Crypsis

I get from a story standpoint why these folks should not have access to their phones; the movie would be 15-minutes long, as someone would call a friend for rescue. But the characters and the plot up to that point fail to justify the move within this universe. The phone issue and the seeming randomness of what they are doing, not to mention why, everything that happens in the film feels forced and inauthentic.

Of course, with strong enough direction, despite all these issues, Crypsis could still have been a fun ride. But, Rogers, who also directed the movie, is as poor a technical craftsman as he is a writer. He fails to create tension, momentum, or even a sense of fun. For reasons that are just as opaque as every other plot point, the friends are filming their excursion to Harper Island. At random, the movie will cut to footage from that consumer camera. While the switch in style is jarring, the first few times are before anything happens.

“If there is a minor (extremely minor) note of praise, it would be for the cast.”

But, close to the 50-minute mark, there is an extended sequence utilizing this style. Josh is filming with the camera because…I forget and don’t care why…when the others get quiet and gestured for him to walk towards them slowly. Then they all run like mad. The consumer camera has a much brighter color palette than most of the film, so any possible suspense that could have come from this moment is zapped away. Once Crypsis goes back to the third-person point of view, the dreary colors are discordant, and readjusting to them takes a moment.

If there is a minor (extremely minor) note of praise, it would be for the cast. Granted, it would take the combined raw charisma and instincts of James Dean, a young Marlon Brando, Tom Cruise, and Joaquin Phoenix for any actor to make these one-dimensional characters feel even remotely human. But no one embarrasses themselves, though they are all forgettable and lifeless.

Crypsis is bad on a molecular level. Its writing is nonsensical, with a “twist” that is too dumb and meaningless even to attempt to explain. The directing fails to make anything happening believable, interesting, or fun. The editing is haphazard and discombobulating, which means if there was an attempt to create an eerie vibe (doubtful), it never materializes onscreen. The acting is not as bad as everything else, but it isn’t exactly good either. Crypsis is the second-worst film of the year and an absolute headache-inducing mess to watch.