Phantom

Name: Phantom
Genre: Thriller
Released: March 1, 2013
Duration: 98 min
Rating: 40
Cast: Dagmara Dominczyk, David Duchovny, Ed Harris, Jason Beghe, Jason Gray-Stanford

2013

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Mixed or average reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 22 Ratings

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5.4

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5.4	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 22 Ratings

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Phantom

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Movie Details & Credits

RCR Distribution | Release Date: March 1, 2013 | R

Starring: Dagmara Dominczyk, David Duchovny, Ed Harris, Jason Beghe, Jason Gray-Stanford, Johnathon Schaech, Julian Adams, Lance Henriksen, Sean Patrick Flanery, William Fichtner

Summary: The troubled captain of a Cold War Soviet submarine holds the fate of the world in his hands. Forced to leave his family behind, he is charged with leading a covert mission and tested by a rogue KGB group.

Director: Todd Robinson

Genre(s): Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 98 min

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Critic Reviews

Andrew O'Hehir

Feb 28, 2013

In this classy, taut white-knuckler – largely shot inside a real-life decommissioned Soviet sub – Robinson asks us to consider more than the hypothetical possibility that the world nearly ended in 1968. He reminds us that we have no idea how many other near-misses may have happened in the behind-the-scenes history of the modern age and also, more troubling still, that long after the Cold War has faded into memory we continue to have difficulty telling the crazy people from the sane ones. Read full review

Mark Olsen

Feb 28, 2013

Phantom is a relatively tight, gripping story told with efficiency that makes room for its fine roster of actors to explore old-fashioned ideas on honor and loyalty. Read full review

McClatchy-Tribune News Service Roger Moore

Feb 26, 2013

Robinson manages some suspense, but the thriller’s ticking clock is a weak one. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Feb 27, 2013

Though pitched as a thriller, Robinson’s woefully underbudgeted film plays instead like a chamber drama, so simple and unadorned that it could just as easily be staged as an off-off-Broadway play without anyone telling the difference. And that isn’t entirely to the film’s detriment, either: With a cast choked with great character actors like Ed Harris, William Fichtner, and Lance Henriksen, less is sometimes more. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Mar 1, 2013

Ed Harris in Phantom is like Steve Carlton with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1972 — delivering a wall-to-wall, amazing performance that's lost in a sea of dreadfulness. Read full review

Mark Jenkins

Mar 1, 2013

The newest model of the old submarine-from-hell picture. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Feb 28, 2013

The dialogue is dreadful (though we are at least spared the usual hokey Russian accents) and the wrap-up ridiculous, the only mystery being why this peculiarity was ever greenlighted at all. Read full review

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User Reviews

lghulm

Mar 26, 2015

Thought the movie was extremely well acted, the scripting tense and tight and with a great forbidding soundtrack. Very pleasantly surprised by the film overall.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Captain_Chaos

Sep 27, 2018

Phantom is a fictional account of the true disappearance of the Soviet electric/diesel submarine K-129 in 1968. Officially deemed a mechanical failure, the ship's record remains sealed to the public to this day. However, there are reasonable refutations to this explanation- one theory holdsPhantom is a fictional account of the true disappearance of the Soviet electric/diesel submarine K-129 in 1968. Officially deemed a mechanical failure, the ship's record remains sealed to the public to this day. However, there are reasonable refutations to this explanation- one theory holds that the ship might have been, intentionally or unintentionally, scuttled by its crew. Phantom presents its own take on that idea, by depicting a mutiny with potentially apocalyptic consequences by Soviet political fanatics against true patriots in their navy. It is as intense as any submarine film I have watched, and the stakes just as high. In retrospect it reminds me vaguely of Crimson Tide, though the events depicted are quite different.

The visuals of the movie are excellent. The oppressive lighting, sound and music design and even the look of combined weariness and determination on Ed Harris' face- its a good movie for watching, to be sure.

Much like the film Enemy at the Gates, amusingly also starring Ed Harris, Phantom depicts a largely Russian set of characters, but played mostly by Western, in this case mostly American, actors with no attempt to affect Russian accents. Arguably this works in its favor: the intense delivery of the dialogue might have suffered if forced through a false accent.

