Phantom (2013)
Average Rating: 4.6/10
Reviews Counted: 53
Fresh: 13 | Rotten: 40
A cast of solid actors do what they can to elevate the material, but Phantom's script is too clunky and devoid of tension to bear comparison to its thematic predecessors.
Average Rating: 4.7/10
Critic Reviews: 20
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 16
A cast of solid actors do what they can to elevate the material, but Phantom's script is too clunky and devoid of tension to bear comparison to its thematic predecessors.
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Average Rating: 3.1/5
User Ratings: 2,334
Movie Info
Academy Award (R) nominee Ed Harris (A Beautiful Mind, The Abyss), David Duchovny ("The X-Files," "Californication") and William Fichtner (The Dark Knight, Black Hawk Down) star in PHANTOM, a Cold War-era suspense thriller about a Soviet submarine captain, haunted by his past, who is forced to lead a covert mission that could spark a global nuclear war. Written and directed by Todd Robinson (Lonely Hearts, White Squall) and inspired by true events, PHANTOM is a riveting deep-sea adventure about
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Cast
-
Ed Harris
Demi, Dmitri Zubov -
David Duchovny
Bruni -
William Fichtner
Alex -
Lance Henriksen
Markok -
Johnathon Schaech
Pavlov -
Jason Beghe
Dr. Semak -
Dagmara Dominczyk
Sophi -
Derek Magyar
Garin -
Sean Patrick Flanery
Tyrtov -
Jason Gray-Stanford
Sasha -
Julian Adams
Bavenod -
Kip Pardue
Yanis -
Jordan Bridges
Sonar Operator -
Jacob Witkin
Priest -
Matt Bushell
Sentry -
Daren Flam
Stepan -
Pedro Hossi
Vlad -
Tessa Robinson
Demi's Daughter -
Brien Perry
Guard -
Wayne Scott Miller
Starshina -
Ashlyn Nicole Selich
Sasha's Bride
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Phantom Trailer & Photos
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (40)
Ed Harris and company can't lift this one off the seafloor, and "Phantom" fades away into the murky mist.
Top CriticThe film remains mediocre, with flat cinematography and crudely anachronistic dialogue.
A game effort by a decent cast highlights the old-fashioned submarine thriller "Phantom," but heavy-handed dialogue, flurries of melodrama and a silly ending make the whole enterprise sink like a stone.
It's not something you want to plunk down $12 for, but just diverting enough to check out when it arrives on Netflix Instant.
[Its] admirable air of realism dissipates once Robinson takes viewers outside the sub, where torpedo skirmishes are staged with too-perfect CGI bombast.
"Phantom" has a pulpy B-movie intensity and economy to match its cast of quality character actors.
It's fun just to hear the lingo and watch the sailors go about their tasks, but not so fun when the captain's Dark Secret starts giving him cheesy, strobing flashbacks.
At least it seems to have a working knowledge of submarine procedures and terminology.
Inexcusably tedious, resulting in yawning boredom
Scuttle it.
Seriously, where's that giant octopus when you need him?
Harris, Duchovny and Fichtner lead a strong cast in a engrossing submarine adventure
Taut, tense sub drama is entertaining, despite cliches.
Phantom features some wonky visual effects, but one either buys into a film of this kind or not.
Dramatically waterlogged and, despite the efforts of a strong cast, more than a little silly.
Slow start, fast finish.
Ed Harris is back in command and the world depends on him. Look out.
When it's focused, it comes together in satisfactory way, blending crew procedures with stratagem. When it loses its step, it's utterly forgettable, even with its submarine setting.
It's an okay military thriller. But considering the real-life story behind the tale, it could and should have been so much more. (Full Content Review for Parents also available)
Techs are OK and the cramped claustrophobia of pre-nuclear submarines is palpable. But, "Phantom" does not approach the last great submariner flick, "Das Boot (1981)"...
Even some faultless acting in the lead roles cannot redeem the preposterous goings-on in this throwback of a suspense thriller set aboard a Russian nuclear submarine at the height of the Cold War.
We get stern orders, dry technospeak and the occasional physical incident, but far less than what's required in such an apocalyptic setting.
Audience Reviews for Phantom
Discussion Forum
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| Reality | 3 months ago | 1 |
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Movie: ID: 771315948 Title: Phantom Release Date: 2013-03-01 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 4 Status: 1
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First, we all know all out nuclear war DID NOT break out. So, it is a foregone conclusion that the plan will be thwarted. So, of course the ending of the film will not be like a Spielberg film. Next, there aren?t any wonky Russian accents that are like Boris and Natasha from Bullwinkle and no English accents either like in a BBC miniseries. I thought it was great to see Duchovney play a villain and he does so in a determined and lucid manner, yet when necessary he lashes out with sociopathic alacrity. Fichtner who often plays villains or unsavory characters is against type here also. He is loyal and trustworthy. I would say this performance kept this movie together and Fichtner was a total rescue to this film. Without him this whole film would have fallen flat. This movie is already the number one most downloaded movie all across SE Asia right now. It is also enjoying lots of demand on cable TV services. I think this movie will have a second life and will be given a better chance in those formats along with DVD sales and rentals.