I have to admire this atomic-age creature feature just a little bit for having the nards to show us its monster from the get-go: it's absolutely awful, but at least it lets the viewer know what they're in for, allowing them to make a considered decision on whether to proceed or call it a day (unlike many a low-budget '50s B-movie which reveal their monster late in the day). Being a movie masochist, I continued on regardless, but it wasn't easy...
Dan Milner, the man responsible for legendary crap-fest From Hell It Came, directs with zero energy or flair, working from a derivative and uninspired script that is clearly trying to cash in on the success of The Creature From the Black Lagoon. But where Lagoon benefited from an atmospheric locale, strong performances, and its wonderful gill-man, Phantom can only deliver a banal beach setting, a z-list cast, and a monster that is simply laughable.
The dull plot - something to do with a uranium deposit beneath the waves that has mutated the sealife (blah, blah blah) - gets in the way of the fun, with the majority of the film consisting of bland conversation between its forgettable characters. Put simply, it isn't very gripping, Milner resorting to a spot of '50s cheesecake (babes in swimsuits) to try and keep the viewer's attention.
In a way, the film kinda reminded me of Humanoids From The Deep (1980), but without that film's sense of fun, effectively grotesque creatures, gratuitous nudity or gory splatter.
2/10.
Dan Milner, the man responsible for legendary crap-fest From Hell It Came, directs with zero energy or flair, working from a derivative and uninspired script that is clearly trying to cash in on the success of The Creature From the Black Lagoon. But where Lagoon benefited from an atmospheric locale, strong performances, and its wonderful gill-man, Phantom can only deliver a banal beach setting, a z-list cast, and a monster that is simply laughable.
The dull plot - something to do with a uranium deposit beneath the waves that has mutated the sealife (blah, blah blah) - gets in the way of the fun, with the majority of the film consisting of bland conversation between its forgettable characters. Put simply, it isn't very gripping, Milner resorting to a spot of '50s cheesecake (babes in swimsuits) to try and keep the viewer's attention.
In a way, the film kinda reminded me of Humanoids From The Deep (1980), but without that film's sense of fun, effectively grotesque creatures, gratuitous nudity or gory splatter.
2/10.