Phantom

2013
R
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

15K

YOUR RATING

David Duchovny and Ed Harris in Phantom (2013)

The captain of a Cold War Soviet missile submarine finds himself and his crew coerced into accepting a classified mission.

Play trailer1:32

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Drama History Thriller War

The haunted Captain of a Soviet submarine holds the fate of the world in his hands. Forced to leave his family behind, he is charged with leading a covert mission cloaked in mystery.The haunted Captain of a Soviet submarine holds the fate of the world in his hands. Forced to leave his family behind, he is charged with leading a covert mission cloaked in mystery.The haunted Captain of a Soviet submarine holds the fate of the world in his hands. Forced to leave his family behind, he is charged with leading a covert mission cloaked in mystery.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

15K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
The picture is apparently loosely based on actual real-life events regarding the sinking in 1968 of the Russian submarine K-129. The Wikipedia website states: "K-129 was a Project 629A (NATO reporting name Golf-II) diesel-electric powered submarine of the Soviet Pacific Fleet, one of six Project 629 strategic ballistic missile submarines attached to the 15th Submarine Squadron based at Rybachiy Naval Base, Kamchatka, commanded by Rear Admiral Rudolf A. Golosow. In January 1968, the 15th Submarine Squadron was part of the 29th Ballistic Missile Division at Rybachiy, commanded by Admiral Viktor Dygalo. K-129's commander was Captain First Rank V.I. Kobzar. K-129 carried hull number 722 on her final deployment during which she sank on 8 March 1968. It was one of four mysterious submarine disappearances in 1968; the others being the Israeli submarine INS Dakar, the French submarine Minerve (S647) and the US submarine USS Scorpion (SSN-589). The Soviet Navy deployed a huge flotilla of ships to search for her but never found her wreck. The United States attempted to recover the boat in 1974 in a secret Cold War-era effort named Project Azorian. The vessel's position 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) below the surface was the greatest depth from which an attempt had been made to raise a ship. The cover story used was that the salvage vessel was engaged in commercial manganese nodule mining."

Goofs
The merchant vessel under which they position the sub is clearly identifiable as an auto carrier in both surface and periscope shots, but the captain identifies it as a tanker.

Quotes
Bruni: Last chance, Captain. Compliance for a grateful nation.
Demi: There's a Ukrainian proverb that says: "Share a tent with Gypsies, and wake up in a field of shit."
Bruni: Ah. I've heard that one, yes.
Demi: Then you'll understand if I tell you to go fuck yourself.

Connections
Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.103 (2013)

Soundtracks
Ja Milogo
Written by Alex Kharlamov
Performed by Alex Kharlamov and Anastasia Nemirovich-Danchecnko

User reviews105

Review

Featured review

9/10

Thoroughly Enjoyable

Inspired by actual events in 1968

In 1968, a Russian diesel submarine goes out for one last mission and then it will be given to the Chinese. Captain Demi (Ed Harris) believes Bruni (David Duchovny), a KGB operative, has plans to take over the ship and start a nuclear war. Bruni will use Phantom to accomplish his mission. How to stop him?

I may be dating myself, but I couldn't help thinking of Richard Widmark during this movie. This was his kind of movie and Ed Harris does an Oscar Worthy job filling in for our departed (2008) friend. Kudos.

The language was all in English, not English with broken Russian accents. That was a good move as nothing was lost in translation by doing this.

The acting by all was excellent. There was good suspense and tension with the music helping.

This was thoroughly enjoyable and the last scenes were heartfelt and very, very clever. Keep a box of Kleenex handy as you may need it. Did I mention that the last scenes were very clever?

There is a statement at the end that says in 1968 a Russian submarine went missing and all is still classified by both the Russian and American governments. (9/10)

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, not much though.