Sorry, this movie sucks

Good movie but grossly overrated

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

***SPOILERS*** Grossed out horror movie involving world renowned, but somewhat deranged, Geneticist Dr. Phillip Llyod, Rod Steiger, who's into creating clones of human beings who despite having the exact genetic material in their DNA don't look anything like each other.It was Dr. Llyod's assistant Dr. Amanda Hollins, Kim Hunter, who in fact discovered the metamorphosis like operation but unlike the totally crazed Dr. Llyod knew just how dangerous it was for all humanity and tried to stop it by destroying all the papers she had written on it over the years. Recovering for a massive heart-attack, which she later died from, Dr. Hollins begs her son John, David Allen Brooks, to burn the notes and papers on her secret experiment before it's too late. Too late in stopping John's genetic twin Anthony, who in fact looks nothing like him, coming out into the open and killing everything, human and animal life, that he or it comes in contact with!It's at Dr. Hollins country home where she conducted her experiment in human genetics that her Son John and his friends planned to spend the weekend not realizing the dangers they they were soon to be facing. Anthony makes his long awaited and grand appearance hiding inside a watermelon that he uses as cover in attacking and devouring one of John's friends Neil, Burki Z, while she was driving home to celebrate her parents 35th wedding anniversary! It takes a lot of convincing but by the time that Anthony finally reveals himself it's almost too late to stop him or it. The both mad and cagey Dr. Llyod had secretly planted among John's friends a spy, who's dependent on Dr. Llyod's medication, who does everything to stymie John in finally bringing an end to his genetic brother Anthony. The sad part is that he or she in doing Dr. Llyod's bidding becomes Anthony 1st victim!Despite being on the screen for less then ten minutes Academy Award Winner actor Rod Steiger steals the acting honors as the totally out of his head Dr. Phillip Llyod. Dr. Llyod in trying to keep his and the late Dr. Hollis invention from being cooked down to a blob of Vaseline tried desperately to stop John & Co. from liquefying it only to end up joining the "Thing" in the very depths of hell from where it came from! :The by then totally destroyed Dr. Hollis secret laboratory. But it's in fact Anthony, who looks like a combination of a deep sea squid and cicada beetle, who's the real star of the movie. This yucky and gooey monstrosity is about the grosses thing even seen in a horror movie and makes every minute of its on screen appearances count! To the point where in the end you actually end up feeling sorry for it despite all the death and destruction it caused!

After three years in a coma, Amanda Hollins awakens and tells her son, John. To destroy her life experiments and any information found in her secluded old house. He heads there with his girlfriend, some work colleagues and one of his mother's admirers. They eventually discover more then what they bargain for, as some of his mother's genetic engineered creations run amok.I thought I've seen this one before, but I was wrong. This modest combination of 50's sci-fi / horror goes onto deliver a undervalued oddity, with a tip-top ensemble cast and sure-handling from dual directors Jeffrey Obrow and Stephen Carpenter. Suspense is lacking because the minimal story is just too typical and shredded with loopholes, but it's the surprisingly efficient make-up effects, which are over-the-top and horrifically creative that makes for a pleasurable treat. The excessive use of this icky business in some wicked (and at times silly) set pieces is the film's only real imaginative bone. A quick tempo, builds up after a slow opening and the shocks are well placed for maximum effect. Be it a laugh or a gasp. The material mostly plays it with a straight face, with slight slabs of humour and Rod Steiger's small meaty turn. The composed performances (with Steiger being the exception) are reasonably good from the cast. David Allen Brooks is likable in his steadfast delivery and the ravishing Amanda Pays shines in her shifty portrayal. Talia Balsam gives hearty support and Peter Frechette diverts. The classy Kim Hunter also gets some minor scenes as Amanda Hollins. Obrow and Carpenter's directorial style is systematically sturdy without an ounce of any visual flourishes. The look of the film generates a gloomy air, mainly due to Steven Carpenter's murky photography and dim lighting. David Newman's moody, understated music score is fairly unnoticeable.

This film is not the best around but is certainly worth a watch. The monster itself is very cool, it is like a hybrid of Alien and the monster from The Suckling. In fact the reason I got this film is because it looked similar to The Suckling. The story and characters take a while to develop which does get a bit boring, and it takes a while before the monster arrives on the scene. But it's worth the wait. The bit where the monster pokes a claw through the floorboards and the dog starts barking at it had me in hysterics. Rod Steiger, who was another reason I got this film (I thought he was amazing in American Gothic) was OK but not up to his usual standards. There's some cool special effects like when the monster pokes one of its tentacles through the skin of a woman, but they are used very little.

I first watched Kindred in 1987 along with another movie called devouring waves. I remember back then i hated them both and i have never really bothered to watch them again.However i have recently started a crusade to collect as many 80's horror titles in their original boxed form, That have been deleted for some time. I have got myself quite a proud collection with many more titles on my list!The Kindred although i have not as yet got a copy is high priority as all the old movies i didn't like back then, I now own and have now re-watched and think they are brilliant and the bits i do remember of the Kindred are now driving me to want to get hold of a copy A.S.A.P.Hurray for the 80's and long live horror!