Phantasm: Ravager (2016) User Reviews

Phantasm Ravager: Not the most fitting sendoff

[Platypuschow · 5/10 · 1 May 2018]

It's hard to believe that the Phantasm series started back in 1979 and sporadically released it's 5 movies across the decades.

What's even harder to believe is that every major player from the franchise has stuck through it and is right here in 2016 for the final chapter.

Reggie returns one last time to reunite with his friends, fight the forces of evil and go toe to toe with the Tall Man for the ultimate confrontation.

Now I don't think that the Phantasm franchise is that great, I think they are original titles and I applaud them for lasting as long as they have but they've tended to be confusing disconnected movies.

Alas this is no different, in fact I have to say it's the most confusing of them all. Regardless it's a nostalgia trip, everyones along for the ride including the films original creators.

Though the sfx are ropey and the plot makes very little sense Ravager isn't that bad, it's just not a fitting finale for a series that has lasted this long! What makes it worse is that the highly ambiguous finale does it no favours.

I'd say this is essential viewing for fans of the series but all things considered it should have been considerably better.

RIP Angus Scrimm

The Good:

Nostalgia filled

Some new and interesting ideas

The Bad:

Plot isn't great

Pacing is a bit of a mess

Finale is terrible

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Reggie Bannister is immortal

When a franchises sfx haven't improved since the 1970's you need to have serious words with your sfx guys

17 year long-awaited final chapter

[kclipper · 6/10 · 8 October 2016]

Cult classic film fans will appreciate the visionary elements of Director, David Hartman's glimpse into the bizarre and fantastical world of the "Phantasm" series in this disjointed but entertaining final chapter in a long-time saga of weirdness and mayhem. This is the first of the "Phantasm" films that is not directed by originator, Don Coscarelli and the final performance of the late and great Angus Scrimm as the "Tall Man" who passed away at age 89 in 2016. He returns along with much of the original cast of the "Phantasm" films including: Reggie Banister, Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Kelly Lester, Gloria Lynne Henry and the awesome '71 Cuda as they battle the evil army of graveroobbers that continue to populate the countryside with living-dead dwarfs, zombies and of course, the dreaded silver spheres. Its been 17 years since "Phantasm IV" and this picks up where that film left off, but with a significantly older Reggie Banister wandering the mid-west after his subsequent escape from the "Tall Man" and his minions. Don't fret since it has been a while since the film's opening quickly recaps the basic highlights of previous films including Phantasm IV's revealing of the identity and origins of the "Tall Man", Morningside Cemetery and the mystery of the flying spheres.

This falls short of everything you would expect from a continuation of the Phantasm saga, but as a long time fan its nice to hear that original Fred Myrow/Malcolm Seagrave musical score that once again sets the mood for this outstandingly strange world. Ultimately, this utilizes the fact that the original characters are at the mercy of old age and lost time, especially Reggie as he is diagnosed with dementia, institutionalized and cannot tell the difference between nightmare and reality and must reprise everything he already experienced and more. The final moments of Angus Scrimm combined with Reggie's journey into past reflections are handled quite well by director/writer, David Hartman whom you can tell is a devoted fan of the series. Presumably, this is on a modest budget, but that is no surprise, and it seems to contribute to the comic relief and overall ambiance of the film. The problems with this movie arise with Reggie's memories and whether or not they corroborate the events in the story, as this is the whole point and meaning of "Phantasm". What may be conceived of as real may not be, and what is remembered may just be a glimpse into an alternate reality. Are Reggie's memories just another attempt by the Tall Man to destroy him, or will he actually reunite with his friends Mike and Jody and defeat the Tall Man once and for all? Its inevitably a battle between Reggie's blurred fantasy of world domination as he struggles between dreams and reality. The film is definitely flawed, Dawn Cody is terrible as the female interest and Angus Scrimm's character is obviously transposed into many scenes from the older prints. Cheap CGI effects are evident and the last half hour is so confusing and pointless leaving no closure to the overall story except a messy and convoluted ending, but as a fan, its nice to see the cast reunited, and some fresh ideas. Its too bad it took so long to materialize this final chapter and why they couldn't perfect it due to so many production and writing difficulties which are obvious. Its not satisfying, but I had some fun with it for what it is.. I guess its up to the fans to decide after all these years whether or not it can hold a candle to its predecessors. Not great, but can't say I found it completely worthless. Think of it as a homage to an original and intriguing concept and a farewell to those who contributed to it.

