There's an awful lot to love about writer/director Kylie Eaton's sci-fi short film Kinetic, an engaging Indiana-made short shot entirely in Martinsville, Indiana and featuring a 90% Indiana crew. The film is having its world premiere as part of the Indiana Spotlight 2 block of films screening during the 2020 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, an Academy Award-qualifying festival going on virtually and at Indy's Tibbs Drive-In from July 21-26th. 

Kinetic centers around Jess (Violet Brinson), a young girl solicited into criminal activity by her Aunt Drea (Amy Davidson) despite her own resistance and her own denial of the special gifts Aunt Drea wants and Jess just happens to have. 

At a breezy five-minute running time, Kinetic gets right down to business and both Brinson and Davidson do a nice job of building the necessary tension rather quickly. While there's not much doubt about what's about to unfold, Eaton peels away the layers quite effectively and by the end of Kinetic you'll no doubt wish that the film were a bit longer. 

Eric Ulbrich's cinematography is effective throughout, while Jesi Nelson's original music matched the entire production design quite nicely in creating an aura of mystery and a feeling we're getting a glimpse inside an origin story. 

In a sense, that's exactly true. 

Violet Brinson shines as Jess, a young and studious girl trying to control her emotions and her gifts and not doing particularly well with either one. Brinson projects an air of vulnerability and an even stronger air of quiet strength. She's a blast to watch. 

Amy Davidson knows the truth that Jess is just beginning to understand and she's not afraid to exploit it. Aunt Drea is so oily you practically have to wipe off the screen as the closing credits are rolling. 

The special effects in Kinetic are impressive throughout and Eaton serves notice that she's a filmmaker to watch. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic