The Kitchen: Mark Kermode’s scifi film review (video).

Here’s our man-of-many-movies, Mark Kermode to welcome to the future, but not as you’d expect it. Enter The Kitchen, a 2023 British science fiction drama directed by the dynamic duo Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya. This isn’t your typical sci-fi fare – think less shiny spaceships and more gritty, urban dystopia. Perfect fodder for the discerning readers of SFcrowsnest, The Kitchen serves up a hefty dose of social commentary with a sprinkle of dark humor.

Set in a future London where social housing is as extinct as the dodo, The Kitchen follows the lives of Izi (Kane Robinson) and Benji (Jedaiah Bannerman) as they navigate life in a community defiantly clinging to its existence. The film, which had its grand debut at the 67th BFI London Film Festival, isn’t just another bleak look at the future. It’s a tale of resilience, community, and perhaps a little bit of rebellion.

Kaluuya, known for his acting chops, takes a turn behind the camera this time, co-writing, co-directing, and producing this feature-length debut. The genesis of The Kitchen began in 2014, in, of all places, a barbershop. Tavares, Kaluuya, and producer Daniel Emmerson envisioned a future where London’s landscape is unrecognizable, yet eerily familiar.

The film, shot in the historic nooks of London and Paris, paints a vivid picture of a future where the disenfranchised are crammed into prison-like housing, monitored by drones and harassed by police raids. This is not your run-of-the-mill sci-fi setting; it’s a gritty, neon-lit vision of what our world could become.

Robinson, as Izi, portrays a man wrestling with the dichotomy of his existence. He works for a creepy eco-funeral business that plants trees from human remains – a bleak metaphor for a city where life and death intertwine in the most unusual ways. His encounter with Benji, a teen from a troubled background, sets off a chain of events that challenges their perceptions of life in The Kitchen. This film isn’t just about the struggle for survival in a dystopian world. It’s a canvas for social issues, a mirror reflecting our own society’s failings and triumphs. The Kitchen, a ramshackle yet vibrant community, symbolizes the human spirit’s resilience against the cold, unfeeling machinery of progress.

The Kitchen also knows when to serve up a laugh, providing much-needed levity in a story that could otherwise be oppressively dark. For instance, a scene where Izi grapples with the inane voice prompts of a rental company brings a moment of relatable frustration in an otherwise tense narrative. Critics have praised the film for its “smart sci-fi” grounded in reality. With an approval rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s clear that The Kitchen has struck a chord. It’s a film that marries the visually stunning with the emotionally resonant, all while keeping its feet firmly planted in the gritty reality of a future London.

So, readers of SFcrowsnest, if you’re hungry for a sci-fi drama that offers more than just flashy special effects, The Kitchen is a feast you won’t want to miss. It’s a story about the human condition, set against a backdrop of a dystopian future, served with a side of dark humor and a dash of hope. Bon appétit!