A wasted opportunity to make something worthwhile

[Rob-O-Cop · 4/10 · 11 December 2016]

The people who watch this film are the hard core fans who were entranced by the disorientating chilling imaginative world of the First Phantasm Movie. Most likely viewed multiple times at late night triple features in actual cinemas, like me. So when the franchise lays this confusing mess in your lap it is with sadness we view the results rather than dismissively as consumers of media. This was the last chance Angus Scrimm got to play his iconic Tall Man roll, and he totally delivered on his lines yet again, creepy, with a plan we can't understand, everything we could ever want from him. But how those nuggets fitted into an overlaying story, well, really they don't. There was nothing there for them to slot into, for them to make sense in. Granted, part of the original movies charm was how sense was tossed out the window; but everything in the original movie fitted within the universe of Phantasm; everything had a point, and a result to that point.

In this 5th installment most things that happened went nowhere; were smoke and mirrors; a collection of disconnected setups; some with style; many executed with cringe-worthy cheesiness; naff effects, and an edge of unintended sadness, as they chipped away at the legacy of the original.

What was it all about? I don't really know and it gives the feeling that no one, particularly the director did. It didn't make any sense, and not in a good way, just looping round some vague concept of "is Reggie dreaming, or is it real"?, but it's done so poorly the end result is a wasted opportunity to do something solid with an all-original-cast back together to pay tribute to a legendary movie franchise.

Reggie was OK as a disposable side man, but it was the 2 brothers that were the interest factor in the original. To be honest, it was kind of boring,....

.... of note, the music was a reasonably decent reworking of the original catchy score orchestrated excellently, although the original did use non classic orchestra sounds and rock instruments well, so it deviated from that innovation. The only jarring thorn in an otherwise stellar soundtrack was the cringe-worthy Ravenger rap over the score as the credits rolled. Utterly awful.

Either the director has no understanding of what was good about the original , or Coscarelli totally 'George Lucas'd' his own series, and also didn't understand what he got right in the original.

Farewell Phantasm. I wish you could have had a better send off than this. Thanks for the original though. A true iconic milestone in disorientating creepy cinema.

Kind of a fun ride

[rhino1374 · 31 October 2016]

Let me first start by saying if you are not a fan of the phantasm movies thus far you are probably not going to like this one and it helps to watch the others to understand where this one starts.

I like they way they continue the mostly vague origins of "The Tall Man" and how it skips around in time and dimensions, where you really don't know what is and isn't "real" but could all be "real". Reggie is the main player this time around and it mainly focuses on him and his trying to come to grips with something unfathomable and likely to result in driving him insane or just making it out alive.

On a personal note, I always thought this would have made a great television series bringing these guys to the small screen and not just in theaters or straight to video. I can imagine the cult following like that of Ash and the evil dead would likely eat this up, especially seeing the success of shows like The Walking Dead and Z-nation and the like that are very popular now days and have a rabid fan-base.

In summary, if you're a fan watch it. If you haven't seen the previous installments then you may wanna go back and catch up and binge them before watching this one. Have fun everyone.

A Disgraceful End to One of the Most Unique Horror Series of the 20th Century

[amnesiac12001 · 1/10 · 31 December 2016]

PHANTASM: RAVAGER is perhaps the most disappointing and horrifically executed follow-up in a film series since TROLL 2, a declaration I only wish was hyperbolic. It almost single-handedly unravels all the value and merit gathered from the previous installments and it does so with almost neolithic incompetence.

