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Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Tamer than live-action, but still moody, violent.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Batman never kills and seems to act noble and suitably heroic. Though his quest for justice suggests that being a vigilante has ruined Bruce Wayne's personal life, his righteous motivations and crimefighting are contrasted with the much bleaker personal vengeance mission of the Phantasm. Andrea is a particularly strong female character. Gangsters are of stereotypically Italian-American descent, and Gotham City businessmen, police, and government officials are mob-connected or threatening.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Much fighting, gunshots, and explosions. Some blood and dead bodies shown.

  • Sex:

    Just a hint that Bruce Wayne and Andrea have spent the night together.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    The Bat-marketplace of comics, action-figures, and video games is hard to overlook.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Social drinking; Bruce Wayne gets wine tossed on him at a party by an ex-girlfriend.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Parents need to know that this is a more mature Batman cartoon than the ones they might remember from their Saturday morning-TV childhoods. There is real death (including a parent), much violence -- even if it's animated -- involving explosions, guns, knives, etc. There's even some unsettling imagery involving corpses and the Joker that may upset the youngest kids. Anyone unfamiliar with the Batman saga might have some trouble following the story.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the style and storyline. Is an animated Batman more effective than an actor in a live-action epic? Do you like a Batman with personal problems or a basic high-tech crimebuster? You can also discuss Bruce Wayne's single-minded devotion to his mission. Is he doing the right thing? Is Batman a vigilante? How did kids like Mark Hamill's Joker, and who is their favorite version of this classic bad guy?
Tools and tips that can help

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Yangy
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 2.0

    Pretty average tame Batman movie, with a twist everyone was expecting. What a cliche.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    mkalv
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 2.0

    Sorry, Bats.

    As the first animated Batman film to be released theatriclly, it's a lttle diisapointing. I don't know why, I just don't like this film.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Parent Reviewer
    JamesRobertson
    Lives in Iowa
    I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it 5.0

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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