# Phantoms (1998)

### reviewed by
David Nusair

    Phantoms

Starring Ben Affleck, Joanna Going, Rose McGowan, Liev Schrieber

"Phantoms" is based on a novel by Dean Koontz, one of my favorite authors. In fact, I read the book about the same time I heard a movie was going to be made, and loved it. It was with this knowledge that I went into "Phantoms" expecting a kick-ass horror flick. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed.

The movie isn't all that dissimiliar from the book, which isn't surprising considering Koontz also wrote the screenplay. The premise is simple: A young doctor and her sister enter the small town of Snowfield only to discover that the entire population is either dead or missing. With the help of a few surviving police officers, they set out to discover what happened to the town. Peter O'Toole shows up a bit later to assist our protagonists, as he is a reporter who may or may not know what it is that they're dealing with.

You would think that a movie with a plot as relatively simple as that would be a fast-paced horror/mystery. But, with a director like Joe Chappelle, you'd be wrong. Chappelle, who's last film was "Halloween 6" (arguably the worst of the series), hasn't the faintest idea how to direct a full-length motion picture. He ruins nearly every scene with multiple point-of-view shots, super-fast editing, and shoddy camerawork. He seems to be under the false impression that fast editing and camera movements equals a fast-pace. All that does is disorient the viewer and confuse the storyline. Perhaps under the direction of a more experience director, "Phantoms" would have been the excellent film I had hoped for.

The fault certainly doesn't lie with Koontz, who has crafted a superb companion piece to his excellent novel. Nor does it lie with the young cast who attempt to make the best out of a bad situation. Well, everyone except Affleck, who seems rather out of place as the tough-as-nails sheriff. Affleck is an excellent actor (see "Good Will Hunting" for proof), but, as Dirty Harry might say, "a man's got to know his limitations".

"Phantoms" had the potential to be a great horror film, but unfortunately, it was saddled with a truly incompetent director. Let's hope that the next Koontz novel to make it to the big screen isn't helmed by a third-rate, wannabe-auteur with delusions of grandeur.

    Dave "Loopy" Nusair                                 dnusair@chat.carleton.ca: "In a 'USA Today' interview, Vanna White said since her son has been  :
    ;  born, she wants to work less.  Vanna, you turn *tiles* for a living. ;
    :  If you worked any less, you'd be the triangle player in the 'K.C.    :
    ;  and the Sunshine Band.'"                  -Dennis Miller                ;Dept. of Good Vibes,                 Come visit my Reel Film Reviews site
    Carleton University                 at "http://chat.carleton.ca/~dnusair"

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