While we all knew that RAVAGER was the least-capitalized of the series, it's shocking at how poorly made it is, especially considering what Don Coscarelli was able to do with a comparable budget 37 years earlier. The film has all the production value of a SyFy Channel Asylum monster movie (complete with unprocessed production audio), and with even less narrative cohesion. The script is cringe-inducingly bad, with little-to-no plot or agenda beyond wanting the viewer to question how much of Reggie's reality is real, and the dialogue is almost a parody of bad movies done without irony. The actors, many of whom have had decades of experience under their belt, behave as if they're in their first student film, and every performance looks so horrifically under-rehearsed that it feels like they're reading their lines off of cue cards taped to the other actors' heads.

It's also the least consistent with the style of the rest of the series, and the film opens with a recap introduction that was so inept that I thought it was tacked on by an executive producer. And so many stretches of the movie involve the characters wandering around a desert simply to pad time with a free location. To put it another way: I've waited 18 years to see this film and I actually fast-forwarded through certain scenes simply to see if they were going somewhere or to bypass the sheer ineptitude of the filmmaking. That's how bad this film can be. I have seen fan films on YouTube made for pocket change that showed more talent, creativity, and cinematography than this.

I suspect that all this may have been done on purpose to ensure that no one would ask for another film (rendered moot since Angus Scrimm has now passed on), as Coscarelli has expressed a desire to move on from PHANTASM films. It would have been better for all if Coscarelli had simply loaned out the film to screenwriters who wanted to take a whack at it instead of wasting decades until he came up with an idea. As it is, we've now lost so many potential sequels and have to suffer the indignity of this entry as its finale. The lack of any talent on display in this film is almost an insult to fans of what was one of the most unique and beloved horror film series of the century.

RAVAGER is for completists only, and even then...I pity them for what they have to endure.

The End of the Series?

[gavin6942 · 5/10 · 20 December 2016]

Reggie (Reggie Bannister) is wandering through the desert seeking out his friend Mike and the evil Tall Man (Angus Scrimm). Along his journey, he is hunted down by the dangerous spheres and stumbles upon the gorgeous Dawn.

I have to talk about the actors. Reggie and Angus were fine, of course, as they know exactly who their characters are. Dawn Cody is the worst part, with awful acting as Dawn (though she seems to be better as Jane, strangely enough). Daniel Roebuck is a nice addition, even if he seems out of place.

Joe Leydon and Marten Carlson both criticized the film's narrative cohesiveness. Leydon speculated that the film's troubled production may have cause this, and Carlson more directly blamed the film's origin as a series of shorts. This is a legitimate concern. The film is quite a mess, even in a series that has some bizarre continuity. Anyone going in to this without knowledge of the series will be completely confused. (But, of course, it seems obvious not to watch "part five" without seeing earlier chapters.)

a waste

[kingramze · 3/10 · 4 October 2016]

I'm a fan of the series. I had hoped for more insight into the Tall Man, the orbs, their plan, etc. I'd hoped for a resolution to the "fight" or at least more of a progression and a better idea of what we're fighting against. Ultimately, this movie accomplishes nothing. It's not even funny or scary.

It doesn't add any new info to the series or progress any story arc in any way. Imagine if another series like say... Evil Dead had another movie added that did nothing new and had no real resolution. Ultimately boring. At least its predecessor, Phantasm IV, though flawed introduced new information about the villain.

I could (and likely will) dream up a more satisfying story line and adventure for the series than what was presented.

Pretty cool micro budget sequel, should not let down most fans of the series

[dworldeater · 7/10 · 28 January 2018]

Phantasm Ravager is the most recent(and final?) installment to the Phantasm series. While the film is very low budget, as a fan I enjoyed this quite a bit. It has been a while since I saw the last couple of direct to video sequels and seeing this makes me want to check them out again. This film takes us full circle with the original cast of Reggie, Michael, Jody and of course The Tall Man. This story is taken from Reggie's perspective on his search for Michael and his hunt for The Tall Man. This film jumps around to multiple realiities/universes, which ultimately leaves it up to the viewer to decide what is real and what is a dream. Reggie gives a great performance as lead and aging action hero at battle with the forces of evil. In the little down time that he has, he still plays a mean guitar and has some game with the ladies. There are nods to Bubba Ho Tep and while I can't say this film blew me away, as a fan of the series I was satisfied and entertained with this. Reggie Bannister is a very charismatic leading man, his performance here is great and is very under rated in my opinion.

