Did you expect something different? The greatest animated Batman feature, with little doubt, is 1993s Mask of the Phantasm. This is the movie that spun directly out from Batman: The Animated Series, and it retained every spire and shadow of that Dark Deco Gotham noir feel. Most importantly, though, unlike the sequels SubZero and Mystery of the Batwoman, Mask of the Phantasm actually has enough story to support a feature-length runtime. All the usual suspects are here and in fine form: Kevin OConnor and Mark Hamill as Batman and Joker, superhuman manchild Paul Dini on the writing team, and the creative production team that made The Animated Series so great is operating on all cylinders. While its great to have the old familiar faces around, the new characters are what separates Mask of the Phantasm from nearly every other film on this list. The whole movie feels like a comic from the old Batman heyday, from even before the campy Adam West revival years, due to the fact that the story being told is truly a new one. This is a hero that has enjoyed decades of continuous publication, and fresh stuff is getting harder and harder to come by. There are other things about Mask of the Phantasm that deserve laudation. The theme, like that from from the original series, is near-perfect Im a big Hans Zimmer fan, and I like the music in Burtons Batman films, but when I picture Gotham City I hear the Phantasm theme in my head. And when Bruce dons the cape and cowl and turns to Alfred, leaving the butler stunned and aghast, Mask of the Phantasm solidifies itself as the quintessential Batman animated film. What are your favorite Batman animated films? Are you looking forward to Son of Batman? Let us know in the comments below!