Popular response to this film seems to be fairly negative, but I can't imagine why. It's a good movie in its own right, even if some kind of documentary about what happened to the real ship might have been more interesting.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

freebiesindia

May 6, 2017

Thought the movie was extremely well acted, the scripting tense and tight and with a great forbidding soundtrack. Very pleasantly surprised by the film overall.
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0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Thegodfatherson

Mar 1, 2013

I was very excited to see Phantom because of Ed Harris but it seems like water adventure films do stink bad. Phantom was gripping in the middle but the pace drops at the end and then boom, The End. I like Ed Harris, but with this film he has disappointed me.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

TVJerry

Mar 6, 2013

Ed Harris stars as a washed-up Russian submarine captain (is there any other kind in movies?). His final mission includes a KBG agent (David Duchovny) with diabolical plans. None of it matters because this is one of the slowest, most talky war movies ever. Since it takes place in the smallEd Harris stars as a washed-up Russian submarine captain (is there any other kind in movies?). His final mission includes a KBG agent (David Duchovny) with diabolical plans. None of it matters because this is one of the slowest, most talky war movies ever. Since it takes place in the small confines of the sub, tension should be built-in, but the only drama is provided by obnoxious ominous music and painfully portentous dialogue. Even worse, the action is often confusing If you enjoy Cold War sub conflict, you might find it worthy. Otherwise, stay above the surface. NOTE: Look for Johnathon Schaech hiding behind a giant moustache.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Mab_987

Mar 4, 2013

Don't see Phantom. It's not horrible but it's dull, boring and completely lacking in memorability. Not one character or plot-point sunk in, and I found my mind wandering throughout. The acting's okay for the most part, sometimes decent and stupid at others. There's a couple "so bad it'sDon't see Phantom. It's not horrible but it's dull, boring and completely lacking in memorability. Not one character or plot-point sunk in, and I found my mind wandering throughout. The acting's okay for the most part, sometimes decent and stupid at others. There's a couple "so bad it's good" moments but they're short, sporadic and not worth seeing the whole thing for. The only reason why I saw it in the first place is cause it was my dad's turn to pick the movie, and because he's a veteran he goes nuts for any movie that involves the military, this being no exception. Just... don't see this. You won't be traumatized by outright badness but it's not worth spending your time and money on. 40/100… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

GreatMartin

Mar 1, 2013

The choice of new Friday movies went from “Jack The Giant Slayer”, which I was told to avoid, “21 and Over” which I didn’t have to be told to avoid, “The Last Exorcism Part 2”, and after avoiding Part 1 why would I bother? The only new movie that had any interest, more because of the actorsThe choice of new Friday movies went from “Jack The Giant Slayer”, which I was told to avoid, “21 and Over” which I didn’t have to be told to avoid, “The Last Exorcism Part 2”, and after avoiding Part 1 why would I bother? The only new movie that had any interest, more because of the actors than the subject, was “Phantom”, which is based on a true story about a Russian submarine in 1968 planning to fire on a U. S. ship hoping to start World War 3 between China and the U. S. their biggest competitors. We were the only 2 people in the auditorium so it was like a private showing but that didn’t help much. It is a comparatively short movie--97 minutes--covering a lot but making it a little hard to figure out what was going on. At one point I thought one of the actors had been killed and there he was in the next scene, though in profile, and Allen had to tell me it was him. None of the actors use a Russian accent which is a blessing especially when it comes to scientific angles of what is going on. There are some flashbacks which aren’t clearly edited and neither is the ending. The director/screenwriter, Todd Robinson, isn’t exactly clear on what is happening when, or why, but most of the actors come through for him with Ed Harris doing the best job. David Duchovny seems out of place, not quite comfortable playing the KGB agent. The supporting cast is made up of many familiar faces who always give their all including William Fichter, Jason Beghe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Johnathon Schaech, Lance Henriksen and Julian Adams. They are actors that you will constantly ask yourself, “I know them but from where?” and are interesting to watch. Dagmara Dominczyk and Tessa Robinson play brief roles. In no way is “Phantom” in the same class as “Das Boots” “Run Silent, Run Deep” or “The Hunt For Red October” but I have a feeling it is a better movie than the other ones that opened today… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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