Phantom (2013)

Sorry, this movie sucks

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

PHANTOM is a Cold War submarine thriller with a B-movie feel. I found it a worthwhile watch despite some deficiencies in terms of scripting and the like; the efforts of a stalwart cast help to make this an engaging and occasionally suspenseful viewing experience. Ed Harris, ever excellent, plays the captain of a Russian submarine who finds himself at odds with the strange orders he receives from the secret service men on board. David Duchovny relishes the opportunity to play a sinister character while the likes of William Fichtner and Lance Henriksen bring solid support. The film keeps you guessing at times and has the right kind of claustrophobic atmosphere you expect from a submarine flick; at times, it's also unexpectedly moving.

Found this title on Netflix and to my surprise it was a good choice. It's a very entertaining movie with a great cast. It's an interesting story that manages to create a lot of tension. Ed Harris is great as the captain. Overall, a very good choice that should keep your attention throughout.

I was very impressed by this Film. I felt like it grabbed me very early, kept me entertained and on the edge of my seat, and didn't let go until after the credits rolled through. I really liked Ed Harris' performance as the captain. He made me side with him while still giving the character the feel of a shady and dishonorable past. I only had one problem with this film and it is a minor one. The lack of a soviet accent by the characters, all the actors speak in perfect English. The only problem with this is that it makes it harder to identify the characters as soviets. This does not take away for the fact that this is still a very good film, it is just a minor detail I noticed. The end of the movie really brought it home for me, it was an superbly well executed ending to an all around good film. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good suspense film, people who enjoy war movies and anyone who just wants to watch a good entertaining film.

Much is made of perceived weaknesses in "Phantom," most notably the absence of Russian accents. This doesn't bother me, certainly no more than watching anything by the BBC in which everyone, regardless of character nationality, has an accent found somewhere in the British Isles. I'm not familiar with the minutiae of Soviet era submariners, so I can't suitably critique the proper etiquette or uniform details. Looked accurate enough for me to accept it. If you're willing to look past that, you'll be able to enjoy a competent, if slightly derivative, submarine flick. Frankly, it's worth watching for the performances of Ed Harris (the sub captain) and William Fichtner (Harris's second in command) alone. They carry the movie, and, in my case at least, kept me watching through to the end. David Duchovny, as the rogue KGB agent is a little harder to accept, but I suspect that has less to do with his performance than my own inability to not think, "What the hell, Mulder?" every time I see him. The supporting characters do their best with what they have, and honestly, I admire anyone who can work in even a mock submarine's space. Ultimately, this movie is about sacrifice, whether on the part of the family separated by military service, or the things one is willing to do for the sake of one's nation. If you've actually read this far into the reviews, or even this far into this one review, I think you'll be engaged enough that it won't be a waste of your time to watch "Phantom," especially if you can see it via whatever instant service you use. Like it says above, it's not "Das Boot," but really, what else is?