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Ben Affleck’s journey through Hollywood has been full of ups and downs, with some surprising choices along the way. Before he became the Oscar-winning director and respected actor we know today, he took on some roles that didn’t exactly work out as planned.
While we all remember his iconic performances in Good Will Hunting and Argo, not every project was a smooth ride. Some films were more of a learning experience than a career highlight, but as Affleck himself admits, they came with their own set of perks. As much as some of his earlier work didn’t exactly set the world on fire, it gave him some interesting stories to reflect on and, hey, even a few paychecks along the way.
Ben Affleck Calls Phantoms ‘Utter Garbage’
Ben Affleck’s career has had its fair share of ups and downs, but one of his early missteps came in 1998 with Phantoms, a horror film based on Dean Koontz’s novel. The movie, which starred Affleck as a sheriff investigating strange occurrences in a small Colorado town, featured a strong cast, including Peter O’Toole, Rose McGowan, Liev Schreiber, and Joanna Going.
Despite the talent, the film ended up being a major bomb. Affleck’s character was up against sewer monsters and all kinds of absurdities, but it’s safe to say it didn’t become the iconic role he was hoping for.
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In a recent GQ video where Affleck was asked to reflect on his entire filmography, he gave his brutally honest take on Phantoms. “I was the bomb at Phantoms. Everyone knows that,” he joked, before immediately following up with, “The movie was utter garbage.” His candidness didn’t stop there.
While Phantoms didn’t make it into the hall of fame of Affleck’s best performances, the actor did manage to find some bright spots in the experience. “I did get to ski. I made, like, $100,000, so I was like, ‘I’m set for life, I’m retiring.’”
But what really made the film memorable for Affleck wasn’t the monsters or the story, it was the experience of working with the legendary Peter O’Toole. “I met Peter O’Toole and, like, got stoned with Peter O’Toole,” he admitted, laughing at the unexpected high point. “I was like, ‘What else happens in my life that tops this? Nothing.’”
So while Phantoms wasn’t exactly a cinematic triumph, it did offer Affleck some priceless memories, and a paycheck that he could fondly look back on, even as he describes the movie as “utter garbage.” It’s a reminder that, even in the midst of the more questionable choices, there’s always something worth taking away from the experience.
What is Phantoms all about?
Phantoms is a weird and wild ride that blends science fiction and horror with a dash of cosmic dread. Directed by Joe Chappelle and based on Dean Koontz’s novel, the film kicks off in the eerily quiet town of Snowfield, Colorado, where something sinister has wiped out the entire population. Enter Dr. Jennifer Pailey (Joanna Going) and her sister Lisa (Rose McGowan), who arrive to find the place abandoned, except for a whole lot of corpses. Things get even stranger when they discover decapitated heads in an oven. Yeah, it’s that kind of movie.
Enter Sheriff Bryce Hammond (Ben Affleck), a former FBI agent who, along with his deputies, begins investigating the grisly happenings. The group stumbles upon more weirdness, like a moth-like creature that tears faces off (yikes!) and a mirror scribbled with “Timothy Flyte,” a cryptic reference to the mysterious British academic who thinks the town is being terrorized by an ancient cosmic entity, “the Ancient Enemy.”
This creature is a shape-shifting, mind-reading, god-complexed amoeba that absorbs knowledge and people, then creates Phantoms to wreak havoc. And of course, the only way to stop it? A highly questionable plan involving bacteria to kill the creature, and yes, a whole lot of chaos.
So, grab your popcorn and prepare for some cheesy creature effects, suspense, and a ton of absurd moments because Phantoms is anything but subtle.
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