by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Cryptids are animals presumed by followers of cryptozoology to exist based on anecdotal or other evidence considered insufficient by mainstream science. Why wouldn’t you want a zoo full of them?! Though some of them could be lethal and dangerous… it would be cool to see them all collected. But is that the best place for these strange and scattered creatures to make their home? Will others try to manipulate them for selfish needs? That certainly is a subplot in this film that tackles that moral dilemma. All I know is, I would love to see The Jersey Devil… New Jersey represent!
This new animated feature, Cryptozoo, is very… mature. Do not go in thinking this film full of fantastical beings rendered in engrossing animation would dare to be family friendly. This is certainly not for kids. From the opening sequence, we see two (fully animated) characters go to town with each other in the woods. Is that mature enough for you? What if the man is killed by a mythical creature and his partner bludgeons said creature to death? Now that is mature content. Writer/director Dash Shaw packs plenty of violence and open-minded sexual content into this film. How about an older woman having a sexual relationship with one of the cryptids? That sure happens too.
As for the story, what I just mentioned just might be a compelling enough narrative for some. Sometimes the film seems satisfied enough to just rest on the appearances of these imaginative creatures. We want all these creatures to live safely, but some terrible government figures want otherwise. Of course, they don’t, and this trope is one of the aspects of the film that brings it down a bit. But the themes of conservation and acceptance bring enough feelings and emotions to hook the audience. A tangled web of interested parties and happenstance create a mysterious and unpredictable story that is so worth the watch. As well, the animation that renders these creatures is absolutely beautiful.
The voice cast is on point and helps bring this animated feature to life. Lake Bell, Michael Cera, and Zoe Kazan bring their talents to this film and are welcome additions. We are even treated to character actor Peter Stormare as a faun… inspired casting right there. But the real stars of the film are all the wonderful and imaginative creatures. You could probably create some type of bingo game and mark them whenever a specific species appears. The Baku is adorable and sweet, and it acts as our main driver of the plot that our main characters seek to bring to the zoo.
The number of surprises and twists along the way make Cryptozoo a memorable experience. The cryptids are certainly the reason to really check out this film with the animation that brings them to life in their majestic glory. This film will probably not be for everyone (especially those who don’t like the violence and sexuality portrayed in this film). Trust me… this one will surprise you.
Grade: A-