MovieChat Forums > Phantoms (1998) Discussion > Ending

Ending

posted 18 years ago by MaouriCeltic
4 replies | jump to latest

I saw this film on a boring weekend, while I would say it was far from perfect( Peter O'Toole was pretty good though) the ending was horrible. Miramax decided at the end of every single one of there "horror" movies during The Scream boom to have a ending where the killer is still alive and so forth( see Urban Legends, I know What you did Last Summer). But with this film it makes no sense. O'Toole said unless a nucleus tore off, but wasn't that the child in the sewer( and when do small towns have such well developed sewers?)? And why would the creature take the shape of Liev Schreiber and go into a bar? Wouldn't the creature be doing something alot more pro-active? But the creature did not survive, because the kid was the nucleus! The large thing was the creature and the kid was the nucleus, hence the "It is dead" now line from the end. This film is worlds of horrible just because of that ending. Anyway that is al I have to say.

[–] J-ion 18 years ago

Well, how do you know that the kid was the whole core? Maybe when it appeared as a kid to Affleck, it had left a small part of it hidden in the sewers. It may think it's God or the Devil or whatever but it's not stupid. Don't forget it has the knowledge of so many people. It realised it can get hurt and protected itself. It's an animal and to protect yourself is an instict. I loved the ending. And it chose the best form! Not sure if when he was human he was scared and had lost it or if he was really bad but I like him more as a monster! Lol. I can't see why people hate this movie. It's one of my favourites. Never get bored of it! It's scary, claustophobic and remains smart and with respect towards viewers. I didn't see either of the girls running around in bathing suits nore did they show anything "to sell". Really respect that movie.

"By revealing our weaknesses,we show our strength.That's the paradox of being human"

[–] MaouriCeltic 18 years ago

I can not believe I am debating this. But in accordance with the films science, in order for the boy at the end to have been able to form and in order for him to have the memories of the rest of the creature, he would have either been part of a larger creature or have been the nucleus. This alone destroys the Liev Schrieber ending. Because in order for him to have existed he would have had to be either a.) Memoryless or b.) Been the nuclues( which would have the boy impossible to be). This is all.

[–] J-ion 18 years ago

What if the boy was only part of the creature? AND Liev too? Nobody says either one of them had to be the whole core. Core goes into hiding along with some "fire power" after he's hurt, boy immerges(part of it), Afleck kills it and then another part of it immerges to find more food for the core. It makes sense if you think of how little time passed until it attacked again. I mean, it's only been coming up rarely for such a large feeding streak so why come out so early again? Unless you're saying it just wanted a beer..Which would be crazy. So, maybe it came out again so early exactly cause it needs to feed since they weakened it. So the creature's core along with some "material" is left and keeps going. What sounds so crazy about this theory? We're just talking here and just because you have an opinion doesn't make it right. Plus, the man wrote it like this so it means he had something in mind. Wether it was what I say or not, I doubt he made an adapting mistake on his own work! I'm just having a difficulty understanding your theory, that's all.

"By revealing our weaknesses,we show our strength.That's the paradox of being human"

[–] MaouriCeltic 18 years ago

I understand what you are saying. But, if the larger beast was killed, than simply put, the little boy had to be the nucleus. If the little boy is killed, than the Liev Schreiber character could not have existed. That is all I am saying. It is obvious the ending is just a teaser and makes no sense with the rest of the movie( watch I know what you did last summer) so I think that is all. Unless you want to debate more.