command, the plucky lady says..."What's wrong with you.....why are you so mean?!"

Additionally, because she's a walking, talking inane stereotype, this lady is not about to say thank you or behave like a normal person. Nope...she's always mouthy and tough...even when it makes no sense whatsoever.

As for the plot, the evil Sengh Brotherhood is bent on world domination and badness. Its leader, Drax (Treat Williams),is very smooth and handsome....and a cold murderer. He also will do ANYTHING to obtain all four of the precious silver skulls created by some ancient race...and imbued with amazing powers. So, it's up to the Phantom to destroy Drax and the Brotherhood in order to prevent them from taking over the world.

The film, apart from the 'plucky lady', is pretty much a Saturday morning adventure picture....not bad at all but definitely very superficial and with a strong emphasis on action and stunts...a few of which are insanely impossible. Not bad, not good....just a film where you turn off your brain and enjoy the adventure. So sad that the lady is a major annoyance and much like similar stereotypical but completely unreal women you'll find in "Sky Captain" and "Van Helsing".