Jonathan and Josh Baker’s debut feature, an expansion of their short film Bag Man, begins as a dysfunctional family drama but soon morphs into first a gangster picture and then an overwrought revenge tale that is also a road movie with a strong coming-of-age component before finally transforming into a full-fledged sci-fi flick. Kin starts with young Eli (Myles Truitt) stumbling upon a futuristic weapon that responds to his touch. Simultaneously, his older half-brother (Jack Reynor), just out of prison, shows up at the Detroit home that Eli shares with his hard-working adoptive dad Hal (Dennis Quaid), looking for money to pay off a debt to gonzo crime lord Taylor (James Franco). Hal winds up dead and the brothers take off for the West Coast, pursued not only by Taylor and his gang, but also the cops and a couple of soldiers from some other dimension on stolen motorcycles. Along the way, a sweet-natured exotic dancer named Milly (Zoë Kravitz) joins the boys on the lam. A guest star eventually shows up to explain what makes Eli special—and set the stage for a sequel that will probably never occur. Kin throws pretty much everything but the kitchen sink into the plot, but it displays imagination, and features a fine cast. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
Kin
Lionsgate, 102 min., PG-13, DVD: $19.99, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $24.99, Nov. 20 Volume 33, Issue 6
Kin
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