Before comic films were cinematic, extended, or otherwise franchise driven, they were more often singular. It’s hard to believe given the proliferation of them today, however, before the 1990s, major studio cinematic comic adaptations were limited to Superman (1978) and Batman (1989). Starting in 1990, however, we got Dick Tracy (1990), The Rocketeer (1991), The Shadow (1994), The Phantom (1996), and The Mask of Zorro (1998) — each one an adaption of a tale inspired by or born out of either serials or comics from yesteryear that sought to engage audiences with a jolt of classic heroism. Now, some 30 years since its theatrical release, Simon Wincer’s The Phantom gets a first-time 4K UHD remaster on a 4K UHD Blu-ray combo by way of Kino Lorber with director-approved picture and sound, a new commentary track with Wincer, and two brand-new featurettes.
For those who came in late, “The Phantom” is a title handed down from father to son for the last four centuries, the name of a hero who protects against the evil of humanity. When a businessman from New York City, Xander Drax (Treat Williams), sends men into the jungles of Bengalla to seek out a specific lost treasure, the current Phantom, Kit Walker (Billy Zane), jumps into action and finds himself not just on the trail of a would-be dictator but on that of The Phantom’s longtime enemy: the Sengh Brotherhood.
The following home release review is based on a 4K UHD retail edition provided by Kino Lorber.
Created by Lee Falk and first published in 1939 as a comic strip, The Phantom is most easily described to those unaware as a Batman-esque hero, someone who uses their strength and intellect to solve problems and battle foes. Amusingly, in the featurette “Kismet in the Jungle: Interview with Star Billy Zane,” a 27-minute sit-down interview with Zane, he makes the same comparison, except he laughs while doing so, pointing out that Kit accepts the legacy being handed to him as he understands that parents do die as part of the cycle of life. (He doesn’t acknowledge how old Bruce is or how his parents die when they do, which does significantly shape how each of these characters react/respond to the loss.) the point, however, does assist in delineating one fictional hero from another. In addition to wearing a purple Lycra suit and going out in daylight as easily as night, The Phantom speaks to a specific kind of heroism that Batman can’t ever obtain, nor would he seek to do so. The Phantom is idyllic and forthright, choosing to see and do good, to accept and welcome changes of heart, and generally take the time to help those who need it regardless of circumstances. A great singular moment in the film is during a chase sequence in New York with Phantom trying to catch up with Drax and his people and Phantom accidentally bumping into a shopper in the process as he runs. Zane shares in the interview how Phantom pausing to hand back the fallen handbag dropped as a result of his running into a woman was something he worked out with the extra to further the notion of Phantom’s moral perspective: we fix the mistakes we make and try to make amends. It’s a small choice and one which means he must disengage from the chase for a moment, but it’s a specific old-fashioned form of heroism that speaks to who Phantom is and the person behind the mask. During a period of time when Lethal Weapon (1987) and Die Hard (1988) were rising as successful franchises and Batman Returns (1992) provided an even darker heroic tale than the 1989 feature, The Phantom stands out for the ways in which it purported the importance of goodness despite the rising tide of cynicism within heroic tales. As much as a broken civilization requires a vigilante bagman like Batman or Punisher, societies also need Phantom and Superman to remember that light can shine wherever we desire as long as we possess the constitution to maintain it.
One doesn’t need to go very far, however, to see that, regardless of how one feels about The Phantom today, the film didn’t breakout in any way upon its release. Maybe folks weren’t in the mood for its practical stunts, in-camera action, and generally optimistic style amid growing cynicism (certainly Zane’s perspective), but there are those of us who had never picked up a Lee strip and yet clamored for more tales like this. There’s clearly a desire for it seeing as 1999’s The Mummy received three films (a potential fourth being discussed now) with a similar swashbuckling style, yet, this specific adventure has been relegated to cult status as its fan base is large and growing due to passing down VHS, DVDs, and other media to the next generation. Zane discusses some of this in his interview, speaking briefly on what people continue to share with him when opportunities arise and, yes, I’m delighted to report that Zane is game to return to the role, even if to serve as the father passing down the legacy. One truly does receive each of Zane’s tidbits about making the film — whether talking about the training, the costume, the makeup, the shoot, or his co-stars — as sincere in his affection for this film. Not all actors feel that way about their work, especially when it’s the love of its fans that keep it in conversation versus its financial or critical acclaim.
While Zane speaks in a rather formal setting for nearly 30 minutes, waxing poetic (as is his right) on the making of the film, composer David Newman (Serenity), via a remote interview setting, offers a different perspective in the 14-minute “Slam Evil – Scoring The Phantom: Interview with Composer David Newman.” In a non-disparaging way, Newman offers details on a composition process he calls “chaotic,” due to several factors. He talks about the love theme he crafted, how it got trimmed significantly down due to changes in the final cut (and how Wincer found a way to include more of the theme via the credits), the difficulty of working off of scenes that were sent of him via VHS (he says it was more than 90 by the end of his work), and other odd processes and systems he had to create to complete the score. For those more technically-inclined, he does discuss, in detail, tidbits about the initial Phantom theme, as well as other portions to denote individualism amid the characters.