It takes a fan to sit through it...

[FryHigh · 3/10 · 5 October 2016]

I am that fan. I sat through it. All of it. I forced myself; Clockwork Orange style, to watch every minute of it.

I can't say it was terrible, but it wasn't good either. I had medium to average hopes for this movie. Given the time that has passed since Phantasm 4, and bringing back some of the original characters, is a tough thing to do. I think that part, they handled rather well, they tied things up in a rather roundabout way. So if you want to experience some kind of closure, this movie does offer a bit of that.

The production value of this movie is non-existent. It's just above a college level movie. There are maybe 2-3 good SFX moments, and some of the deaths are amusing. The writing is just a continuation of the previous movies... literally the same.. expect 1980's-1990's dialogue here...

This movie is definitely geared at fans. It follows through and continues the Tall Man mythos, and if nothing else, this is your last chance to watch Angus Scrimm one last time reprising his role. That, in itself, for fans, is worth it. If you've never watched any of the Phantasm films, you will want to avoid this. Watch the old movies instead.

I hope they reboot the franchise with a real budget, real writers, etc.

Why this film is a masterpiece...

[chiatplay · 7/10 · 5 January 2017]

SPOILERS!!!!! Stop looking at this series as a literal interpretation of man vs. alien. It is more like yin vs. yang! Stop assuming no questions were answered. It is a metaphorical journey into a person's psyche.

Part one deals with a kid experiencing the loss of loved ones (either his brother or his parents, or both, depending on what dream reality you are following). Reggie experienced that loss too.

In life we all face our mortality, suffer through fears, and our own human ego / Satan chattering it up with negativity in our heads. As an ongoing battle for enlightenment within your own mind the Phantasm series puts an entertaining experience to that representation. "It's all in your head".

If you are confused and complaining about Ravager you are missing the point. The series hit on action, goof ball slap stick comedy, horror, metaphysical and multi-dimensional layers, and vibrations (which is what forms the Universe). The tuning forks is the visual representation... ie: control your vibration and you prevent fear from taking control of your life. Control your mind away from playing tricks on you by inventing up negative stories that are not even true, you find happiness.

In Oblivion, Mike found peace in the desert scene after blowing up The Tall Man. He had resisted all his life up to this point and when he finally killed The Tall Man, another one steps out of the dimensional gate, totally deflating any form of celebration. However, this is exactly what was needed... Mike let go... gave up fighting fear and death (The Tall Man is symbolic of those) and that's when IT took the sphere out of Mike's head and left. Mike won. He found peace and no longer was it all eating away at him inside. This is shown by the camera entering his "single eye", it morphing into an eye that is letting a lot of light in by shrinking his pupil, and showing him as a kid with Reggie. Reggie hears negativity... "I'm dying"... while Mike, finally at peace, says "it's only the wind". The fitting ending... to his story. He found his way out of Limbo.

Bible Quote... Matthew 6:22 "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." The spheres attack your third eye... they drill into them. Those who cannot see within... aka... are not in alignment with truth and Spirit, die inside. Their 3rd eye is blocked and they are stuck in the 3rd dimension of the material and death.

Ravager is Reggie's story because at the end of Oblivion he kept fighting... by running into the dimensional gateway after the new Tall Man. He didn't find peace. Ravager is the outcome of that choice... a man facing dementia trying to find peace but still fighting it through the alternative reality of what ever happened when he went running through the gate in the desert.

There are two endings in Ravager during the end credits. 1... Reggie dies old surrounded by his friends. The other, he remains in a never ending battle with the Tall Man while still wearing the ice cream man uniform from Oblivion. His peace was from being reunited with his friends, which "The Trio" is all he ever wanted to be happy. Both possible realities play out... and it is up to us, as viewers, to accept that all choices are possible depending on how we decide to live our lives. Do you accept fear and hide from it or do you face it, find peace with it, and go live your dreams in peace? For Reggie, facing it means fighting on in one dimension, side-by-side with his buddies, or by letting go and dying surrounded by loved ones in the other because too much time had passed.

