Phantoms
Two sisters and a former FBI sheriff uncover an ancient, civilization-erasing presence behind the mass disappearance of a Colorado mountain town.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- eerie
- paranoid
- claustrophobic
- late night horror marathon
- monster movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film's early psychological mystery effective but judged its later creature spectacle muddled and formulaic.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The sisters and sheriff initially investigate what appears to be a serial killer before Dr. Flyte identifies a far older enemy.
The academic theory connects Snowfield's destruction to earlier disappearances and the periodic wiping out of civilizations.
Snowfield is a deserted ski resort village in the Rocky Mountains, later occupied and contained by military forces.
The film combines horror, science fiction, serial-killer investigation, Army intervention, and a visually aggressive final act.
Films like Phantoms, and why
The Thing
isolated mountain setting, creature horror, escalating paranoia, and an initially unexplained threat
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
deserted community, investigative mystery, apocalyptic monster threat, and military intervention
The Mist
small-town disappearance mystery, cosmic horror, and science fiction creature mythology
The Crazies
isolated rural setting, biological uncertainty, and escalating survival horror
Movie Details
- Director
- Joe Chappelle
- Release Date
- 1998-01-23
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (421)
Cast
- Ben Affleck
- Peter O'Toole
- Rose McGowan
- Joanna Going
- Liev Schreiber
- Nicky Katt
- Clifton Powell
- Rick Otto
- Valerie Chow
- Adam Nelson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Phantoms about?
- Two sisters and a former FBI sheriff uncover an ancient, civilization-erasing presence behind the mass disappearance of a Colorado mountain town.
- What is Phantoms like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Phantoms as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Phantoms violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Phantoms as graphic.
- What did critics think of Phantoms?
- Critics generally found the film's early psychological mystery effective but judged its later creature spectacle muddled and formulaic.
- Which films are like Phantoms?
- Films with a similar feel include The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Mist, and The Crazies.
- How long is Phantoms?
- Phantoms runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Phantoms?
- In United States, Phantoms streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
