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Tin and Tina is the new Spanish horror film on Netflix that has been trashed by
most film critics. But it’s really not all that bad. It is mostly interesting
from a visual standpoint. The film is shot like a stylish 70s Gothic horror film
and the color palette with lots of whites and reds that are used very well.
Also, the acting by all the principal actors is always better than average
although a little overdramatic at times by US standards.
But the story could have been improved, and after a certain point it becomes
predictable, with the mom becoming more suspicious as the bodies around the
twins begin to pile up. This is kind of like M4gan with two demented twins
committing murders rather than a killer babysitter.
There have been of course many other films about sinister twins or doppelgangers
such as The Shining (1980), Hammer’s Carmilla prequel, Twins of Evil (1971), The
Other (1972), and my favorite, William Wilson, a lesser-known Spirits of the
Dead film episode (1968), adapted from a Poe story. The twin theme is probably
popular because the twin or mirror image (like it did in Evil Dead II or in the
original Star Trek episode, Mirror Mirror) can be seen as the evil side of a
person. Tin and Tina is not nearly as good as those efforts and it mostly avoids
heavy themes, but it does serve as a stern warning against religious extremism.
Tin and Tina is slightly different from those films because the two twins are
also albinos (there was also an evil albino in
Da Vinci Code).
The film is very slow moving and it takes a very long time (perhaps too long)
for the horror to really start.
Lola (Milena Smit) and Adolfo (Jaimie Lorento) are a very likeable couple who
are depressed because Lola recently suffered a miscarriage. We find out about
this in a shocking manner when we see the bride’s dress filling with blood at
the wedding while she is standing (in a shocking image that could have come out
of a giallo film like The Blood Splattered Bride or Hatchet for a Honeymoon).
Because of complications caused by the miscarriage Lola is told she cannot
conceive again.
Lola was raised in a Catholic orphanage, and even though she is not religious
she convinces her husband to go with her to pick out two foster kids at the
orphanage. Of course, they choose the most sinister, disturbed-looking kids who
will end up ruining their lives.
The two albino twins, Tin and Tina come from a very religious background and
they were named after St. Augustine who is considered the father of the Catholic
in the west. The film reunites two of the biggest kid stars in Spain to play the
albinos. Ruth Gabriel played in the show, Barrio Sesamo along with her co-star
here, Chel Vivaros.
The husband is a little more hesitant about plunging right into parenthood and
asks, “Are you sure about this?” A nun ominously warns the parents when she
says,” They are unique, special children.” They don’t know the half of it.
After a little period of adjustment, the couple finds out that Tin and Tina are
very eccentric and have very unconventional ideas about life. The twins are
Christian fundamentalists that take the Bible so literally that will do horrific
things (like carving up a dog) to fulfill what they think is God’s will. The mom
begins to suspect something is terribly amiss when the kids suggest how
sometimes family members must be sacrificed to appease God citing the Abraham
story shortly before she gives birth.
The film is actually an expansion of a short film with the same name which might
explain why the long version feels stretched out just to make it feature length.
This long version is ok, but many critics argued that the short (which won over
thirty awards) does much of what this films does and it does it better.
But both the long and short version (from the clips I saw) are undeniably scary
and better looking than most American horror films. If you loved Del Toro’s
films like The Orphanage or Cronos you just might like this one. But for me it
was hit and misses.
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