I love the Phantasm series because I get it... I get the theme, the metaphors, and the Tall Man, for he is watching us all. What / who will you be on your death bed? What regrets will you have? Thank you Phantasm!

So Disappointing.

[kbf1123 · 1/10 · 15 October 2016]

I had such high hopes for this film. Reggie and Angus, as usual, were awesome but even they couldn't carry this stink fest. The story was bad, the graphics horrid and the acting by the newcomers to the show mediocre at best. As for Reggie and the veterans, I don't blame you guys. You did the best you could with what you were given. The director had a real opportunity here to make a masterpiece that would crown an otherwise wonderful series but completely dropped the ball. It seems like he hadn't even watched the previous films and didn't even care. The whole thing made no sense. It was all over the place with no continuity. It tied up no loose ends and left me wondering what the heck I had just seen. Considering this was Angus Scrimms swan song, it's such a shame they blew it so badly. So sad!

If you're a Phan it'll bring tears to your eyes

[matrixuk-51283 · 9/10 · 14 August 2020]

Having grown up watching these movies, saw the original back in 81 when I was 8, I find it incredibly sad to see Rory looking so frail but saddest of all is what's happened to Reggie. I know people are calling out for more nut now Rory has passed and Reg Bannister is getting on a bit I think RaVager is a fitting end to saga. Yes the FX are a bit "Birdemic" at times, but this movie is all about Reggies journey and on going illness. Did every thing happen or was it part of Reggies senility. Remember the Tall Man say in part 4 "Ice cream man. It's all in his head". It was nice to see Rocky back again too. Even Kat Lester makes another appearance as the lady in lavender. This is one for the die hard Phans, but then I think us Phans are all die hards.

Surprisingly decent

[rockyr-28157 · 7/10 · 17 July 2022]

Ravager is actually a surprisingly decent ending that pretty decently manages to match the tone and style of the previous sequels in this long running franchise.

A disappointment to the fans

[cybermonster_8 · 3/10 · 5 October 2016]

Phantasm is one of those magical movies that has stood the test of time, unique in its narrative and atmosphere. For many years fans were told a Phantasm 5 would never happen. That it would simply be too expensive and ambitious for the budget they wanted, and I still think they were telling the truth. But in trying to go big, it lost sight of what made Phantasm so great to begin with.

Long gone are the quiet nights filled with emptied graveyards, ruined towns, and looming mausoleums. Replacing it in this last outing is jumbled transitions of walking around in the desert, and behind green screens. None of the questions of the past four films are ever answered. The Tall Man is never defeated, and our heroes are never given any sense of closure. Only put upon another road that this time their will be no end to. This was a movie made for the fans out of love, but I have to wonder why Coscarelli and Hartman would squander such an opportunity to finish the story started back in 1979. As a fan it is truly upsetting to know Angus Scrimm is gone, and we will never again have a new movie to look forward to.

Sadly Final Phantasm Throws In Some Silliness

[ryan-10075 · 4/10 · 5 September 2018]

I enjoyed the first four Phantasm films, but the fifth and final edited, co-written and directed by David Hartman has finally reached its end of life with me. Which is sad, because there were elements that were positive about it like questioning what is reality and what is perhaps just a delusion. But, this story is 18 years later and now everybody is old...not just The Tall Man. Reg (Reggie Bannister) now has dementia and Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) is wanting to hear his story of how he got there to engage his mind by orders of his doctor. So, we the viewer keep dropping from one reality to the other along Reg's storyline until we are not really sure what is reality. The two bad points that drop this movie are what was humorous or funny in previous entries they have now brought in silliness or making things ridiculous which strains on making something believable. Which maybe in part has to do with Reg's dementia, but I do not feel that was the reason behind why they did this. The other is this is the first Phantasm movie where the effects sucked. And yes I thought they were just brutal computerized effects that looked like some grade seven student performed on his home computer. As well Gloria Lynne Henry returns as Rocky...for like 2 minutes...after the final credits have started. Why? Is there a really good reason why she couldn't have been included in the script. I would have rather had her than the Dawn character (Dawn Cody) and Reg striking out trying to bed her. Will likely be the last Phantasm due to the fact that Angus Scrimm who played The Tall Man has passed away.

