Cryptozoo

In the lush forests of San Francisco during the 1960s, a young couple, Matthew and Amber, engage in a romantic encounter. Their moment is abruptly interrupted when they stumble upon a mysterious enclosure housing a unicorn.

As they climb inside the enclosure, the unicorn becomes agitated and fatally stabs Matthew. The tragic event escalates as the unicorn, in its panic, injures itself, leading Amber to bludgeon it to death with a rock in a desperate move for survival.

Amber wakes up the next morning to find that the area she stumbled upon is a zoo dedicated to cryptids, named Cryptozoo. This revelation ignites her curiosity and concern as she grapples with the events of the previous night.

Lauren Grey, a dedicated cryptozoologist, has spent her life rescuing cryptids from exploitation. Inspired by her childhood experience with a Baku named Mariko, she embarks on a mission to save these creatures.

Lauren partners with a faun named Gustav to rescue an alkonost from a group of peasants. But their mission takes a dark turn when the alkonost is snatched away by Nicholas, a veteran conducting dark operations with the military.

After being rescued by Joan, the owner of Cryptozoo, Lauren learns of Mariko's reappearance after being trafficked. Joan convinces Lauren to join forces with Phoebe, a gorgon, to locate Mariko before Nicholas can exploit her.

The group learns from Pliny, a headless man they rescued, that Mariko was seen in Maysville, Kentucky. Despite hitting obstacles, they embark on their mission, determined to find Mariko first.

After a fruitless search through various locations, Lauren and Phoebe encounter a tarot shop with a distinct black cat logo. They find the shop owner revealing that Mariko is in the back room, just moments before Nicholas' men arrive.

Nicholas and his men bring Lauren, Phoebe, and Mariko back to Cryptozoo, intending to expose the cryptids. However, chaos ensues as the cryptids break free from their enclosures, launching a fierce attack on Nicholas' men.

In the midst of the chaos, Lauren seizes the opportunity to commandeer a griffin. They navigate through the pandemonium as the helicopter containing Nicholas and Phoebe is sent crashing, further escalating the fight.

In a hidden cave, Amber reveals she is the one who released the cryptids to free them from their suffering. Her connection with the last known Pegasus takes center stage as she shares her heartbreaking story about Matthew.

As the camoodi attack Nicholas and his men, Amber and Phoebe devise a plan to use Luz Mala to safely escort the cryptids. A tense climax unfolds as Mariko, now empowered, confronts and ultimately kills Nicholas.

In an emotional moment, Mariko chooses to leave rather than remain in captivity. Lauren, who encounters her during the escape, makes a profound decision to let her go, marking a turning point in their journey.

Following the turmoil, Lauren chooses a new path as a veterinarian and reconnects with Amber, who has adopted a dog in memory of Matthew. Their lives are forever changed by the events at Cryptozoo.

At the wedding of Phoebe and Jay, Lauren reflects on the journey they have all taken. Moments later, she witnesses Mariko swimming in a river, bringing closure as she contemplates the balance between humans and cryptids.