[usr 4]
Chased by a vengeful criminal, the feds and a gang of otherworldly soldiers, a recently released ex-con and his adopted teenage brother are forced to go on the run with a weapon of mysterious origin as their only protection.
When the short film “Bag Man” was released a few years ago, twin brothers and writers Jonathan and Josh Baker had no idea that they would end up repackaging their product due to its moderate success, and turn it into a major film in their directorial debut. Fast forward three years and “Kin” is a successful feature film with an adventurous display of old-fashioned values, heart-wrenching justice, and futuristic science fiction.
Fourteen-year-old Eli Solinski (Myles Truitt) is a curious loner and nerdy kid who is trying to find himself after his mother passes away and leaves him in the care of his overprotective, yet immensely-loyal stepfather, Hal Solinski (Dennis Quaid). Eli, who is an African-American male, feels a certain amount of displacement in being raised by a Caucasian father and is further disassociated when his stepbrother Jimmy (Jack Reynor), who has been in jail for a few years, is released, and to the disappointment of his father, has to come back home to get back on his feet. There is immediate friction between Hal and Jimmy as Hal wants no parts of Jimmy’s reform. He wants him to immediately find a job and get out of his hair before he starts influencing Eli. Much to Hal’s chagrin, Jimmy feels like Eli has taken his place and he does whatever he can to straddle between the two while he tries to make amends with his former partners in crime, which he is indebted to.
The slow-moving plot starts to thicken when Eli discovers an alien-type machine that seems to have supernatural powers. He picks it up in an abandoned area while looking for scrap metal to turn into cash. While not knowing the machine’s purpose, it seems really cool and he takes it away and hides it in a bag in his room for safekeeping. When Hal discovers Eli has been entering the abandoned area and taking the scrap metal which doesn’t belong to him, he is furious and demands that it be returned to its rightful owner. While Hal seems to be steering Eli away from trouble, Jimmy is getting deeper into it when he comes up with a plan to rob Eli’s place of work in order to cover his $60,000 debt. When the event goes awry, Jimmy comes up with a plan of escape which includes fast-cycle bonding with Eli on a road trip to escape his criminal undoing. Eli’s “machine,” which he hastily packs while preparing for the road trip, becomes his life-saving grace after Jimmy leads him into a path of destruction. Throughout the entire ordeal, Eli and Jimmy’s relationship is strengthened by their ability to ward off their attackers with the power of “the machine.” When Jimmy can no longer keep the secret of their father’s fate, Eli is outraged yet the two realize that each other is all they have left and they fight tooth and nail to preserve their brotherhood.
Directors Jonathan and Josh Baker did an excellent job in producing a diverse cast of strong actors who valiantly played their roles. The life lessons that were intertwined throughout the plot served greatly to preserve the foundation of relationships that reached to the core of humanity. Zoë Kravitz, who plays Milly, made it personal and the sci-fi aspect made it all the more adventurous and entertaining while still providing a sense of purpose, responsibility, and discipline in the midst of confusion and chaos. This film has something for everyone and gives new meaning to the term “family.” Don’t miss it!
Available on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand November 20th
