Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (Warner Brothers) 4K Blu-ray Review

Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: December 25th, 1993 (theatrical) / September 12th, 2023
Run Time: 1 hour 16 minutes 27 seconds
Region Code: FREE

Disc Count: 1 (BD-66)
Picture: 1080p (1.85:1 aspect ratio)
Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, French Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Dutch
Slipcover: Yes
Digital Copy: Yes
Starring: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Abe Vigoda
Written by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko, Michael Reaves
Directed by Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm
Rating: PG (animated violence)

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Poster

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What's It About?

Batman, the costumed crime-fighter who prowls the night skies in Gotham City, soon finds there's another vigilante in town knocking off prominent mob figures. Despite the scythe-like blade for a hand, a mechanical voice and the cloud of smoke that follows the figure wherever it goes, the police and outraged officials mistake the homicidal crusader for Batman himself and demand that the city's longtime hero be brought to justice. Meanwhile, Andrea Beaumont returns to town. She is the lost love of Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy who is Batman's alter ego, and was an integral part of Wayne's decision ten years earlier to don the cape and cowl. Now, she is back in his life and is no less a disruption than the return of his old archenemy, The Joker, who has a stake in seeing the annihilation of this new vigilante, whoever it proves to be.

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Video/Audio

Presented in the film's original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (finally), BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM looks gorgeous. Film grain is present and accounted for, giving the film a much more film-like look and feel. Blacks are DEEP. Whites aren't washed out. Detail is pretty high and gone is the blurry look to some of the scenes. The HDR helps bring new life to the film, giving us those inky blacks but also giving us a much more balanced look to the film. The film no longer feels processed and overlooked. Warner Brothers took their time with this one and it is simply amazing.

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Extras/Packaging

Kevin Conroy: I am the Night (26m 6s, HD, 1.78:1) This is a very touching tribute to the best Bruce Wayne and Batman ever. We get archival interview footage with Kevin Conroy and more recent interviews with people who worked with Conroy on the various Batman shows he appeared on over the last 30 years. I really liked this feature as it never felt "corporate-y" There is a lot of love for Conroy here. I wish Mark Hamill had been in this feature as they were the perfect foils for each other.

The slipcover for this 4K release features brand new artwork. While this artwork is very nice, I wish they had given us the film's poster., Yes, this theatrical artwork has been featured on just about every release the film has had over the years, but I would have liked it here as well. The single disc 4K blu-ray case features the very same artwork as the slipcover (they could have given us reversible artwork like the boutique labels but the studios are never going to do that.) Of course, this is Warner Brothers so you know there is going to be no artwork on the disc, just a black background and white text. There is no blu-ray included in this release as Warner Brothers has been getting cheap with these 4K releases. There is also a digital copy slip in the case that redeems a 4K digital copy on Movie Anywhere.

The disc is REGION FREE. 

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Overall

The thing that I loved about the series was the fact that it never talked down to its audience. The creators knew kids would love the film no matter what and they took the opportunity to tell real, complex stories. This is not a paint-by-numbers action fest with thinly drawn characters and boring action scenes. We spend time with Bruce Wayne as he goes out on a date with Andrea. Sure, there is an action in the middle of this date, but it is handled well with Bruce Wayne losing the fight with the thieves. This is not how 95% of the animated films were like at the time. I will say this: BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM is the best Batman film out there. It also contains the best Batman and the best Joker. No one gives Mark Hamill his due when lists are made for the Joker. Most people always talk about Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, or Joaquin Phoenix. The people who know know Hamil is the best Joker. 

Warner Brothers have made almost the perfect BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM release out there. Almost. The picture and sound are both amazing but it is the almost complete lack of special features. Sure, we get an appreciation of Kevin Conroy (RIP) which is much deserved but we are missing the film's trailer along with the 1.33:1 version which some people seem to love. We also don't get any making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, or commentary. I don't know why Warner Brothers hasn't gone with a grand edition but they haven't. I do wish they had included the trailer but they didn't. This is still a must own 4K release.

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Packaging