In the new film Phantom Boy, police officer Alex Tanguey is injured on the job during a run-in with an enigmatic villain whose colourful, fragmented features earn him the moniker “the Man with the Broken Face.” Recovering in the hospital with a broken leg, Alex meets Leo, a gentle and resourceful 11-year-old boy who suffers from a possibly-terminal illness. Leo’s illness grants him the unique ability to escape his body for short periods of time, leaving his body completely immobile—although still able to speak and listen to those around him—as he floats invisibly through the streets. When the police captain is unwilling to listen to Alex’s leads in catching the Man with the Broken Face, he and Leo form an unlikely team. Utilizing Leo’s phantom powers, and with the help of Alex’s journalist friend Marie, they track and capture the villain and save New York City.
Alex and Leo’s characters form a compelling foil and team. Alex is a kind-but-serious detective toughened by his exposure to crime and corruption, while Leo is an innocent and imaginative child matured by his illness. It is exactly this combination of elements—grim crime drama meets fantastical adventure—that makes Phantom Boy so engaging for children and adults alike. The film touches on sober themes such as crime, illness, and death, but intersperses them with lively gags and physical comedy. Much of this humour involves the Man with the Broken Face’s band of dim-witted thugs or his rambunctious pet dog. These two radically different tones work together to create an ultimately moving and exciting film.
Co-directors Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol also create a visually striking alternate version of New York City. Felicioli and Gagnol play with influences of expressionism and graphic novels to represent the city in an unfamiliar and exciting way, creating a world full of curious angles and vibrant colours. The film, completed solely in hand-drawn animation (a rarity in the post-Pixar world) is particularly notable for its use of movement, angles, and editing. Felicioli and Gagnol are known for their 2010 film A Cat in Paris, and much of this film’s style is on display in Phantom Boy.
Phantom Boy combines a colourful and wondrous rendition of New York with a thrilling and dangerous action plot, creating a heart-warming homage to film noir while allowing the viewer to enjoy a deeply personal and meaningful children’s story.
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