Star Thieves Review: Smart and Complex

Father Isaiah has a problem, he seems to have a crisis of faith. Wrestling with what he’s done he queries his mentor who’s not much help. But the real issue is that Isaiah isn’t who he claims to be. This priest who enters a room, silences a woman’s screams with the wave of his hand, takes something from her, then disappears is in truth Kai.   

The short film ‘Star Thieves’ is an afro-futuristic adventure with likeable, complex characters and a multicultural cast who are believable as beings who take their nourishment from planets. Think a group of Galactus’ with Kai as their present herald. One of their group is ready to be part of Kai’s proposal, to stay among the humans and help them get past their self-destructive behavior. Kai believes that he and his group can help humanity evolve or they may at least be the key to have them stop living a desperate, nomadic lifestyle. But Khan is of the point of view that they should just eat the earth’s sun and be on their way. He doesn’t see anything redeemable in people, or doesn’t want to.

‘Star Thieves’ is beautifully shot and has crisp dialogue. Though your favorite scene may be the one where adversaries square off. The fight is choreographed like a dance. Red glowing hands battle blue ones in this realistic stand-off. It’s a captivating, satisfying experience as you find yourself moving to the rhythm of the moves. Everything done in this film makes you want more than the 20 minute taste you’re given. 

In the end the group makes a choice that could save their lives and have them do something amazing or push them out of existence. Bookending this quest is a Spanish grandmother who believes in the old ways, but her belief system isn’t what you think it is. Dennis Hill, Leslie H. Foster and Theo Brown have created something special. And the story by Rajeev Sigamoney has this Afrofuturism/speculative leaning that proposes what if black and brown people had the power to devour planets? One of Kai’s groups questions their right to do so. Do they have a right to impose their own sense of manifest destiny, or have they decided to become unwitting colonizers? After seeing what they can do it seems that only self-restraint is keeping them from taking over. 

About Donna-Lyn Washington 639 Articles
Donna-lyn Washington has a M.A. in English from Brooklyn College. She is currently teaching at Kingsborough Community College where her love of comics and pop culture play key parts in helping her students move forward in their academic careers. As a senior writer for ReviewFix she has been able to explore a variety of worlds through comics, film and television and has met some interesting writers and artists along the way. Donna-lyn does a weekly podcast reviewing indie comics and has also contributed entries to the 'Encyclopedia of Black Comics,’ the academic anthology ‘Critical Insights: Frank Yerby’ and is the editor for the upcoming book, ‘Conversations With: John Jennings.’

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