R.I.P. Phantasm (1979-2016)

[alexander_bakshaev · 2/10 · 29 December 2016]

Essentially a glorified fan film, Phantasm: Ravager brings all key cast members together with underwhelming results. Don Coscarelli's assured touch is sorely missed here, with veteran actors badly in need of direction. Michael Baldwin and Bill Thornbury in particular appear lost and unmotivated. Reggie Bannister gives an enthusiastic performance and still has a lot of charisma, but that's not enough when pitted against woefully poor dialogue and amateurish mise-en-scène. Angus Scrimm as the Tall Man talks way too much (he even unashamedly bargains with Reggie at one point) and fails to project much menace. Kathy Lester's cameo as Lady in Lavender serves no purpose. One wishes Gloria Lynn Henry had stepped in earlier on in the film. Dawn Cody, Daniel Roebuck and Daniel Schweiger barely register in their roles. Only Steven Jutras (Chunk) makes an impression, but his thinly-written character, essentially a mean parody of an 80's action hero, is given awful dialogue and remains unlikable. The Phantasm saga was never known for its plot coherence, relying on atmosphere, dream logic and assaulting the viewer with stylish visuals instead. Ravager has neither the visual splendor nor the suggestive, subliminal creepiness of the previous films. The story is a mere series of vignettes, with the befuddled Reggie zipping from one less-than-photogenic location to another. With its extremely erratic framing and frenetic editing Ravager doesn't fit stylistically with the previous films at all. The sound design is threadbare and new rendition of the classic Fred Myrow/Malcolm Seagrave theme is embarrassingly bad. The machismo, muscle car worship and bad language have taken place of eerie poetic minimalism that made the 1979 film a genre classic. Embarrassingly short on meaning, chock full of bad CGI (the lethal flying spheres have never looked so laughable), mismatched stock footage, shaky camera work and choppily-edited action scenes, Ravager is a chore to sit through. There's no journey for the original characters and the new characters are too sketchy to make them interesting. Phantasm:Ravager is bound to disappoint most Phans. It's unfortunate that Don Coscarelli has authorized this atrocity to be made and released. The low-key Phantasm:Oblivion was a more fitting final installment of the much-loved Phantasm saga.

Cheese wizz style crap !!

[danherrera3 · 1/10 · 30 April 2017]

I've been a die hard Phantasm phan for almost 30 yrs ..And,I've waited for this movie to come out for almost 20 yrs .. I have never been SO damn disappointed in a movie and it's creator in my life !!..The movie ended the way it should of began !!!..It didn't have the dynamics like any of the previous sequels​(including Phantasm : Oblivion).. Nothing to scare you , excite you or make you even give a sh*t about the story anymore .. I think,NO pretty sure,that the series died when Scrimm died !!Now , Coscarelli has not only sold-out the phans ...But,now he's selling the rights to the highest bidder from any Hollowood studio !..BTW ,Where did they find that sh*tty rapper to do that Disney-style pop-rap song during the end credits ??

Great way to wrap it all up.....

[corvairscott · 7/10 · 31 October 2016]

Great way to wrap it all up, fun movie! I read some bad reviews, but what are they expecting? Angus Scrimm (RIP) was a real gem, and he will be missed as the Tall Man. Phantasm V Ravager had a lot of good scenes and some new characters. There are funny moments, punctuated with horror, and we're just as confused as Reggie the Ice Cream Man. Loved the weapons and '71 Baracuda! It's a fun jaunt down memory lane! Watch a Phantasm Marathon to catch up if you can. I highly recommend to Phantasm fans. But if you're new to Phantasm, you should still be able to enjoy Ravager. We get insight into the plague of the Tall Man, causing trouble in multiple universes and find out others are fighting him as well in what seems like a hopeless battle through space and time.

