Today’s Prayer Focus

Phantom

MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA)

for violence.

Moral Rating:	not reviewed
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:	Adults
Genre:	Action War Suspense Thriller Drama
Length:	1 hr. 37 min.
Year of Release:	2013
USA Release:	March 1, 2013 (wide—2,000+ theaters) DVD: June 25, 2013

Relevant Issues

FEAR, Anxiety and Worry—What does the Bible say? Answer

war in the Bible

Featuring	Ed Harris … Demi David Duchovny … Bruni Sean Patrick Flanery … Tyrtov William Fichtner … Alex Lance Henriksen … Markov Johnathon Schaech … Pavlov Jason Beghe … Semak Dagmara Dominczyk … Sophi Jason Gray-Stanford … Sasha Julian Adams … Bavenod Kip Pardue … Yanis See all » Matt Bushell … Sentry Daren Flam … Stepan Pedro Hossi … Vladi Brien Perry … Russian Guard Derek Magyar … Garin Wayne Scott Miller … Starshina Tessa Robinson … Demi’s Daughter Tyler Robinson … Sailor Ashlyn Nicole Selich … Sasha’s young bride
Director	Todd Robinson
Producer	RCR Media Group Trilogy Entertainment Group See all » Solar Filmworks Julian Adams … producer Ricardo Costa Reis … executive producer Rui Costa Reis … executive producer Alex Daltas … associate producer Pen Densham … producer Eliad Josephson … executive producer Scott Putman … line producer: additional photography Todd Robinson … executive producer John Watson … producer
Distributor	RCR Distribution

“You’ll never see it coming”

Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “Ed Harris plays the captain of a Cold War Soviet missile submarine who has secretly been suffering from seizures that alter his perception of reality. Forced to leave his wife and daughter, he is rushed into a classified mission, where he is haunted by his past and challenged by a rogue KGB group (led by David Duchovny) bent on seizing control of the ship’s nuclear missile. With the fate of humanity in his hands, Harris discovers has been chosen for this mission in the belief he would fail. ‘Phantom’ is a suspense submarine thriller about extraordinary men facing impossible choices.

Inspired by actual events”

Violence: Extreme / Profanity: Heavy—“Jesus Christ,” “G*d-d*mn,” “For G*d’s sakes,” “damn,” “hell” (4), f-word, s-words (8), SOB (3) / Sex/Nudity: Moderate

Volunteer reviewer needed for this movie

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

Neutral

Neutral—This movie could’ve been PG-13, if some gore were softened, and a couple of bad phrases changed. Overall, it is a thrilling story with moral lesson (not just a dumb action with killings all over the place). It correctly (in my opinion) compares motives for offense/defense strategies of both sides of the Cold War.

Minor issue: The movie is lacking the authenticity of being about Russian military. It’s like I was watching a movie about what would happened if these particular events of the Cold War were actually taking place in USA instead of USSR. For instance, Christianity, even in its perverse form as a Western Russian Orthodoxy, was very frown upon, and mostly prohibited, so no marriage, especially with a presence of a military authority, would have taken place.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½

Vlad, age 36 (USA)

Movie Critics

…This talky and tedious submarine drama remains submerged. …Clearly shot on a low budget, ‘Phantom’ has the look and feel of a gussied-up television movie…

Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

The potential for screw-tightening suspense gets lost amid the ineffectual dramatics in “Phantom,” a feeble fictionalization of a crucial but little-known moment when a rogue Soviet submarine brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. …

Justin Chang, Variety

…the basis for the film’s confusing, cliché-stuffed plot is the mysterious sinking of a Soviet submarine in 1968—an event around which Mr. Robinson spins a yarn of unpardonable monotony. …

Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times

…“Phantom” isn’t a cinematic masterpiece, but it tells an utterly fascinating story that turns America-first patriotism on its head. For a generation raised on Cold War paranoia, it will take some adjusting to root for the bad guy, who, in the course of faithfully serving a country not our own, just might have saved the world. … [2/4]

Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post

…a modest thriller propelled by a strong cast and straightforward storytelling. … ‘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.

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times

…The caustic claustrophobia. The undersea silence inevitably punctured by explosions and gushes of water. The gravity of the usually murky missions. I, for one, happen to resonate with that kind of actioner. …

Adam R. Holz, Plugged In

…the film remains mediocre, with flat cinematography and crudely anachronistic dialogue. …the very end of the film contains yet another slight twist. But it takes too long to get there. And the journey’s not much fun at all.

Stephen Whitty, The Star-Ledger (New Jersey)

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