Phantasm: Ravager
Tags: violence, psychedelic

Plot synopsis:
The film begins with Reggie (Reggie Bannister), running about in the desert, still on the trail of his nemesis - The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm). He then pays a man to offer him a ride, but realizes it's actually his car they're in, and the man stole it when he recalls putting a gun in the middle compartment. He chucks the man out almost totally naked, but two spheres suddenly fly by, and one sphere kills the man on the road while the other chases after Reggie. He manages to defeat them however, but then Reggie wakes up in a hospital sitting with Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) talking to him as he sits in a wheelchair, who apparently looks after him due to him having an early stage of dementia. He then tells Mike his story:In an apparent alternate reality dream setting, Reggie meets a woman who mistakes him for a friend. Her car isn't working, so Reggie offers her a lift. They go to a cabin on a farm, and Reggie learns that a Bulgarian man named Demeter helps out. Reggie explains to her about his dealings with The Tall Man over the years, and she is amazed by his tale. He tries his usual lady wooing, but is turned down.As Reggie plays a song on his guitar, he cannot remember her name, and goes to sleep. Later, The Tall Man shows up with more of his deadly spheres. A flashback scene then shows Reggie back in the hospital, with The Tall Man (or his actual identity, Jebediah Morningside) laying in the bed next to him. They then talk. Jebediah explains he's nearly finished, and has lost many friends. He says they're there basically to die.Reggie wakes up the next morning on the farm, remembering the lady's name is Dawn. He gets no answer when he asks her a question, and finds that she's been killed by spheres, which then give chase. Reggie equips himself with a shotgun. The spheres force him into a nearby barn. A man armed with an axe confronts him, and it's revealed he is Demeter. A sphere kills a horse. Another sphere then manages to get inside the barn, killing Demeter, before Reggie fights it off. Meanwhile, Reggie speaks to Mike again in the hospital. Mike tells him about a new threat looming.Back in his dream, Reggie goes through the woods. Along a path, he encounters a gigantic sphere hovering in the sky, and Reggie is back at the hospital again. Reggie alternates between the other world in both his dream, and the present time. The Tall Man appears, and says their paths cross again. Suddenly it's 1979; a younger Reggie will attend a funeral in Morningside, and that all his efforts got him nowhere. The Tall Man proclaims he can resurrect Reggie's dead family in exchange for him ceasing his meddling.Reggie is next seen in a mortuary, contending with a dwarf "Lurker"; followers of The Tall Man, and the Lady in Lavender appears. She is shot by Reggie and seemingly killed. Continuing on, Reggie goes into a large cave, shooting a dwarf and the place shakes. The Tall Man asks him if he's considered his offer, but when Reggie retaliates, The Tall Man again reminds him his chances are depleting. Reggie wants his friends Jody and Mike back, but The Tall Man claims that he recognizes Reggie's "loyalty" for his friends as foolishness.In yet another dream sequence which he alternates with the nightmare world, Reggie is strapped to a gurney as armed masked people appear. One is called Chunk and the other is revealed to be the person Reggie knew as Dawn despite her death, but she says her name is actually Jane and she thinks Reggie is delusional. She radios in some people. Reggie fails to convince her they know each other, but she gets him medical attention instead. More evil dwarf Lurkers show up to attack Reggie, but Chunk saves him and gives him a weapon. Mike reunites with Reggie soon thereafter. They then escape the nightmare hospital, but Mike says it's no longer their home, it's The Tall Man's now.In the dream world, Reggie wanders around the hospital hallways, but a nurse orders him back to his room. In the nightmare world, an enemy has grabbed him. A spiked sphere then kills one of the people helping Reggie. Mike visits Reggie at the hospital, and says his dream orientates him. Mike reveals he had a dream too where he was in the desert, looking for Reggie. It turns out Mike still has his connection to The Tall Man, (from the previous film Phantasm IV: Oblivion). Mike reveals The Tall Man unleashed an alien virus that caused an apocalypse and killed most of Earth's population.Jane is caught by The Tall Man, so Chunk, Mike and Reggie go after The Tall Man. In his own red planet world, they face and battle The Tall Man. Jane is killed. Chunk who posed as a dwarf then turns the tables. Chunk blows himself up to try to kill The Tall Man.Back at the hospital, Reggie fights some Gravers alongside Mike. Jodie shows up in a car spewing bullets. After driving a while, they decided to drive north as The Tall Man hates coldness. In the hospital however, Reggie seemingly passes away, and the film ends.During the end-credits, Chunk appears through a portal, missing a hand, and meets up with Rocky, (a survivor from Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead who helped Reggie). Chunk flirts with her, asking if he has a chance. Rocky teases back saying that there are no other guys around, but Rocky then sees Reggie and the others pulling up in the Barricuda vehicle and they get in. Lots of giant spheres are then shown in the sky, indicating the war with The Tall Man is far from finished.

