The Kindred
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The Kindred
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Kindred is a gripping British supernatural horror mystery that features suicide and a story that involves the murder of children. When Helen (April Pearson) wakes from a coma with an incomplete memory of her father's suicide, she is haunted by ghosts of dead children and becomes determined to solve the mystery. She is supported by her husband, Greg (Blake Harrison), who is shown to be a caring father for their baby daughter. The movie has creepy visions of dead kids, as well as a repeated scene of Helen's father's suicide. There is also some gore, with close-ups of wounds and a throat being slit. Characters occasionally smoke and drink alcohol. The language is infrequent but can be strong and includes "f--k" and "bollocks." During her rehabilitation, Helen uses a wheelchair. This is seen as part of the recovery process with Helen adapting positively to being a wheelchair user.
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What's the Story?
In THE KINDRED, Helen (April Pearson) wakes from a coma with no memory of what caused her father to take his own life. Plagued by the ghosts of dead children, she sets out to solve the mystery.
Is It Any Good?
This British horror mystery pulls you in immediately and doesn't let go. The Kindred's opening scene starts with a distressed woman running from a building, before a body falls from the sky, and she's hit by a car. This promising start is delivered upon as the supernatural murder mystery unfolds at satisfying pace. It's a mid-budget horror with dark subject matter. But the filmmaking is fun, keeping it on the right side of enjoyable. There's a lot going on, too -- exploring themes of guilt, ghosts, blame, motherhood, and more -- in its tight and sometimes twisty story.
The performances are as solid as the pacing. Pearson (Skins) flits between haunted, tormented, and determined from scene to scene. During one party scene in particular, she brilliantly -- and believably -- shows a cool detachment from the world around her as she sits with her own turmoil. As the kind and caring Greg, Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners UK) is a warm and welcome presence. While the cameo from king of oddball indie movies, Steve Oram, is fantastic. Oram's deadpan delivery as a scruffy paranormal investigator lights up the screen and plays a vital part in uncovering the mystery. Occasionally televisual but not to its detriment, The Kindred is a perfectly paced indie horror packed with plenty of themes to explore, lots of thrills, and great performances.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in The Kindred. Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Did you think the movie was scary? What was most scary about it? What's the appeal of horror movies?
What did the movie have to say about guilt? How were these feelings expressed in terms of the horror elements?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 15, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: March 15, 2022
- Cast: April Pearson, James Cosmo, Blake Harrison
- Director: Jamie Patterson
- Studio: Vertical Entertainment
- Genre: Horror
- Character Strengths: Curiosity, Perseverance
- Run time: 94 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: January 19, 2023
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