By DEIRDRE CRIMMINS
Starring Chloe Pirrie and Jeff Gladstone
Directed by Kourtney Roy
Written by Paul Bromley
XYZ Films
Cryptids and cryptozoology are typically well-known to horror fans. From Sasquatch to Yowie, Big Foot to Yeti, it seems that most continents have their own version of massive, lumbering creatures who lurk in dense forests and icy caves. KRYPTIC, which played the Fantasia International Film Festival this week, takes the rich history of these mysterious earthly creatures, puts them into a blender and invents its own cryptid, but that’s not the central pull of the mystery.
The film begins with Kay (Chloe Pirrie) giving herself a pep talk on the way to a women’s walking club outing. Reserved and visibly uneasy, she chooses to stay behind and do some mystery solving while everyone else heads through lush trees to the summit of the mountain. This particular hike is known for two major unclosed mysteries. Not only does legend say that the Canadian cryptid Sooka lives in the woods, but there’s also a tale of cryptozoologist Barb Valentine disappearing from that very park while searching for the Sooka years ago. Kay seems to be equally interested in investigating both – and not at all invested in the hiking group she has now abandoned. But Kay does find something, or someone, and it causes her brain to have a major hiccup.
The mental misfire causes her to lose chunks of time and memory. Wandering back to her supposed home only deepens her confusion until Kay is compelled to hit the road in search of herself, in search of the Sooka and in search of the missing scientist. Along the way, Kay encounters a cast of characters: Innkeepers, barflies and trailer park residents all offer her drinks and indirectly help her on her journey. The pattern of supportive and generous women along the way color her experiences in her new life and quest.
KRYPTIC Director Kourtney Roy
All of this sounds like sunshine and rainbows, but there is an undercurrent of tension throughout. While her investigation might not be wholly focused like a professional gumshoe, the reality of a missing woman and a dangerous, enormous monster never escape her. Her lack of investigatory skills does not at all erase the fact that this might be a life-or-death mission. If this is not yet apparent, KRYPTIC has a lot of ideas in it. Its grace in balancing and incorporating everything in a tight 96 minutes is not always handled deftly or with subtlety, but the challenge taken on by director Kourtney Roy in her first feature length film is admirable.
KRYPTIC is quite competently assembled, without any major production missteps. The majestic visuals of the hiking scenes in the very beginning of the film are never quite replicated again, which is a pity as it was an early strength. The film could have suffered an even greater defeat were it not for the absolutely incredible lead performance by Pirrie. Much is asked of her in this role, and by God, she owns it. She balances changing personas and shifting tones with her pitch-perfect work. In any given moment Kay is terrified, determined, manipulative or confused and Pirrie never leaves the audience guessing on which emotion her character is feeling at any given moment. Her comedic timing is matched by her dramatic chops and is a joy to watch.
Though KRYPTIC wavers at times, the sheer scope of the film taken on by a first-time director deserves respect, and lead actress Chloe Pirrie deserves to be lauded for her confident performance.
