Fantasia International Film Festival - Kryptic Film Review

KRYPTIC

Director: Kourtney Roy

Writer: Paul Bromley

 

The name KRYPTIC fits this film to a tee.

It starts off tame, then throws you deep down the rabbit hole, and ends in a redemption arc.

Clad in a pink windbreaker, Kay Hall (Chloe Pirrie) joins a group of women on a nature hike to Krypto Peak. The area is known for cryptids and an extensive list of missing women. One of those women happens to be renowned cryptozoologist Barbara Valentine (who could be Kay’s doppelganger).

When Kay strays from the group, she encounters the mysterious Sooka, and forgets who she is as she emerges from the forest.

Kay then becomes obsessed with finding Barbara Valentine and uncovering the truth behind her disappearance and the Sooka. Her journey introduces her to a variety of strangers and even more questions as to what is happening thanks to sexual encounters that push her deeper down wonderland.

In the final act, Kay meets up with Barbara’s husband (Jeff Gladstone) and finally gets a glimpse into the truth behind all these missing women.

There is a lot to take in with this film as it progresses, and at times it can be a bit infuriating – especially with the editing tactic of the sex scenes. They seem like a key piece to putting the puzzle together but it’s not until you see the last sex scene that the pieces seem to finally fit.

Another specific filming tactic in KRYPTIC is the use of the color red. It’s everywhere.

There are red jackets in forest by Sooka area, a special red fungus only found on Krypto Peak, red lighting in the dive bar, red dress on the hotel owner, a red flashlight used in the forest at night, and of course, blood – providing the viewer a sense of lust, danger, and aggression throughout.

But the strongest bit by far in this film is the final act. Throughout the film there are references to time portals where the Sooka lives and urban legends about some women returning through the portals to a different, better life.

The time portal information hits hard once you get a glimpse into Barbara’s real life and her interactions with her husband. He even asks her why she keeps disappearing. That’s when you immediately understand these women were possibly disappearing of their own free will after their first experience with the Sooka.

They wanted a better life for themselves, and based on what was briefly shown of Barbara’s, they rightfully deserved it.

This film has a lot to offer in terms of female empowerment. But not all viewers will catch on.