66
Metascore
18 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 91The Film StageJared MobarakThe Film StageJared MobarakWith its vibrant colors muted for a NYC noir aesthetic and every 2D field shaded by roughly textured shadows in constant motion, the frames literally flicker off the screen to leave a lasting impression.
- 83The PlaylistThe PlaylistWhat makes Phantom Boy unique isn’t the questions it asks, but the way it asks them and the answers it arrives at.
- 75The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayThe A.V. ClubNoel MurrayEven though it doesn’t all come together thrillingly, Phantom Boy garners a lot of goodwill just for looking and feeling original.
- 75RogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyRogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyThe film can be smothered by the obligations of its plot, but it's still beautiful and original, extremely funny, and sometimes very moving.
- 74The VergeTasha RobinsonThe VergeTasha RobinsonFelicioli and Gagnol's latest may be trying to do a few too many things at once, given its short length and genial aims. But it's still something distinctive and different in a sea of shiny mirrors, all reflecting the same slick CGI style back at each other.
- 70Village VoiceSherilyn ConnellyVillage VoiceSherilyn ConnellyJean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol's superhero story Phantom Boy is no April and the Extraordinary World — but still fine for what it is.
- 70Los Angeles TimesCharles SolomonLos Angeles TimesCharles SolomonLike their Oscar-nominated “A Cat in Paris” (2010), Phantom Boy by Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gangol is a modest, engaging film that reminds viewers of the intimate pleasures of drawn animation in an era of CG blockbusters.
- 63Slant MagazineWes GreeneSlant MagazineWes GreeneThe filmmakers are thankfully willing to render, with unremitting vigor, how grief can batter the human heart.
- 60VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeThough Felicioli and Gagnol’s visuals suggest colorful kidlit illustrations come to life, their labor-intensive style isn’t for everyone.
- 50The New York TimesGlenn KennyThe New York TimesGlenn KennyInstead of maintaining an effervescent fizzle, Phantom Boy too frequently sputters piffle.