There have been few entertainment franchises that have as successful and impressive as Batman. He is one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time and has thrived in almost every media source the series has adapted to. Of these extensions the most famous is the film adaptations. Tim Burton's Batman pushed the limits of what is considered to be children's entertainment and intense adult action and drama. Christopher Nolan reboot series has been equally influential, showing that a comic book film can take place in a realistic environment. However, one Batman series which is often overlooked in the character plunge into the animated world. Batman: The Animated Series is considered to be one of the best cartoons shows of all time and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm does for film what the cartoon show did for television, <br /><br />Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is able to fit two well developed stories into only 76 minutes. The first and primary plot focuses on Batman tracking down The Phantasm, a mysterious vigilante who has been systematically killing off mobsters while Batman is blamed. The second story focuses on the young fledgling crime fighter Bruce Wayne and how close he came to quitting in order to have a normal life with his love interest, Andrea Belmont.<br /><br />The movie begins with Batman breaking into a mob runs counterfeiting scheme, Batman deals with the henchman while the boss, Chuckie Sol, makes a beak for it. Before Batman can catch him he is murdered by the Phantasm. Batman is blamed for the killing and is forced to track down his imitator. Things grow more complicated as Andrea interest returns to Gotham City and Bruce believes that her father is somehow connected to the murders. This triggers Bruce's reminiscing about how his life would have been if he stayed with her. The film does a great job in juggling these to plots without ever being terribly predictable.<br /><br />The voice acting is equally admirable. Kevin Conroy's portrayal as Batman/Bruce Wayne is one of the most overlooked performances ever. He gives both Batman and Bruce Wayne different voices and speech patterns. He even makes the younger Bruce Wayne speak more energetically and innocently. The same can be said for Dana Delany who plays the young Andrea Belmont as naïve and playful while the older version is more dark and isolated. The one performance that stands out, however, is The Joker, voiced by Mark Hamill. The Joker one has a few scenes but steals every shot that he is in, perfectly balancing the clown and the killer.<br /><br />However, as good as the story and acting is, it is the drawing style and animation the really stand out from the rest of the animated features. Unlike other animated films, Mask of the Phantasm focuses on a dark art deco design to show the vastness of Gotham City and to show the range of character emotions.<br /><br />The only negatives about the movie would be that the stories are very tight, which causes some scenes to feel rushed and less significant than it should, such as when Bruce first suits up as Batman. That and a few corny lines and cliché morals really stick out from the high quality of the rest of the film. Still, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a terrific piece of entertainment that should not be skip by anyone that is a fan of Batman, animation, or film in general.