And at a brisk 62 minutes, this is a feature that wastes no time getting to the pitch black goods. It’s an express trip to Eerietown. The reason why Phantom Paradox is worthy of academic study by film students is that it is a wonderful example of what kind of spectacle can be created with no budget or major FX. The frugal creativity director Morgan puts into the surreal logic of the dreamworld is incredible; he proves the oldest tricks still work when you have to pull magic out of a budget of thin air.
“…wastes no time getting to the pitch black goods.”
The use of simple blocking and editing to create an imaginary universe is textbook worthy for low-budget production, especially for a genre that usually is effects and little else. The secret here is that Morgan has the best special effect anyone could ask for: a brilliant script. The storytelling employed has a variety of tones, with building dread one would expect from filmmakers with decades of experience. The horror element creeps in with elegance and restraint, never over-defining so as to keep the sinister aura glowing hard.
Keeping all the viewers’ emotional reactions on track is the genius sound design, overlooking everything like a guard in a machine gun turret. Mind you, it still looks like a college movie, but wow, what a college movie. This is the best kind of promising work from an up-and-coming talent, as it can be enjoyed on its own indie merits while imagining what Morgan could do next. As this was shot in Quebec City, there are literally thousands of locations there for instant production value in Morgan’s next feature. Phantom Paradox is a small-budget, modest-looking picture from a major upcoming talent that will plunge deep inside your brain.
"…proves the oldest tricks still work when you have to pull magic out of a budget of thin air."
