In the saturated sphere of sci-fi and superhero movies, Gray Matter just doesn’t cut it. The film, which was produced as part of the filmmaking workshop/reality show Project Greenlight, doesn’t add anything new, much less its own spin, to a story we’ve heard countless times: that of a young kid learning to harness her supernatural powers for the first time. If you’ve seen Carrie, Firestarter, or more recently Stranger Things, then you’ll be able to predict how most of Gray Matter turns out. It is watchable, sure, enjoyable even in the first few minutes where it promises a world chockful of lore, but it never fulfills that promise. To be fair, the performances are solid and the technicals maximize what limited resources the movie has (it looks more decent than you’d expect a small-budgeted sci-fi production to be), but the pros don’t outweigh the cons in this case. It’s simply too empty and generic to be elevated by anything else. 

Young star Mia Isaac does well with the flimsy material she’s given, adding as much depth to her character as she can. Her turn as Aurora is convincing and moving, and with a better script, her relationship with Ayla could have been the emotional touchstone of the film. There is chemistry between mother and daughter, and the film could’ve recognized and drawn on that resource a bit more to fuel the film with the passion it so desperately needed. If anything, Gray Matter showcases Isaac’s potential for bigger and better roles.