Review: 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 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..
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.
The bad pacing, acting and overall shoddy directing distract from a very cool script and some fine cinematography and no-budget FX.I like how the ending was poetic and a bit of a mindf*ck, tying back to the original film's.
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.
I loved all the instances of the silver spheres flying around and killing and especially liked the huge and menacing spheres, don't get me wrong, but the best parts of this movie aren't those parts.The best thing about Ravager (and all the Phantasm movies, IMO) is the way that the story engages our imagination and how we fill in the gaps and order the story for ourselves.
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.
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?
But then that's all part of the series' charm, creator Don Coscarelli having forged an intriguing franchise that writes (and rewrites) its own rules and which constantly surprises.Ravager, the first Phantasm film not to be directed by Coscarelli (David Hartman takes the reins), fits the mould perfectly with a bizarre narrative that sees its unlikely hero Reggie (Reggie Bannister) flip-flopping between several distinctly different realities, the film never letting on which of these, if any, is his genuine existence.
Michael Baldwin) when he encounters a woman called Dawn (Dawn Cody); in another, he is in hospital suffering from early onset dementia, suggesting that the Tall Man and his minions are a figment of his deteriorating mental state; Reggie also finds himself in a version of Earth where the Tall Man and his spheres are in control and where Mike is leading a desperate band of freedom fighters.Not a lot of this makes much sense, and little is really resolved by the end of the movie, but the fun is in seeing much-loved characters returning for one last adventure, in watching the silver spheres causing more bloody mayhem (in this chapter, a horse gets drilled, and an exploding spiky sphere blows someone's head apart!), and in seeing just how bonkers it all gets.
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.
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.
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.
cutaway scenes to previous movies did not help.Don Coscarelli did not direct it and I hear it had a really low budget, so maybe that's what happened??I thought Reggie Bannister did a good job.
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.
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.
Sadly, I still haven't seen IV, but I did get a proper synopsis before seeing Ravager.From the start, I really enjoyed the Phantasm series far beyond any other major horror franchise.
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.
Perhaps it was because the previous four were directed by Don Coscarelli who knew where to take the franchise and had a proper vision, whereas "Phantasm: Ravager" at the hands of David Hartman actually only accomplished one thing which incidentally was in the title of the movie, to ravage the franchise and everything that Don Coscarelli had built up.The acting in the movie wasn't really fully whole-hearted either, it was as if a certain kind of fatigue had set in, and even Reggie Bannister and Angus Scrimm didn't even seen to fully believe in this 2016 movie.If "Phantasm: Ravager" truly is meant to be the last chapter in the franchise, which I assume it to be with the passing of Angus Scrimm, then it was a poor closure to an otherwise good franchise.Having seen this movie now, once, I can say that I will not be making a second return to watch it again.
Does this mean that the  Tall Man (Scrimm), the murderous spheres, and everything that's  previously happened (in all of the other movies) are just a figment of  Reggie's delusional imagination?
Its melancholy mood and scenes with hard heart string pulls is a lasting quality of the film that will always stay true to itself.Phantasm, a unique cult horror franchise adored by only a handful of horror fans, but have finally found what nearly all of them wanted, closure.
David Hartman directing his dream film is a nice success, however, hats off to Don Coscarelli, Reggie Banister, Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury and the late Angus Scrimm on a fantastic run..
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 ScrimmThe Good:Nostalgia filledSome new and interesting ideasThe Bad:Plot isn't greatPacing is a bit of a messFinale is terribleThings I Learnt From This Movie:Reggie Bannister is immortalWhen a franchises sfx haven't improved since the 1970's you need to have serious words with your sfx guys.
Much like the previous movies, it leaves us with the question of "what is dream and what is reality," except here there's a sense of sorrow tinging the entire thing, it feels depressingly final which is only reinforced with the death of Angus Scrimm.
A very, very long time has passed since the first Phantasm film...and even since the last movie in the franchise.
And, despite Angus Scrimm dying around the time this movie debuted, I STILL wouldn't be surprised to see another installment one day...perhaps when Reggie is 90!!When the film begins, Reggie is wandering around the Western part of the US--where is is mostly desert and scrub.
