So much average

Don't Believe the Hype

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Perhaps the best example of movie being better than the book. The most effective parts of the movie are the small, vivid, almost unbearably poignant human moments. Extras were clearly the worst part of the film. There is a scene were two extras look like they are going to attack the actors for no reason.Soundtrack doesn't seem to be as timeless as the film itself Part Platoon part Blade Runner. It is a fast paced thriller, that will throw on the breaks at the appropriate time. Liev Schreiber gave the performance of his career putting him in the elite stratosphere of Bogart and Don Baker. Although not a fan Ben Affleck; I found his performance to be most explosive.

"Phantoms" chronicles a doctor, Jennifer (Joanna Going) taking her L.A. sister, Lisa (Rose McGowan) to stay with her in the quaint Colorado mountain town she has settled in. Upon arriving to the town, it is clear something is wrong— everybody seems to have vanished, and the ones who do remain have died under inexplicable circumstances. Enter Ben Affleck and Liev Schreiber as a sheriff and his deputy who come to save the day, but things become more and more complicated after the arrival of an academic theories (Peter O'Toole).In the style of Miramax's late-'90s/early 2000s horror films, "Phantoms" was directed by Joe Chappelle, who had previously directed the middling "Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers" in 1995. With "Phantoms," Chappelle employs a similar visual style to his "Halloween" sequel, which includes flashy cinematography and editing techniques. "Halloween: The Curse..." is one of the most despised films of its franchise, but I've always appreciated Chappelle's visual aesthetic which, while sometimes one dimensional, still has its own unique sensibility."Phantoms" starts out phenomenally: breathtaking overhead shots of the Rockies, moving toward a small community nestled in the mountains in the dead of winter. What the film does extremely well is create a pervasive apocalyptic feel that upholds its entire first act, and it is surprisingly riveting. "Silent Hill" and even films like "Dawn of the Dead" have shown us that there are few things eerier than empty streets that shouldn't be empty. An entire town, furthermore— especially one as isolated as it is in "Phantoms"— is even more quietly oppressive. The unease and intrigue is immediately established, and there are plenty of fun and chilling gimmicks as Going and McGowan wander through the Colorado wasteland.The film shifts gears about halfway in, and veers toward "Predator" territory with a philosophical and scientific bent to it, brought to us by none there than Peter O'Toole. While this shift is necessary for the film to run its intended course, it definitely creates a rift in the narrative that isn't as well-situated as it could have been. There are some fantastic moments in the last half of the film, but there is a sense that you are almost seeing two different movies.Joanna Going and a late '90s, post-"Scream" Rose McGowan play the ostensible lead characters, though there is a bit of confusion as to who constitutes "protagonist" in this film. Affleck and Schreiber are great, with Schreiber being especially abrasive and leery on the audience. O'Toole is fitting as the token Brit professor.Overall, "Phantoms" is very much enjoyable as raw entertainment; it has star power and is stylishly directed, and its first act is wildly atmospheric and nightmarish. Unfortunately, I do feel the film spins its wheels a bit too much as it delves into the second half, and sabotages the very tone that makes the first half so unnerving. No less, it is a fun film with enough memorable highlights to be worth a watch. 7/10.

Apparently, Phantoms is based on a book, but, seeing as I haven't read it, I really can't compare it to that. The popular consensus from those that have is that - as usual - the film doesn't compare to the book.It's about two sisters who come to a small town after their mother died, only to find that the whole town has also died, only in more hideous and disturbing circumstances. Luckily, the youngest Sheriff in America (aka Ben Affleck) is on hand to help them out and steer them through the danger. Add into the mix eccentric British academic, Peter O'Toole and you have a rag-tag bunch ready to combat evil. Yes, the American army does try to help, but it's fair to say that Ben and Peter are better at saving the world than any trained military force.Somehow I managed to watch Stephen King's (much maligned) 'Dreamcatcher' before I saw Phantoms and I found the two were pretty similar - both decent enough sci-fi/horror movies, but both also a bit flawed. Neither seems to know really which direction it's going and throws one new element into the mix after the next.If you regularly watch sci-fi/horror B-movies, then Phantoms is definitely a cut above those. It's just a pity that it wasn't a bit more focused, otherwise it might have been a classic.

Dr. Jennifer Pailey (Going) brings her younger sister Lisa (McGowan) to her small Colorado town in an attempt to keep her out of trouble. When they arrive they find everyone in town dead minus a few others including Sheriff Bryce (Affleck) and a handful of others. Fearing an outbreak of some kind, the small band of people tries to find logic and a common thread. One victim has scrawled the name Timothy Flyte in blood on the wall. Flyte (O'Toole), is a tabloid writer who wrote a story about an ancient evil that comes up from the depths of the earth every 100 years or so, and devours anything in it's way. Flyte, and the Army is called in and the entity takes on the form of the people's fear. Lisa calls it the Devil and now it thinks it is and it seems intent on killing everyone. Dean Koontz adapts his own novel into this screenplay and Director Joe Chappelle makes the first 20 minutes incredibly tight with jump scares and thick atmosphere. The girls walking around a dead town in fright is simply chilling. Horror fans will enjoy many elements at work here including some cool monster designs, gore and even suspense. The cast is solid with Peter O'Toole giving the picture a sense of class. Elements of the story could have made this very cheesy but Chappelle manages to steer the film away from that. The middle drags a little and there is an unnecessary and stupid final twist that threatens the films effectiveness. By far, the most chilling scene in the film is when Flyte is going to meet the being face to face. It is brilliantly executed and chilling as hell! This memorable moment almost deserves to be in a better film it is that good. 'Phantoms' is a fun and entertaining monster/creature film.