The Kitchen

Fails to convey anything new. Despite the topic, somehow manages to subscribe to the myth of social mobility ie. people breaking out of poverty if they just bother to work hard for a brief period of time.

A boy and his long lost father get to know one another, while both face the trials and difficult choices that come with inequality and oppression. One imagines the filmmakers felt they were confronting the audience with important issues yet the slow-moving narrative mainly gives the feeling of conforming to the imperatives of a Hollywood screenwriting textbook. Generous viewers might say that the temperature is gradually raised to boiling point. Contains no female characters of any significance.

The film concludes with an ambiguous and unsatisfying finale, leaving numerous questions unanswered and several conflicts hanging. It fails to clarify the fate of the Kitchen, Izi and Benji, or the other characters introduced. The film lacks a clear message, lesson, or any compelling reason for its viewing. With subpar execution and writing, it falls short of fulfilling its initial promises. Neither fitting neatly into the sci-fi nor drama genres, it ultimately fails to impress.

The premise, acting, storytelling, music and directing are all competent, though there isn't enough meat on the bone to warrant the slow pace. The ending is great and provides much of the emotional depth. But The Kitchen also doesn't really add much to the dystopia conversation. It doesn't pull together all its elements and turn them into something that stands above or with the giants in this sci-fi sub-genre. It's entertaining but a little disappointing.