The Kindred (1987)

So this is a monster horror movie that is relatively unknown for a reason. It isn't terrible; it's a fairly interesting concept; the special effects aren't remarkable or horrible. I think the acting is what keeps this movie from being anything special. It's pretty bad. I don't think I could name a single character or tell you anything about them. Forgettable characters are pretty much the kiss of death for a movie, not even an original concept or significant special effects.

This movie follows the son of a scientist, John. On her death bed, his mother instructs John to destroy all her notes about her latest experiment and also informs him that he has a brother. At his mother's funeral, John meets Melissa, who claims to be a big fan of his mother's work. John, Melissa, and some of his friends go to his mother's house and search for her notes and answers about his mysterious brother, who he later discovers is named Anthony. What he doesn't expect is that her final experiment and his brother may be the same.

As I said before, the worst part of this film is the acting. None of the characters stand out, and I don't care what happens to any of them. When you don't care about the characters, it makes it hard to get invested in the movie and care about the plot. It's a shame because it could have been a decent little monster flick. The effects are alright, especially for the time. The writing leaves something to be desired, but I think under the right circumstances, this movie could've been enjoyable.

I recommend checking this out if you're into creature features, just don't go in with high expectations. If monster movies aren't your thing, this is probably one you can skip as its nothing all that special. The Kindred is also a difficult one to get a hold of, as it is only available on VHS, although there are rumors that it is going to be distributed on DVD eventually. You can find it on Amazon if you look hard enough, there's sometimes a VHS for sale.

Netflix available: No

Hulu available: No

Xfinity available: No

Rating: 2.5/5