Review of Phantom (2013) by Abemc — 24 May 2017

Good performances by everyone (Duchovny and Fichtner especially), but a slow first act harms the first impression. Some odd details as well (were Soviet captains allowed this level of religion? or a senior submarine tech who has served on subs for years... is claustrophobic?). Visually, Phantom is a close, tight viewing experience, with dials and switches littering the periphery of almost every frame. About half-way through, the conflict between Demi (Harris) and Bruni (Duchovny) comes out into the open, and things pick up in a BIG way (mutiny and submarine warfare). Well-designed tension from there to the (surprisingly poignant) ending.

Worth a watch if you're a fan of submarine movies in general, and a good film when considering the low budget it had. If you were hoping for something on the level of Hunt for Red October or Crimson Tide, though, you'll be disappointed.