Well what a strange film this was. This psycho-sexual thriller directed by Sandor Stern who has languished in ‘TV movie hell’ since is a mixed bag. It starts off promising enough. We have a couple Dr Linden, played by the brilliant Terry O’Quinn (Millennium, Lost) and his wife played by Brownen Mantel (Gothika). Dr Linden is a brilliant man who has a medical dummy called ‘Pin’, short for Pinocchio, which he uses to teach his young patients important facts via ventriloquism. He has two children, Leon and Ursula. Leon seems to think Pin is real, however Ursula knows better. As they get older Leon begins to talk to Pin, which has strange effects on his mental health. So much so that he’ll do anything for Pin….even kill.

The acting is so so. One one hand you have Terry O’Quinn who plays Dr Linden, and David Hewlett who plays Leon who hold their own. Then you have bit players like John Pyper-Ferguson who plays Ursula’s boyfriend Stan Fraker, who really doesn’t know what he’s doing. The story is ok, with the odd scare, and the voice of ‘Pin’ is wonderfully creepy.

Some things really grate however. One bit in particular when Dr Linden catches Leon talking to Pin. His reaction afterwards suggests there is something seriously wrong, which I felt is never touched on, or maybe I was just not paying attention. The extras on the DVD amount to just a theatrical trailer.

This copy of PIN was graciously provided by the generous folks over at http://www.facebook.com/ArrowVid. You can pre-order your copy now from http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk. The movie is released on DVD on October 28th.

3/5

JM