Balance Between Darkness And Heart
If you think about it, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a pretty dark film by animation standards. There was blood, death, broken hearts, and the ending wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows – yet, it worked and no one had a fat whine about it.
You see, what the film did exceptionally well was to balance the darkness with enough heart and optimism. The motivations of the characters – whether good or bad – were clear, but you could still sympathize with both Bruce and Andrea’s decisions. They weren’t bad people; just people in different circumstances. Ultimately, though, they suffered because of their respective choices.
When we think about all the criticism of the DCEU’s initial dark approach, it’s hard to wonder why the filmmakers didn’t look back at this feature as a reference point. It’s entirely possible to have a dark narrative, just as long as the theme of heart stays intact. Superheroes will experience tragedies and low points, but it’s how they overcome them that should inspire us.