[CFF 22 Review] Cryo: a unique premise with the potential for more

Cryo is the directorial debut of Barrett Burgin, written by Barrett Burgin and Mason D. Davis. The film sets up a unique premise of a science fiction horror. In what seems like an abandoned underground facility, five scientists awaken from a cryosleep with no recollection of who they are. While investigating their situation and trying to work out how long they have been there, they discover that there is a killer hunting them down. The killer may even be hiding among them. In order to work out why their facility is covered in blood and who is hunting them down, the scientists must have their memories returned.

The characters are interesting enough, however, are not developed to the point of having a connection to them and being concerned for their outcomes. The five of them spend a lot of time speculating about how they were woken up and how they are going to figure out their situation instead of acting on their plans. This developed frustration whilst waiting for characters to devise a suitable plan, potentially contributing to the apathy towards their survival. There are moments where characters reflect on their identities that demonstrate that there was potential for a deeper development of their purpose in the facility. We are presented with the independent roles (e.g. an engineer and doctor) that they believe they are fulfilling. However, they are overshadowed by the conflict that constantly plagues their interactions. These particular interactions are what the scenes more interesting and replacing the conspiratorial elements (or erasing them altogether) would have made for a more fast-paced genre film. 

Science plays a major role in the story's development. The scientific elements are sound and passable, contributing to a solid background regarding cryosleep. The main issue presented early is that even though the characters have no memory of who they are, they sure know a lot about the science behind cryosleep. Throughout the film, alliances and groups are formed, which is typical of a science fiction or dystopian genre film, which often results in violence against those they other and single out. Most aspects stay true to the elements that are important to the genre, which lends itself to the hope that Cryo is a launch pad for the future work of Burgin in the science fiction horror genre.

Cryo presented an interesting premise that had the potential to be unique and thrilling. However, the payoff is a two-hour film that seems to repeat itself in rounds. The film's big reveal occurs in the ultimate moments of the film, however, it isn’t enough to make up for the lack of character development and awkward dialogue throughout, making for a drawn-out watch. If the film and the premise had been condensed, the film would have been less of an intensely slow burn where the light goes out before the reveal can make a substantial impact.