Dash Shaw’s Cryptozoo is a weird and mind-freeing animated adventure that leads us into a secret world of mythical creatures. At its core the film is about finding acceptance in the world for cryptids, some wild and some tame, by providing them a sanctuary in a Jurassic Park-esque compound.
Though unlike Jurassic Park, Cryptozoo is only a stepping stone. Designed to be a “tourist friendly” oasis for cryptids and humans to coexist and learn from one another. So, that cryptids may one day lead a normal existence without fear of seeking daylight.
Eccentric 2D Animation
This beautiful dream is brought to life by an eclectic and striking animation style. The film opens on a young couple, Matthew (Michael Cera) and Amber (Louisa Krause), wandering a dense wood. They undress by a small campfire, share a passionate fuck, share a joint, and lounge about the forest floor in the comforting flicker of the flames.
All hand drawn, the character’s movements are full of intention. This allows the lovely sketched hippies to discuss the nature of nature with a general tone of wonderment.
Matthew is the main source of this hope for the natural world and for human beings. Possibility hangs in his voice as he describes the harmlessness of nature and looks to the stars above for reassurance. Amber is a little more reluctant, expressing her fear for some of nature. She fixates on wolves for some time. Certain they are of a higher intelligence than most other animals, she believes they hunt with purpose.
The couple’s opposing views are put to the test when they arrive at a tightly strung fence that soars into the night sky. What happens next opens us up to the true nature of this world. The gruesome events that precede pull back the veil just enough to reveal the truth. The revelation of the cryptids is awesome.
A Shift in Tone and Animation
The creatures themselves are distinct among the nighttime sketches, with their stunning forms. When daylight arrives, they are whimsical and exciting to see come alive.
After these initial events, the animation style shifts. Daylight sheds the sketches of the night. Greater variation in color and more steadfast character and background boundaries are defined. Some of the animation here is a little less than awe inspiring as compared to the opening sequence. Nevertheless, it doesn’t fail to find beauty in its own right.
Also, the use of a kaleidoscope effect here is fantastic. It allows viewers to transcend their seat and participate in the story. It’s a lovely little touch that helps elevate some of the transitions too.
War is Conflict
When Lauren Gray (Lake Bell) comes onto the screen, the dirty truth about cryptids is revealed. Governments and thieves trade these defenseless creatures on the black market, using and abusing them for mankind’s crazed desires. The major conflict of this story and use for the cryptids comes at the hands of a war-mongering American government. More specifically, conflict arises from Lauren’s nemesis Nicholas (Thomas Jay Ryan). They’re both hunters of these hidden beings. Nicholas collects them to feed the government’s wars. Lauren liberates them from the black market and government prisons to deliver them to the Cryptozoo.
Matthew and Amber bring attention to the fractures in the natural world, which Lauren and Nicholas’ lethal dance further entrench. Theirs’s is a balancing act of good and evil. Interventionism and good intentions transform into a savior complex. Lauren and the sanctuary’s owner, Joan (Grace Zabriskie), have to learn to let go of those ideations through great pain and suffering.
Cryptozoo Provides Simple Tragedy, Counterculture, and a Lesson
As for the dialogue and script, it’s fairly plain and straightforward. Cryptozoo’s oddball concept, interesting story elements, and animation do most of the heavy-lifting. Characterizations and plot points aren’t terribly fresh. A character who likes to work alone hits on an all too familiar trope. These elements sap the film’s ability to surprise and excite in plot.
Cryptozoo is a fairly straightforward tragedy with an important and complex lesson.
Briefly, Matthew mentions the counterculture movement, which I discuss the failure of in detail in my essay on The Big Lebowski. Matthew’s citing this tumultuous time period as an opportunity for love sneaks in some higher meaning for all of the cryptid deaths in the end.
Though, it is rather shameful that Joan’s project failed. Her love for the cryptids overshadows their wellbeing. The entire project topples at Amber’s hand, delivering un this hard won lesson:
Stop pretending to know what might be best for someone else. Pause interventions supported by limited knowledge. More importantly, stop fighting wars of exploitation. Finally, love one another. Cryptozoo’s purpose was to spread Joan’s love for cryptids to the public. In a way, I believe it is Cryptozoo’s intention to spread a little love too.
Seen at Braindead Studios
Thankfully, Braindead Studios put on this fantastic film. This is easily one of the coolest little theater’s I’ve been to. Definitely an old-school theater brought back to life by Braindead, a sort of creative collective. They even ran some of their original shorts before the feature. I caught the refreshingly original short S.L.U.G.Z. Mutant Sequencer.
Cryptozoo
Writer/Director: Dash Shaw
Stars: Lake Bell, Michael Cera, Emily Davis, Alex Karpovsky, Zoe Kazan, Louisa Krause, Irene Muscara, Angeliki Papoulia, Thomas Jay Ryan, Peter Stormare, Grace Zabriskie
Images courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
