Batman is the DC Comics superhero with the most movies, but not every one is his best. This honor goes to the animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. To this day, Batman: The Animated Series' first cinematic outing is considered to be Batman's best movie, and one of the best superhero films ever made.
Mask of the Phantasm is still one of the most critically-acclaimed Batman movies of all time. Mask of the Phantasm also set the bar for all succeeding films, and its influence on Batman media can still be felt. It goes without saying that Mask of the Phantasm earned every bit of its stellar reputation.
10 Shirley Walker's Score Complimented The Movie's Darkness
Batman's movies are blockbusters, so it makes sense that they would have adrenaline-pumping scores. Even darker outings like Batman (1989) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice still had exciting if more imposing themes. Meanwhile, Mask of the Phantasm featured uniquely Gothic and haunting music.
Shirley Walker's melancholic music was inseparable from Batman: The Animated Series, and she upped the ante for Mask of the Phantasm. Walker's score emphasized Mask of the Phantasm's tragedy, and she turned it into an opera. Even The Batman's foreboding yet empowering music falls short when put beside Walker's soundtrack.
9 The Animation Gave Batman His Most Visually Striking Movie
Stylistically speaking, Batman's movies were either live-action cartoons or brutalist nightmares. Mask of the Phantasm struck a middle ground between these extremes by carrying over Batman: The Animated Series' unique blend of art deco and Gothic aesthetics to the big screen. Unsurprisingly, it's the best-looking Batman movie.
Thanks to the freedom that the animated medium provided, Mask of the Phantasm depicted actions, emotions, landscapes, and more in the exaggerated ways that only cartoons could. Batman's live-action movies have amazing state-of-the-art special effects, but they couldn't match Mask of the Phantasm's striking simplicity.
8 Mask Of The Phantasm's Violence Was Sparse But Impactful
A common problem with Batman's movies was how action-oriented they were. Although this was understandable given the superhero genre's overlap with action movies, it clashed with Batman's scare tactics and vow to preserve life. Mask of the Phantasm didn't have this problem because it didn't depict violence in a flashy manner.
Mask of the Phantasm had fights, but they were more blunt and brutal than cinematic and cool. Batman had to literally fight to stay alive, and his villains didn't hesitate to gravely injure or outright kill others. Mask of the Phantasm's bloodless violence being more intense than its live-action counterparts is a testament to its excellence.
7 Mask Of The Phantasm Had More Character Studies And Mystery Than Action
Despite being the world's greatest detective, Batman's movies were almost always action-packed rides. Batman solving crimes and Bruce's personal life were usually short because Batman's epic showdowns took priority. Mask of the Phantasm thankfully averted this, and it became one of his most grounded movies yet.
Mask of the Phantasm was the rare Batman movie that was more of a drama and murder mystery than a typical superhero mission. Batman spent most of his time following The Phantasm's trail, while Bruce's tragedy was the movie's core. The restrained action complemented these slower scenes by ramping up the tension and stakes.
6 Batman Was Shown At His Most Human And Vulnerable
Batman is one of DC Comics' most grounded superheroes, but his movies almost always ignored this characterization. In his movies, Batman was usually a typical action hero who powered through his emotions. In Mask of the Phantasm, he was so painfully human that he barely held it in by the time it ended.
Batman was at his most emotional and vulnerable in Mask of the Phantasm. Rather than bury or conquer his emotions, he let them take over. He didn't even get the closure he wanted, and this only made him more sympathetic. Other Batman movies' emotional moments were never as powerful as Mask of the Phantasm.
5 Batman's Birth Was Given A New Version And Meaning
Batman's movies tend to gloss over the reasons why Bruce became a hero, but they're a foregone conclusion. Despite deep losses and challenges, Bruce always persevered as Batman because it was the right thing to do. Mask of the Phantasm subverted this by revealing that Batman was an inevitability that Bruce couldn't escape.
Bruce felt that he was fated to become a dark avenger, but Andrea almost changed things for the better. After Andrea left, Bruce resigned himself to becoming Batman. Because of this, Batman's birth felt more like Bruce's funeral than his triumph. This is a unique (if sad) angle that other movies never even toyed with.
4 Bruce Wayne's Love Life Was Mask Of The Phantasm's Point, Not An Afterthought
Since Batman movies tend to prioritize blockbuster spectacle, any hints of romance were usually just tacked-on subplots. This wasn't bad, but it denied Batman the chance to have some depth and humanity. Mask of the Phantasm stood out among Batman's movies because it put Bruce's love life front and center.
Bruce's romance with Andrea and their falling out were vital parts of Bruce's personal life and Batman's formation. This also affected Batman in the present, especially since Andrea was The Phantasm. Without this relationship, Mask of the Phantasm wouldn't be as dramatic and emotionally charged as it was.
3 Mask Of The Phantasm Depicted Bruce Wayne's Dilemma In Tragic Detail
Like other Batman movies, Mask of the Phantasm showed Bruce doubting his choice to be Batman. Usually, Batman movies easily resolved this crisis of faith by having Bruce overcome his inner demons before finding a reason to persevere. In contrast, Mask of the Phantasm left Batman broken.
Mask of the Phantasm ended with Batman still defending Gotham City, but only because Bruce lost his happiness. Batman didn't just fail to stop The Phantasm; he also abandoned his own hopes. Batman Returns and The Dark Knight had similarly dour endings, but they had glimmers of hope that Mask of the Phantasm didn't.
2 Andrea Beaumont Was As Well-Developed As Bruce Wayne
One of the most impressive things about Mask of the Phantasm was how it introduced an original character who perfectly fit into Batman's lore and Bruce's life. If The Phantasm is one of Batman's most frightening villains, Andrea was Bruce's tragic lover and foil. This made their unavoidable clash all the more painful and tragic.
Andrea (voiced by Dana Delany) and Bruce lost their family in acts of violence. They found solace in each other and, later, vigilantism. However, Andrea became a murderer while Batman upheld life. None of Batman's movie villains came close to being as personal yet ideologically opposed to everything Bruce and Batman stood for.
1 Mask Of The Phantasm Cemented Kevin Conroy's Status As Batman's Best Performer
A lot has already been said about how Kevin Conroy's interpretation of Batman was the best, and Mask of the Phantasm proved why. Conroy's performance was consistent with what he did in Batman: The Animated Series. However, his turn in Mask of the Phantasm was the most emotional and heartbroken his Batman ever was.
Cases in point: Bruce pleading for an answer from his parents or Batman begging Andrea to leave were some of the best moments in a Batman movie. More importantly, they were Conroy's finest performances. Mask of the Phantasm is a legendary Batman tragedy, and this would never have happened if not for the late, great Kevin Conroy.