Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Phantasm succeeds as a gloomy but not claustrophobic assessment of the superhero world that does not lose any of its panache for its seriousness.

It's a Batman movie actually about Batman! Imagine that!

The mask of the phantasm is the mask that Bruce Wayne puts on every day, and if he falls into the abyss, he risks a life like Andrea's: completely alone.

A romantic, flashback-rich narrative distinguishes this feature-length animated effort...

The violence is too realistic (though not terribly graphic) to qualify as cartoony escapism, yet the movie lacks the sophistication, vision or satirical edge to lay claim to any higher purpose. It's merely dark for dark's sake.