‘KIN’ Is an Expository Mess, and That’s Not Its Worst Problem

    It’s hard to keep track of all the odd features and misfires of Liongate’s KIN, written and directed by brothers Jonathan and Josh Baker. Start with the premise itself, as a shy boy stumbles across an alien gun whose origin is hardly, if ever, revealed. Continue with the fact that the gun has no resonance with the plot itself for most of the film. Take the cast of stars, whose characters’ bizarre actions beg the question, “did they owe someone a favor?” But worse of all, end with the mind-boggling redemption and salvation of the character who leads the shy boy on a path of corruption without any genuine act of redemption. Mix well, and you have some idea of the sci-fi paint splatter that is KIN. Lionsgate’s sci-fi mystery family drama suffers from a lot in its identity crisis.

Set in Detroit, Michigan, an adopted boy, Elijah (Myles Truitt), is raised by his single white father Hal (Dennis Quaid) in a blue-collar home. When Hal’s biological son Jimmy comes home from prison it’s clear that he is Hal’s biggest disappointment, and he warns Elijah to be careful around his older brother. Of course, this sets the stage for the upcoming adventure that Elijah and Jimmy have together as they road trip across the country after a robbery gone bad, taking pit stops at strip clubs and casinos on their road to freedom. That’s the best we can make sense of; few decisions make much sense in a setup led by a buffoon and a personality-less child. The rest of the film plays out li…