Ashvegas movie review: Phantom

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Welcome back,  Mr. Harris.
(RCR Distribution)

Submarine movies possess an inherent intrigue that, if utilized with a basic sense of competency, are veritable breeding grounds for suspense.  The claustrophobic space in which the action plays out and the energetic, esoteric jargon automatically make the proceedings tense.  Throw in genuine danger and decent special effects and the story is ahead of the bulk of its landlubbing kin from the start.  So it goes for Ted Robinson’s Phantom, a taut naval thriller further elevated by an old school, commanding performance by Ed Harris.  Neither innovative nor overly reductive, the film’s straightforward approach yields consistently strong moments with minimal missteps, easily placing it above the wealth of miserable offerings in this young year.

“Didn’t I already solve this X-file?”
(RCR Distribution)

Following classic disaster protocol, Phantom is ripe with foreshadowing from the start.  Not only is Harris’ Demi Zubov on his final mission before a forced retirement (the old sailor’s equivalent of a thief’s “one last job”), but he’s captaining one of the last remaining diesel boats in the Russian fleet with a crew on an unexpectedly short amount of rest.  Prospects only grow dimmer when the sub is boarded by KGB agent Bruni (David Duchovny) and a handful of his associates, the presence of whom troubles Demi and first officer Alex (William Fichtner) more than their purported research mission suggests.  Once below water, the addition of Demi’s mysterious flashbacks and a tapping sound only he can hear offer a wealth of suspenseful possibilities, and in doling them out, Robinson does not disappoint.

“Anybody else got a hankering for some sardines?”
(RCR Distribution)

Filmed on an actual decommissioned sub, Robinson’s camera makes each shot eerily tight, daring the characters not to bump heads.  Eschewing slick movements in the name of steady unease, his restrain is the audience’s gain and allows his small yet talented cast to provide the fireworks.  Given arguably his juiciest role since 2005’s A History of Violence, Harris brings a vintage gravitas to every line and inspires Character Actor All-Stars Fichtner, Johnathon Schaech, and Sean Patrick Flanery to keep up.  Similarly in need of a strong film part, TV stalwart Duchovny makes for an appealing villain, his full capabilities shrouded behind a polite veneer.  Spitting sharp lines that surprisingly don’t require phony Russian accents, the major players keep the story simmering and crank up the heat as needed with veteran precision.

“Five hundred rubles says you can’t pronounce my name
and keep a straight face.”
(RCR Distribution)

As the two sides battle for control of the nuclear missile on board, Phantom’s action proceeds at an understandably fast rate, though not without a few hiccups.  Minor characters blur together in the frenzy and Demi’s handful of epileptic visions are blindingly bright.  There’s also the issue of the ending that, though the sentiment mostly works, has more in common with Safe Haven than a film of its merit deserves.  The concluding corniness unfortunately leaves one with a deflated opinion of the work overall and prevents Robinson’s film from joining the ranks of more accomplished peers such as The Hunt for Red October and Crimson Tide.  Harris’ strong turn and the preceding thrills, however, are not easily forgotten and are more than enough to warrant a look.

Grade: B

Rated R for violence.

Phantom is currently playing at the Carolina Cinemas on Hendersonville Rd.

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The Week in Film: Hello Yellow Brick Road edition March 8, 2013 - 2:53 pm

[…] outta here, along with the rotting corpses of Snitch, Dark Skies, and the respectable Phantom, which apparently did so poorly nationwide that its distributor refuses to disclose its […]

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