Retro Film Review: Phantoms (1998)

over 3 years ago (Edited)

(source:tmdb.org)

Adapting good literature into good films is difficult task and many successful writers saw their literary bestsellers turned into miserable box office failures. Few had opportunity to do anything about it. One such opportunity was used by Dean R. Koontz, one of the most successful horror genre authors in modern America. Displeased with the way Hollywood dealt with his novel Hideaway, Koontz decided to take more active part - as scriptwriter and executive producer - in the movie adaptation of his next novel. The result was Phantoms, 1998 horror film directed by Joe Chappele.

The plot takes place in Snowfield, Colorado, picturesque small town that has some 4000 inhabitants in the summer and 400 inhabitants in the winter. Dr. Jennifer Pailey (played by Joanna Going) is a physician who, together with her sister Lisa (played by Rose McGowan), comes to Snowfield in order to spend some time with her mother. What they discover is a town without a living soul – instead, they find corpses and body parts. Arrival of young sheriff Bryce Hammond (played by Ben Affleck) brings only temporary relief, because sheriff doesn't have a clue what really happened with the town. The phone lines are dead, all motor vehicles are apparently unusable and small band of survivors is forced to spend the night surrounded by strange noises, which has devastating effect on the mental health of sheriff's deputy Stu Wargle (played by Liev Schreiber). When sheriff finally manages to make contact with the outside world US government responds by sending a team of top scientists. The team includes Professor Timothy Flythe (played by Peter O'Toole), once respected scholar who had been reduced to technical advisor for tabloids due to his wild theories about mysterious underground life form responsible for the destruction of ancient civilisations.

What looks good on paper usually don't look that good on screen, but the first part of Phantoms is more than satisfying for the most fans of horror genre. Intriguing concept of an entire town being wiped out and few survivors having to figure out how to escape the same fate provides necessary tension and Chappelle, for the most part, directs this film very well. The problems for the film emerge in the second part, when some sort of explanation is offered to the audience. Viewers then start to notice the dreadful casting - studio, in a lame attempt to emulate success of Scream, filled the screen with young-looking pretty faces more suitable for 1980s teenager slasher horror than the adaptation of serious novel. Going, McGowan and Affleck fail to make any impression; their acting is so bland that the audience stops caring about the fate of their characters. Even the valiant attempts of Liev Schreiber to breath some life into this film utterly fail. Veteran Peter O'Toole is much more successful because his charismatic character brings some humour in the film. The scene in which O'Toole talks with the hole in the ground indicates that Phantoms could have been wonderful parody. Sadly, this scene appears too late to salvage the film and the finale succumbs to genre cliches. Just like his colleague Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz learned that the personal involvement of writer doesn't always guarantee successful film adaptation of his work.

RATING: 2/10 (-)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on May 17th 2004)