Phantoms is derivative (Tremors and Aliens are well represented), and dumb enough to be more hilarious than scary. There are some creepy moments, especially in the first half, but the film soon slips into a kind of grim silliness, reaching a toe-curling climax when the unspeakable evil turns out to be, in effect, a very old, publicity-seeking oil slick (no, it's not played by Burt Reynolds) that's defeated only when O'Toole double-dog-dares it out of hiding. Or is the evil defeated? This is the question Phantoms dares to ask but can't be bothered to answer.