I can’t think of very many cartoon series that have gotten a theatrical movie treatment. "Mask of the Phantasm" which is directly spun off of the Batman Animated Series of the 90's was an ambitious enough project to warrant such a release. It’s probably the best animated Batman story I’ve seen although I thoroughly enjoyed the "Return of the Joker" movie in the Batman Beyond series and the more recent "Under the Red Hood." In all three cases the writing is more mature even if straddling the fence of being aimed at younger viewers.

"Mask of the Phantasm" is certainly not the only Batman interpretation to be dark and melancholy, but it reaches to new depths in the realm of cartoons originally aimed at younger audiences. The cartoon series tends to keep a certain levity. Not so with the movie. It may not be as darkly gothic as Burton's movies or as disturbing as Nolan's, but it’s probably one of the most somber of any released. That says something about it there. Most movies, much less cartoons, can't trigger an emotional response as strongly as this does.

This is a look at Batman’s past covering some of the same ground as "Batman Begins" though without the journey and training. It’s Bruce conceiving the idea of Batman and how close he comes to letting love change his destiny when he finds a woman he wants to marry. We all know Batman is a loner so I don’t think I’m giving any secrets away by saying much of the melancholy factor comes from love being denied him. Andrea accepts his marriage proposal then vanishes. Years later she returns to complicate Bruce’s life more than any villain.

That’s the character part of the story. The action part is that someone is killing mob bosses, and Batman is targeted as the culprit. The Phantasm alone is a match for Batman, but he must face the new villain in addition to the police who think he is guilty along with an old and dangerous foe. In order to stop this killer Wayne must unravel the mysteries of his past – a painful emotional journey.

The cast brings in regulars Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as Joker, plus Dana Delaney, Stacy Keach, and other recognizable names. Between the writing and acting it’s easy to forget that you’re watching a cartoon. The realism brought to the images and characters almost creates an illusion of live action.

I enjoyed the Batman cartoon series of the 90’s but I didn’t get so into it that I have made it a priority addition to my DVD collection. "Mask of the Phantasm" was a different story; I couldn’t wait to get it. The emotion and exploration of the Batman character make this well worthy of any Batman fan’s collection.