Leo (Marcus D’Angelo) is 11 years old, lives in New York City, and is undergoing radiation treatment for cancer. Despite his illness, he feels incredibly lucky, for as he whispers to his little sister, his diagnosis coincided with the discovery of a remarkable power. Leo can project his consciousness as an astral phantom, allowing him to explore this city from the safety of his hospital bed.
Leo’s treatment also happens to correspond with the appearance of deformed would-be supervillain the Face (Vincent D’Onofrio), who plans to extort the city with a cataclysmic computer virus. Following a run-in with the Face’s goons, police investigator Alex (Jared Padalecki) also finds himself hospitalized while the clock ticks on the villain’s ultimatum. However, with the help of Leo’s extraordinary ability and a crusading reporter (Melissa Disney), Alex sets himself to the challenge of stopping the Face without leaving his wheelchair.
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Phantom Boy is the second feature from French animators Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol, and it crystallizes the delights, fixations, and weaknesses of their prior film, A Cat in Paris. The co-directors’ new work is undeniably visually charming, replete with bold shapes and vivid hues that give it the look of moving colored pencil illustrations. The story is mostly a kid-friendly take on a “superhero cracks the case” scenario, complete with broad comedy, dim-witted henchmen, and villainous scenery chewing.
D’Angelo conveys Leo as enthusiastic and courageous, and most of the adults are familiar archetypes played straight. The gangsters, stoolies, and bumbling New York politicians, meanwhile, are goofy caricatures. The resulting dissonance in tone somewhat hobbles Phantom Boy’s efforts to slather on pathos in Leo and Alex’s relationship. Ultimately, however, the film functions best as an amusing fantasy about heroism born of personal tribulations, a pleasing if improbable mashup of Dick Tracy and Doctor Strange.
Phantom Boy screens Saturday, November 12 at 2:15 p.m. at Washington University’s Brown Hall. The screening is free to attend. For additional information, visit the Cinema St. Louis website.