What follows is a very, very confusing plot...one involving Mike in a few scenes, The Tall Man, a woman named Dawn who dies and then didn't die, possible dementia on Reg's part, an invasion by aliens, a super-virus and a lot of other things...all of which feel less like a plot and more like a lot of plot ideas tossed together haphazardly.
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".
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.
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.
As a lifelong Phantasm fan who is hugely critical of movies, I was worried the fifth instalment would ruin the decades of mythos building and good will Don and the guys put in to craft one of the most awesome, unique film universes I've ever had the pleasure to see.
Like all Phantasm movies, you never really know what is real and what is just a product of Reggie's long abused, deluded mind.
The final scene is the best in the film, Reggie, Mike and Jodie, Rocky and Chunk all drive off in the Cuda towards some unimaginable final battle with the Tall Man. It's a show stealing scene every Phan will get a huge kick out of.
And with no money.I could gush praise for hours about the levels of intricacy and brilliance of Reggie but I'll leave it at this, as a long time Phantasm fan who hates modern day movies, I am going to do something I've never done before and award Phantasm Ravager my first ever 10 out of 10.Whilst there is nothing I can recommend this film to newcomers for, Phantasm Phans have nothing to worry about.
Not sure why this outstanding work of art has been getting a hard time in reviews but take it from me, as a life long Phan who hates bad movies, Phantasm Ravager is one of the best no budget films ever made.
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.
Will likely be the last Phantasm due to the fact that Angus Scrimm who played The Tall Man has passed away..
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.
That being said, they should have just killed Tall Man off for good that way with what happened with Angus he would have gone out of both the movie and this world with some dignity.
My personal favourite parts would be, Reggie getting his Cuda back, his reunion with Michael in the main world, Michael believing him in dementia world and of course who could forget the final time Tall Man says "Boyyyyy!!!!!" Ending aside, it was worth the watch..
The idea that everything that we've seen in all these movies might simply have been the onset of Dementia was particularly powerful; we Fright Film Fans truly LOVE these kinds of movies (especially when they're done as exceptionally well as THIS series has been) and it's sad to see a series come to its inevitable End. I STILL say a PHANTASM teleseries would be a good idea..
It was creepy ( The Tall Man is one of the more memorable villains ), intentionally funny ( sometimes even simultaneously ) and sad ( as its lead, 14 years old Mike fears being alone for the first time, following his parents' death, and his older brother's talk of leaving ) yet it has a strong sense of bond between the two, and their friend Reggie.
Here, it would have been much more effective, showing Reggie's deteriorating mental state, and it would have given us more of The Tall Man. Still effectively played by Angus Scrimm, but he has merely a cameo in this film, really only in two scenes.
Here, it would have been much more effective, showing Reggie's deteriorating mental state, and it would have given us more of The Tall Man. Still effectively played by Angus Scrimm, but he has merely a cameo in this film, really only in two scenes.
It's been a very long time since I anticipated a film with quite as much excitement as the promised final installment of the phantasm series, and the last screen performance of Angus Scrimm.Ravager is the sequel fans deserve.
I've always said that the reason you go to Phantasm films is because it's a reunion – it's time spent with Reggie and Mike and Angus and Bill Even Don, whose presence is still felt though he's never seen on screen.
However Oblivion did have some good moments like finding out the origins of The Tall Man and it continues with that a little with Ravager.
Well, at least The Tall Man didn't jump out at them again it just ended with Mike and Reggie back in 1979 in their home town.
HUGE respect and RIP to Angus Scrimm for being such a towering actor and presence - Ravager I believe was originally supposed to be a series of sorts so what you get with this movie is very messy - lots of jumping from past to future, from Reggies care home to hell - just all over the damned place.
It's the final word - one imagines - in the series, as it ends at least Reggie's story.
Is the reality where Reggie, Mike and Jody - joined by heroic dwarf Chunk and the surprise return of Rocky from Phantasm III - continue to fight the Tall Man's gigantic spheres the truth?
The Tall Man is back as well but even he seems less inclined to want to do damage like he did in the past.What makes the movie even more jarring is that it moves back and forth not only in time but in location as well.
Not only do we see Reggie having lengthy talks with Mike he has them with the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) as well.
It's hard to be terrified of a guy who looks like he needs oxygen and a lie down.I rated the film 4, because it's Phantasm, and there's always something to enjoy, but sadly the bad outweighs the good massively in Ravager and it's a feeble and inadequate way to end such a magnificent franchise.BOY!!!!