MovieChat Forums > The Phantom (2010) Discussion > Premieres in Canada (on The Movie Networ...

Premieres in Canada (on The Movie Network) on December 22nd and 23rd

posted 14 years ago by Kris_AB
18 replies | jump to latest

I watched the trailer and it looks like it could be decent-to-better-than-average, or it could be horribly cheesy with nail-on-chalkboard dialogue. Can't tell from just that one trailer. At least it doesn't look like they're shying away from a bit of bloodshed.

The costume change doesn't bother me because, let's face it, the original would get laughed off the screen these days (that doesn't stop me from wanting to see hot Billy Zane in that first Phantom movie or the apparently very well made animated series--two things I've been meaning to get around to for a while, otherwise I have absolutely no connection to this character or his original comics).

I'm not sure why stuff like this keeps ending up on TMN (which is basically the HBO/Showtime of Canada), but I guess they have a deal with the Sci-Fi Channel because they get first Canadian airing dibs on Stargate: Atlantis as well (haven't tried out the Stargate franchise, outside of the original film).

I hope this isn't as much of a letdown as that Knights of Bloodsteel piece of $#!t 2-parter.

Ryan Carnes could be a good lead for the show. I only watched the first season of Desperate Housewives, in which he guest-starred for 5 episodes as the boyfriend of Bree's bisexual son. Dunno how he did in his bigger Season 2 guest appearances. But he was funny and sympathetic, showed promise. Isabella Rossellini and Sandrine Holt are often good, glad they're in the cast.

Not sure if I should be worried or excited that Daneil Knauf (and apparently his brother as well) is writing the movie (which I'm sure they hope they can make into the show's pilot if it does well). I mean on the one hand, Knauf ran Carnivale on HBO (although Ronald Moore of Battlestar Galactica and a whole lot of other sci-fi had a big hand in shaping that show's first season), but on the other hand, Wolf Lake (hey, I didn't hate it, I wanted to like it, but it was more bad than good). Guess we'll see.

[–] lorden86 14 years ago

The phantom should look as he should be. Doesen't matter if it looks laughable, Lee Falk created it. So changing the look of the suit is wrong.

[–] Kris_AB 14 years ago

Bob Kane created/drew Batman's costume originally, but the films, comics, and animated shows have all deviated from that original design, sometimes to a huge degree. I don't see a lot of fans complaining and it doesn't seem to hurt the franchise's profits, popularity, or quality any (in fact the state of the character's costume never dictates how well the story will turn out--he could have his classic look, but if the writer currently on the comic or writing one of the films sucks, then no amount of adherence to his original look is gonna save that particular effort. And his costume could look all updated and modern and "betray" the original artist's take on it, but if the writing provides a great story, who cares if the costume is altered ?).

I'm not that big a Batman fan or anything, just thought I'd use that as an example. I know fans of these properties from a long time ago sometimes don't like change, but it's probably best to try out new looks for the characters/concepts once in a while. Otherwise it might just be "evolve or die".

It does matter if it looks laughable. What was fun, acceptable, brightly colored children's material in the past, looks cheesy and awkward by today's standards (heh, that still doesn't stop a lot of superhero comics from just going for it anyway...and that's fine, 'cause a lotta folks'll buy 'em regardless of the dopey costumes). I'm not trying to be mean or disrespect the Phantom franchise, this is just how I see it.

[–] lorden86 14 years ago

So if this turns out to be a catastrophe what should we blame it on. The story or the costume.

You can't make people think that it's the suit that is the problem when it's actually the story that is to blame.

So when they do the phantom legacy and make a good story people should have no problem looking at the original suit.

[–] paulanno 14 years ago

Kris AB: The main difference is that Batman has ALWAYS looked like Batman, no matter how much the costume has been changed, it's still recognizable as "the dark knight". The new Phantom costume doesn't resemble the character at all.

To say that it looks awful is a major understatement. There would've been tons of ways to update the uniform with it still looking like the character it is meant to be, like what they did in the 1995 Marvel miniseries. Now it looks like Robocop's flamboyant little brother.

[–] rgcustomer 14 years ago

(*** spoilers ***)

Having just watched it, I was let down. Frankly, if Ryan wasn't so much fun to watch, I might have changed the channel.

The first half was slow and dull, but it did do the job of making you interested in seeing the second half.

But the second half was just ludicrous. Some of the lines were so unintentionally hilarious, it really distracted from the show. I wish I had written them down to mock here, but I didn't. But as an example, a TV reporter points out the "purple" suit, which is clearly black. Maybe even the new suit is supposed to be purple, but it's not, and the reporter certainly wouldn't know that anyway.

And of course, the "to be continued"-style ending with the new head of Singh Brotherhood just made me want to throw the whole TV off the roof. After three hours, we deserve a conclusion, not an intro to part 3. The impression I get is that this is a failed TV pilot, being dumped out as a miniseries. But, I'd like to see this re-made as a cinema film. I think Ryan is a good fit for the role, and I think the story of The Phantom is interesting.

The Halloween III Season of the Witch plot line has to go though. How many times do we have to see that remade? And what do they have against TiVo (TIVkOm)?

Anyway, three hours is far too long for the material presented. 90 minutes would have been enough. The cinematography and sound is typical of cheap Canadian schlock, which I assume this is. Really, this kind of video is a far more evil adversary than any Singh Brotherhood could ever be.

6/10

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] butterK 14 years ago

When is the Phantom going to premiere in the US?

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lorden86 14 years ago

No clue, I was hoping someone put this in a torrent site but so fare no one has. I guess sometime in January or February

[–] detour1945 14 years ago

I just finished watching the new Phantom 2-parter and aside from the costume change (don't like the new costume at all) I found the movie to be a fun and faithful rendering of The Ghost Who Walks, for the 21st Century.

[–] A_s_t_e_r_i_s_k 14 years ago

Where did you watch it?

-I'm in a meeting, Spike.
-Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't care.

[–] lorden86 14 years ago

It aired on TV in Canada. The sci-fi channel that I don't have.

[–] A_s_t_e_r_i_s_k 14 years ago

I know. But he said he got done watching it today, it aired in Canada over a week ago.

-I'm in a meeting, Spike.
-Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't care.

[–] detour1945 14 years ago

Hey guys,

Yes, I just watched it the other day on TMN On-Demand, which allows us to watch programming that has already aired, but with VCR contol of the content.

Hope that helps and you guys get to see it soon. A decent effort. 6/10

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lorden86 14 years ago

Then I suggest you tape it and put it online somewhere. Thepiratebay or somewhere else I really don't care.

[–] steve_mcallister 14 years ago

Telling people to put movies on the internet. You are a douchebag.

[–] detour1945 14 years ago

No worries, SM, I have no intention of fulfilling his request.