Cryptozoo

Cryptozoo is an 2021 American adult animated drama film written and directed by Dash Shaw. It features an ensemble cast as Lake Bell, Michael Cera, Angeliki Papoulia, Zoe Kazan, Peter Stormare, Grace Zabriskie, Louisa Krause and Thomas Jay Ryan. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 29, 2021 and was released by Magnolia Pictures in the United States on August 20, 2021.

Cryptozoo
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDash Shaw
Written byDash Shaw
Produced by
  • Kyle Martin
  • Jane Samborski
  • Bill Way
  • Tyler Davidson
Starring
Edited by
  • Lance Edmands
  • Alex Abrahams
Music byJohn Carroll Kirby
Production
companies
  • Fit Via Fi
  • Electro Chinoland
  • Washington Square Films
  • Low Spark Films
  • Cinereach
Distributed byMagnolia Pictures
Release date
  • January 29, 2021 (2021-01-29) (Sundance)
  • August 20, 2021 (2021-08-20) (United States)
Running time
95 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$33,765[2][3]

Plot

Cryptozookeepers try to capture a Baku, a dream-eating hybrid creature of legend, and start wondering if they should display these beasts or keep them hidden and unknown. Meanwhile a pair of lovers mistakenly find their way into the Cryptozoo, leading to unpredictable consequences.

Cast

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 29, 2021 [4] and won the Innovator Award. Shortly after, Magnolia Pictures acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film and set it for an August 20, 2021 release in the United States.[5] The film also screened at the 71st Berlin International Film Festival in March 2021.[6]

Critical reception

Cryptozoo holds a 70% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 83 reviews, with a weighted average of 5.80/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Although its visual overstimulation threatens to derail its themes, Cryptozoo is an ambitious and unique critique of capitalistic values."[7] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 76 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]

Jordan-Luke McDonald, writing for Get Your Comic On, described the film as "an eclectic bazaar of a film resembling a hallucinogenic fever dream" that "deftly presents and challenges a multitude of viewpoints on zoological ethics, capitalist endeavours and military wrongdoings through its almost espionage-thriller style and action-adventure genre." He adds that "its themes and messages ought to be universal, and they are presented engagingly through some captivating worldbuilding and an enchanting approach to its animation, narrative and musical score."[9]

References
  1. "Cryptozoo". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  2. "Cryptozoo". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  3. "Cryptozoo". The Numbers. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  4. Debruge, Peter (December 15, 2020). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Features 38 First-Time Directors, Including Rebecca Hall and Robin Wright". Variety. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  5. Donnelly, Matt; Lang, Brent (February 2, 2021). "Sundance Animated Fantasy 'Cryptozoo' Sells to Magnolia (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  6. "Cryptozoo".
  7. "Cryptozoo (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  8. "Cryptozoo". Metacritic. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  9. McDonald, Jordan-Luke (2021-10-21). "CRYPTOZOO (2021) Review". Get Your Comic On. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
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