Phantoms(1998)
1998 · Joe Chappelle · 96 min
In the peaceful Colorado town of Snowfield, something evil has wiped out the community. And now, it's up to a group of people to stop it, or at least get out of Snowfield alive.
Horror · Science Fiction · Thriller
5.6419 votes
TMDB score
3/5
Intensity
3/5
Gore
2/5
Stays with you
How Phantoms scares
Phantoms starts with an eerie mystery-town setup, all empty streets and dread about what happened to everyone, before shifting into a monster movie with practical creature effects and body horror. The fear mixes creeping unease with more direct physical attacks once the ancient threat reveals itself. It leans more pulpy and entertaining than truly upsetting, with some gross-out gore but a fairly brisk pace. Good for people who like a creature feature with a sci-fi horror twist rather than something that will haunt them for days.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Phantoms rates psychological 3/5, visceral 4/5, gore 3/5, lingering effect 2/5, and overall intensity 3/5.
- Psychological: 3 of 5
- Visceral: 4 of 5
- Gore: 3 of 5
- Lingering: 2 of 5
- Intensity: 3 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 45 of 100 — balanced
Supernatural vs Real-world: 30 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 30 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
Starts with an eerie, unsettling discovery that quickly escalates into a series of tense, gory confrontations, plateauing at a high intensity through most of the back half before a frantic climax.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 5, 3.
How scary is Phantoms?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Phantoms rates 3/5 — solidly scary, balancing creeping dread with well-placed shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be moderately gory and fun-first. Some of it will follow you to bed, but it lets go within a day or so.
Watched it? Sign in to confirm whether this profile fits.
