I had heard great things about Phantasm, and know it has had an impact on pop culture today. Sadly, I was left underwhelmed. The story centers on a group of boys who have to fight against the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), a grave robber with an arsenal of badass, lethal weapons. Did I mention he’s reviving the dead and making them his slaves? Dude’s ambitious.
The kills are awesome. They’re gory, brutal, and OTT, and are the best part of the film. The effects, though dated, still hold up pretty well today as well.
The acting is good, but not great. The Tall Man isn’t very scary, and the teenage boys didn’t connect with me emotionally. I really didn’t care if they lived or died (I’m an evil person). I also felt the story, though unique, wasn’t fleshed out enough.
Ultimately, Phantasm left me wanting more. I wanted to be scared, and I wanted to care about the characters, but felt unfulfilled when the credits rolled. The kills and effects are cool, but I can’t personally see the hype for this film.
Verdict: 3/5
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