We’re right at the tail end of August which typically is a place where studios stick the movies that have a snowball’s chance in…well…summer of succeeding. Typically these are ones that couldn’t quite stand up to the big boys and girls in the school yard but might find some success in the area where the smaller kids hang out. It’s all about placement and Kin has settled on the end of August to turn some heads.
Eli (Myles Truitt) is a troubled teen, raised by an adoptive father (Dennis Quaid) that wants to teach Eli the proper way of becoming a respectable young man. As with most kids, Eli’s got his own ideas and travels a somewhat rebellious path. One day while out doing things he shouldn’t be, he stumbles across an object that is mysterious and looks to be futuristic gun but, due to his curiosity, would end up in his possession anyway. To complicate matters even further, Jimmy Solinski (Jack Reynor), the older brother returns home from a six year stint in prison and immediately rubs dad the wrong way. Jimmy brings with him some baggage that will lead to a precarious situation for the Solinski family.
When Jimmy clashes with the man who provided him with protection (James Franco) while in prison, the stakes are raised as Jimmy and Eli go on the run. Eli is forced to use his newly found weapon in order to protect Jimmy, they become the centerpiece of many people’s interest, including to shadowy individuals that seem vastly different than everyone else. As Eli and Jimmy go on an impromptu journey, they end up fighting for their lives and evading the law while unwittingly putting themselves in more danger. As truths are revealed, this trip westward will be more than either one of them could have bargained for.
The quandary that Lionsgate surely felt with a movie like Kin was probably just how much they should reveal about the plot of the end of the Summer action flick. If they hold their cards too closely to their vest, potential viewers would most likely brush it to the side as another one of those gritty family movies where the line between good and bad is blurred. On the other hand, by including the sci-fi twist in the marketing, and making it pretty prevalent at that, should bring in the proper demographic but it does diminish the “unexpected” technological nature that this film has hidden within. The studio makes a smart, calculated decision in my opinion, as it sets proper expectations. It also sets itself apart from the norm.
The majority of this movie is built around Myles Truitt and Jack Reynor with the pair having a multilayered relationship. Dennis Quaid brings experience and wisdom while James Franco comes with crazy chaos. What else would you expect from him in a role like this. Kin does a good job of keeping things fresh and a bit unexpected. Utilizing this talented group of actors, which also includes Zoë Kravitz, gives this a Divergent series kind of feel but more grounded in the here and now. Some of what goes on is hard to swallow and doesn’t track well in terms of plausibility, but this is where you get to play that “sci-fi card” where anything is possible.
Kin is a hybrid action flick that serves two masters well. In the more grounded, atypical action thriller, you are treated to proper story that’s at the very least interesting and intriguing. Now throw in the sci-fi portion and you’ve got yourself an experience that separates this film from the rest of the other 5,000 titles before this one. Not without its flaws, at least someone was willing to take a risk without totally selling out for cheap gimmicky plot lines. This is a fun, interesting, action-packed movie that might slip under a lot of radars. If your primary goal is to be entertained, there are far poorer options in theaters you could see. I say give the unorthodox action sci-fi a fighting chance to succeed.
