It's any wonder Phantom has not already become a submarine movie classic. The writing and directing are so good, and the outstanding cast ensemble includes Ed Harris, David Duchovny, William Fichtner, and Lance Henriksen. Incredibly, Phantom may look like a big production film, but it was made on a shoestring budget.
One of the inspirations of Phantom was the mysterious disappearance of a real Russian submarine, the K-129, in the Pacific Ocean in 1968. Most of the movie was, in fact, shot inside an actual Russian submarine, making it a character of its own and lending to the film's authenticity.
While Phantom is an American movie, writer and director Todd Robinson (The Last Full Measure) wanted to forego using Russian accents because he believed it might detract audiences from the human story, and I agree.
The story of the movie takes place aboard a Russian submarine, but I can see how the chain of events can be plausible in the military of other countries, and it gives a perspective of paranoia.
Phantom ranks among my favorite submarine films, along with Crimson Tide and The Wolf's Call. The film's 5.1 sound design is outstanding, one of the very best, and I'm glad I stumbled upon it on a video streaming service. Phantom is a Ted-Certified Movie Gem.
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