Life is as normal as it can be for Nicole (Alisha Wainwright) and Dion (Ja’Siah Young), having lost husband and father Mark (Michael B. Jordan) a few years ago, and now living in a new neighborhood.
It’s a day like any other when Dion suddenly has a telekinetic experience during breakfast. Day to day new powers emerge and his strength grows, and Nicole is left wondering how to cope with her supernatural son and uncovering where his newfound abilities came from.
Thankfully Nicole isn’t alone. Mark’s best-friend and Dion’s Godfather Pat (Jason Ritter) is always on standby to help raise Dion, as well as being on the inside at BIONA – the company Mark was working for before his death, and who he suspected could have an explanation to all the unexplained events taking place.
When I saw the trailer for Raising Dion last month, I immediately set a reminder on Netflix. The concept of a kid superhero, a weather-based villain, and Michael B. Jordan, had me on all kinds of levels of intrigued. Unfortunately after watching the first two episodes, it gave me reason to pause – and consider never returning.
The above initial thought was more so to do with the fluctuating tone of the series. One second it was as if I was watching a show aimed at kids, with the wide-eyed childlike whimsy of certain scenes, which would suddenly flip to darker more diabolic tones. I couldn’t get an anchor on what exactly I was supposed to be watching and whose eyes I was watching it from.
However, with that being said, there was still enough of a layer of mystery laced within the series to make me continue on and on, and on, until I got to the end of a series that I can say I for the most part enjoyed.
Normally I can’t stand child actors, especially when they make up a large percentage of screen time, but Ja’Siah Young, who played the titular character Dion, was sweet, realistic and adorable enough for me to happily look past his… being a child – and the same goes for Sammi Haney who played Dion’s friend Esperanza.
If you’re looking for something light to put on in the background but won’t put you to sleep then press play on Raising Dion.
Any thoughts on the film?