PHANTOM
By: John ’Doc’ Strange
Directed by: Todd Robinson
Starring: Ed Harris, David Duchovny, William Fichtner, Lance Henriksen, Jonathan Schaech, Sean Patrick Flanery, Jason Gray-Standord
MPAA Rating: R (for violence)
Selig Rating: FULL PRICE
Runtime: 97 Min.
A Russian submarine commander (Ed Harris) is ordered to return to sea commanding a sub about to be decommissioned for one last secret mission before he is retired. The mission is to test a new device code named “phantom”. The team handling the test is from the “Special Projects Institute”, a radical group within the KGB.
Once at sea tensions between the crew and the KGB testing crew rapidly escalate. When the captain realizes what is at stake, the safety of the world, he tries to stop the tests. The KGB team takes over the boat and proceeds with their plans while the crew does their best to prevent it.
Sounds like a dozen other sub movies, doesn’t it? At first, I felt the same way. Two things save this film. First are the amazing performances from the cast. The second are a series of surprises that writer/director Todd Robinson slips into the story.
It is not often that a story, especially one that is inspired by actual events, can take me by surprise. This film does just that. The sets aboard the sub give you the full effect of the claustrophobic feeling that being one of the World War II era diesel subs. I enjoyed the suspense, the action, and most of all, the ending.
Movie Site: http://phantomthefilm.com/