Interestingly, the commentary track featuring Director Wincer and moderated by filmmaker Douglas Hosdale (Walking Shadow) is the least produced of the bonus features in that, like Newman, the participants appear to be chatting via remote means and the audio suffers for it. They do provide interesting tidbits along the way, for sure, but it’s a might frustrating that the commentary includes various blips and auditory noises that come from hindered broadcast singles. Also worth noting, as it relates to the commentary track, is that, while included on both the 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs, one can’t just turn it on and off via pop-up menu while watching the film. Such changes on the fly may not seem like a big deal, but making the switch from commentary track to film track, or vice versa, requires stopping the film, making the switch from the audio options menu, and then restarting the film from the beginning, requiring one to speed through the film to get back to where they were.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that the two featurettes are only included on the Blu-ray disc, alongside five trailers. The official Kino Lorber posting for the 4K UHD edition says that the 4K UHD disc is a triple-layered UHD100 disc, while the Blu-ray is a dual-layered BD50 disc. I’ll get into why this matters in a moment, but, for now, just know that the bonus features are primarily restricted to the Blu-ray disc. Finally, for those who enjoy the original teaser poster art that features The Phantom sitting on his throne in the Phantom Cave with sunlight revealing the text “The Ghost Who Walks” within the beam — that’s the reversible art on the liner.
Why does the disc type matter? It matters because the amount of space on the disc has an impact on the on-disc presentation. The Blu-ray being a dual-layered BD50 means that it has 50 GB of space to hold the film and all the special features. As an owner of the 2020 Blu-ray release, the Kino Lorber one is a massive step up, but this is primarily because the Kino Lorber edition includes actual bonus features compared the 2020 Paramount edition which includes nothing, not even a trailer. The 4K UHD disc is what most folks are going to be excited about and, generally speaking, there’s a lot to be happy about. From a technical perspective, the on-disc presentation holds strongly in the 78 – 82 Mbps range, which is significantly higher and more stable than most general 4K UHD releases (even if less than most Arrow or Criterion titles). There are no dips lower or peaks higher, which impresses due to the stability. This being a UHD100 does mean that the 4K UHD can hold 100 GB of data which, comprised of the remastered film with HDR/Dolby Vision, optional 5.1 or 2.0 audio, and audio commentary, one would think that the bitrate would be closer to the maximum. That said, fans of The Phantom won’t be disappointed with the 4K UHD presentation. The colors are natural, keeping with that classic Errol Flynn-esque/Old Hollywood energy, but pop when necessary. For instance, the exterior jungle shots are lush and green, while the initial cave is appropriately dark (shadows nice and inky) and brown. The costume of The Phantom is beautiful in its two-tone purple with inlet designs all over it, while the mask is a deep black. Even the final confrontation between the good guys and bad guys is lovely, the small water cave a warm, rustic brown with hints of red and black. Of course, this being a 4K UHD presentation, the 5.1 audio track was utilized in the test and it’s smartly balanced and enveloping. The few scenes with lightning sound like they are surrounding you, the explosions rumble in the bass, and score (whether pushed forward or used as background) fills the acoustic space so you feel like you’re on this grand adventure. It’s worth adding that the press materials state that the 4K UHD remaster was constructed using the original 35 mm camera negative and the final product was approved by Director Wincer.
To this day, I have not picked up a single Phantom comic, but, if prompted, I would extol the virtues of Wincer’s film, beginning with Zane’s absolute commitment and sincerity to the performance. There are, of course, several other winning reasons to enjoy the film, beginning and ending with a cast who understands the vibe Wincer’s The Phantom seeks to obtain. It’s a shame that The Phantom didn’t kick off a brief series of films starring Zane with support from recurring character Sala (Catherine Zeta-Jones), but that would mean that Zeta-Jones might not’ve been available for The Mask of Zorro and that’s a timeline I don’t want to live in. Using the words of Zane, “The Phantom is for everyone.” Now we get to experience it and pass it down in the best format possible.
For those who came late, this is an easy recommendation whether you pick it up Day One at full price or wait for a sale between the in-depth bonus features and the on-disc presentation.
The Phantom Special Features:
4K UHD Disc
- *NEW* Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative (Approved by Director Simon Wincer)
- *NEW* Audio Commentary by Director Simon Wincer, Moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale
- 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
- Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
Blu-ray Disc
- *NEW* Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
- *NEW* Audio Commentary by Director Simon Wincer, Moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale
- *NEW* Kismet in the Jungle: Interview with Star Billy Zane (27:06)
- *NEW* Slam Evil – Scoring The Phantom: Interview with Composer David Newman (14:48)
- Theatrical Trailer
- 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
- Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray Combo April 14th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official Paramount Pictures The Phantom webpage.
To purchase, head to the official Kino Lorber The Phantom webpage.
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Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews
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