PINS AND NEEDLES is a new thriller with a Cat-and-Mouse survival plot. It’s a solid production, but the story could’ve been better. There are too many elements and decisions that are bound to annoy. This was certainly my experience. Read our full Pins & Needles movie review here!
PINS AND NEEDLES is a Cat-and-Mouse thriller that entertains overall, but could also annoy you. We’re back to that iconic Scream reasoning: Why are you running up the stairs when you should be running out the front door?!
Okay, not literally for this particular movie. However, we do see the person struggling to survive make some decisions that are not wise. Also, the ending (again, for me) was equal parts satisfying and just plain dumb.
Continue reading our Pins & Needles movie review below. Find it On Demand from June 24, 2025.
Canadian cat-and-mouse thriller
The “mouse” in this cat-and-mouse thriller is Max. She’s a diabetic, which will obviously come into play. A lot. As in way too much. Constantly checking her blood sugar and having to take shots of insulin becomes way too big a part of this plot.
Disclaimer: I have no idea if it’s realistic, but it seems she should never be far from any city with a doctor or hospital nearby, if this is her normal.
The movie only plays out over a day or so, where the biology grad student finds herself suddenly trapped with some very diabolical people. At first, we met a few friends on a road trip to get back to civilization.
For reasons I won’t get into here, they opt for the road less traveled and end up in a very remote location. Strangely placed in the middle of nowhere is a fancy house where the aforementioned diabolical people live and run lots of body hack experiments.
You know, the kind where they’re trying to find the cure for old age. The dream of being forever young is what drives them.
From bad to worse
Max has managed to stay hidden from them, but her insulin supply is quickly (and constantly, as already mentioned) dwindling, so Max has to take a few risks of getting discovered. And that would likely result in her becoming their latest test subject.
Admittedly, I did enjoy the whole cat-and-mouse game, and Max makes many good choices. And then a few stupid ones.
Finally, I am just not a fan of those grossly unrealistic scenes. Most people in this story will get injured in some way. Often in ways that should incapacitate them or (at the very least) make it almost impossible for them to walk and move around.
Well, not in Pins and Needles. Instead, people can practically run on ankles with open fractures.
The cast of Pins & Needles
As Max, we have Chelsea Clark (Scared Shitless, Ginny & Georgia). Overall, I can’t complain about her portrayal of Max, as she delivers a lot of amazing energy and pure survival instinct to the character.
Her road trip buddies are played by Damian Romeo (Fear Street: Prom Queen) and Daniel Gravelle (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark).
The villains are played by Kate Corbett (The Righteous) and Ryan McDonald (Becky, Fringe). Especially Kate Corbett had some very memorable scenes of pure rage that left a deep impression!
Watch Pins and Needles on VOD
James Villeneuve is the writer and director of Pins and Needles, and yes, that name should instantly make you pay attention. Well, the last name. After all, Denis Villeneuve is one of the most amazing genre filmmakers out there, so I was intrigued by the name “Villeneuve”.
James Villeneuve, however, is a different kind of filmmaker. The visual style and pacing of the story worked well for me. The actual story, on the other hand, could do with some work. Many different elements annoyed me, and while I could live with some, it was too much.
This is the directorial debut of James Villeneuve, so I’m sure we’ll see him improve as a filmmaker. He did previously co-write the 2020 feature film Vicious Fun with the director of that film.
Overall, as a thriller with a survival story, Pins & Needles is a solid watch. Also, the villains of this story deliver some very memorable moments. In classic villain style, they are entertaining and over the top, yet very human. No supernatural powers for the villain here!
Pins & Needles is out on VOD from June 24, 2025.
Details
Writer/director: James Villeneuve
Cast: Chelsea Clark, Kate Corbett, Ryan McDonald, Damian Romeo, Daniel Gravelle
Plot
What should have been an uneventful ride back to campus unexpectedly becomes a nightmare as Max, a diabetic, biology grad student, is entrapped in a diabolical new-age wellness experiment. With her insulin supply dwindling, Max is forced into a deadly game of cat and mouse where she must escape at all costs or risk becoming the next test subject to extend the lives of the rich and privileged.
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