Messy and Unnecessary Fifth Return of the Cult Franchise

[claudio_carvalho · 4/10 · 7 October 2016]

Reggie (Reggie Bannister) is wandering through the desert seeking out his friend Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) and the evil The Tall Man ( Angus Scrimm). Along his journey, he is hunted down by the dangerous spheres and stumbles upon the gorgeous Dawn (Dawn Cody). Out of the blue, he finds himself in an institution with Mike explaining that he has dementia and then in another dimension. Where is Mike?

"Phantasm: Ravager" is a messy and unnecessary fifth return of this cult franchise. The story is confused and pointless, for the sorrow of the fans and in the end is hard to know where Mike is indeed, what is daydream and how The Tall Man would be defeated with his powers and his powerful army of spheres. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Fantasma: Devastador" ("Phantam': Ravager")

Note: On 02 May 2023, I saw this film again on DVD.

From a True Phan

[syreshark · 7/10 · 4 October 2016]

I'll start by saying that the Phantasm series is one of my all- time favorites. Each film progressively follows & continues the story line, but each film reflects upon the filmmaker, actors, crew, & time in which it was made. In that respect, Phantasm Ravager fits right in with the series. It has its own style, look, & feel, and, like the other sequels, it's trying something slightly new but with all the old gang in tow.

I've read a few reviews complaining about the budget & the effects, as well as the fact that nothing is really resolved. As far as the budget: no fan of the series would be looking for much else. This has been & will be a low budget series til the end. Ravager is a fairly ambitious story & it fairs just fine with what it has to work with. As for resolution: no true Phan would ever expect or want anything resolved in the series. Throughout the series, any potential answer always brings with it a multitude of new questions. Ravager does the same. To give any concrete answer would fly in the face of everything that is a Phantasm film. One negative online review claims the film spits in the face of the fans by presenting a definitive and disappointing denouement. Again, nothing could be further from the truth. You take away exactly what you choose to take away. There are multiple interpretations and, like the entire series, it all rests with viewer.

In the end, is the film as great as it could be? No. There can always be improvements to everything. It is not quite the grand finale I personally expected, yet I always depend on these films to stray from expectation. Am I happy that there is a new installment to endlessly analyze upon further viewings? Absolutely! The Phantasm series is something different to every Phan. Each Phan has there personal favorite, their personal theories, and their personal readings of the films. Phantasm morphs as the viewer does, remaining fluid, and forever changing. And like any good art, the Phantasm series, including Phantasm Ravager, remains open for infinite interpretation.

Disappointing

[siderite · 5/10 · 6 October 2016]

With so much time between movies, I hardly remember anything from Phantasm, but I do recall I liked some of the films enough to watch this fifth and probably final part of the series. But it was completely disappointing.

The movie is more like a collection of shorts that blend into each other as Reggie is either in a mental asylum, or a on his death bed or in a house trying to score with a redhead or in a hellish world taken over by Tall Man. Since it retains that dream quality of the previous movies, you never know what is real, especially since some of the scenes seem to be previously recorded but unreleased footage. Some extras are brought for no good reason and Angus has just a few scenes. The actor died this year, so RIP for him and probably for the series.

The problem laid with the lack of emotional impact for any of these scenes with disjointed action and characters that never develop and one barely remembers from previous films. Frankly, a waste of time for everyone involved.

Great new installment for fans following the whole arc of the series

[MichaelJEpstein · 10/10 · 2 October 2016]

I've now seen it twice and I really loved Ravager. Yes, it was made with modest resources, and that is visible, but it accomplishes all of the important things a film in this series should accomplish. It explores a story about how fear manifests when faced with terribly difficult realities.

I love how the first film is about a young person coping with the deaths of their family, and Ravager is about an aging person coping with the loss of their memories as they face death. I love that full-circle, complementary nature of it. Without spoiling, I love that the Tall Man undergoes a real kind of transformation in it. In fact, it might be the most humanistic film in the whole series.

I just really think the movie was made with real care and understanding of the heart of Phantasm. I'd much rather see a low- budget film that really gets it, than a higher-budget film that doesn't.

So, in summary, Ravager is totally in the spirit of the films and gives tons to think about. If you're watching it and just griping about CGI, you're probably not watching Phantasm for what I consider the right reasons. This is really a film for people who love the first four films, and for us, it is a solid, sentimental payoff.

I really appreciated all four previous films and now I love the fifth as well.

And if you're writing a review that treats the series as literal narrative, and you are complaining that your literal narrative questions were not answered, please back away from the Phantasm movies slowly, because you are likely to trip over your own shoelaces.

Disappointing Ending to a Series

[tvsweeney-39052 · 6/10 · 4 April 2017]

Having seen all the others films in this series, I felt this one was a big disappointment. The acting and effects are good but definitely not the script. Though it was a novelty having an entire cast stay together long enough to make this many movies, and seeing a montage in which they age, this, as the final film in the franchise, went out not with a band nor a whimper, but simply...went. With all the switches from one dimension to another, soon the audience is apt to soon be as confused as Reggie.

No explanation was ever given in any of the movies for why all this was happening and it isn't given here, the little speeches of "loyalty" which should really read "friendship" notwithstanding. Although the actors do a credible job, and the special effects are well-done, along with brief glimpses of black humor, the plot is a confusing mess leaving nothing but disappointment in its wake. This movie doesn't tie up any loose threads or offer any explanations. Technically, it's not even a final entry since the story merely stops...with an open ending which could conceivably herald another episode, if the "Tall Man" himself, Angus Scrimm, were going to be around. Once wonder if perhaps since this film was dedicated to his memory, everyone thought it would be too difficult to replace someone fitting that role so aptly.

Whatever the reasons, I felt it was time wasted and was left with the feeling the spirit as well as the fright of the original film had long since fled.

A Nice Way to End the Series

[Michael_Elliott · 6 October 2016]

Phantasm: Ravager (2016)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

The fifth and apparently final film in the series has Reggie (Reggie Bannister) walking through the desert where he is trying to locate Mike as well as The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm).

That's pretty much the only plot details you need to know about PHANTASM: RAVAGER, which turned out to be perhaps the best in the series next to the original. I really wasn't sure what to expect since there had been such a break in between films but director David Hartman has created a pretty interesting episode that will probably have some people scratching their heads but for the most part I thought it delivered the goods.

I haven't been the biggest fan of the sequels, which is another reason why I was so shocked to see myself enjoying this one so much. The majority of the film takes place at three different settings so there's a lot of guessing as to what's really going on. The setting is constantly changing and you never know if you're in the afterlife, reality or some sort of Hell. I thought this really kept you into the picture but I must say that around the hour mark you start to wish there was something making sense or at least something pointing you into the direction that the film is going.

The film really benefits from the cast members standing up and really delivering the best performances of the series. Bannister is extremely good once again in his role of Reggie and he's actually got quite a bit of acting to do here and he pulls it off very well. Scrimm doesn't get too much screen time but whenever he's on the screen you can't take your eyes off of him. Dawn Cody is also good in her small role and it was great seeing A. Michael Baldwin.

The sphere is back as you'd expect and there's all sorts of gore that will keep fans happy. There's a lot more CGI here than in previous entries and while some of it is very poor it's not too distracting. PHANTASM: RAVAGER isn't going to appeal to everyone as I'm sure some will have an issue with the ending. I personally thought it was a great way to end the series.

End Of The Road

[AaronCapenBanner · 3/10 · 4 October 2016]

Fifth and final film in this series is mostly a showcase for stalwart series star Reggie Bannister as Reggie, former ice cream vendor turned wandering warrior still in pursuit of the evil Tall man(played by the late Angus Scrimm) in his never-ending plan of world domination, which seems to be coming true, though it is equally possible that poor Reggie is suffering from dementia, since he is visited in hospital by an older Mike(A. Michael Baldwin) who thinks it's all in his addled mind, though both realities seem to be converging to a final reckoning point...

A much-delayed, low-budget yet ambitious sequel that was produced sporadically over many years, which explains the patchy and convoluted narrative structure presented here, which is of course the chief problem. Unlike Part I(even II), there is little here that is eerie or original, and expecting any kind of proper closure at this point is ultimately futile, despite the earnest efforts of everyone involved. Still, "Phans" will want to see it regardless, as(for better or worse) this is the end... though you will certainly want to stay through the closing credits!