High Tension Movie Review

This movie had a release date of June 10^th 2005. I was unable to find it showing anywhere in Toronto, but fortunately I tracked down an imported DVD of the subtitled Director’s Cut. One word - UNBELIEVABLE! Without a doubt, one of the best horror movies I have seen in a long time.

The movie, directed by Alexandre Aja (currently working on the remake of The Hills Have Eyes – damn remakes!), has a very simple set-up. Two friends, Alex (Maiwenn ) and Marie (Cecile De France ), travel to the country to visit Alex’s family. Marie is struggling with much deeper feelings than friendship for Alex. Arriving late, the family retires to their bedroom. Marie stays up, listening to music and expressing her feelings for Alex in a physical way – alone in her bedroom. A sadistic killer pulls up to the secluded farm house. When Alex’s father answers the door, he is savagely, and I mean SAVAGELY, murdered. Hearing the commotion, Marie manages to conceal her presence from the killer, hiding in the attic. Alex is attacked, and left bound and gagged as the killing continues. One by one the family is brutally slaughtered, until only Alex and Marie are left. Marie tries to free Alex, but is unable to unlock the heavy chains which imprison her. The killer leaves with Alex, unaware that there Marie was in the house, and still alive. Marie gives chase to save her friend and is forced into a shocking confrontation with the killer.

This movie takes the very best of Psycho, Halloween, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and combines it into something that is anything but a tired old rehashing of 70s slasher films. If you liked any of the three movies mentioned in the previous sentence, YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM!

I love 70s films, and particularly slasher films. There has been a major resurgence of 70s- inspired films over the last five years. This one, more than any of the others, gets it right. Creepy, gory and unrelenting, this is the movie that fans of the great 70s films have been waiting for.

"High Tension" is NOT just a catchy title. The film builds unbelievable tension from a very simple premise. The director takes his time with shots, much like Carpenter did with Halloween, and this builds the atmosphere and suspense which is needed for a slasher film to work. Marie is a great protagonist, initially hiding from the killer, but then channeling her inner-Ripley to take action and confront the psycho in order to save the woman she loves. De France’s performance is terrific, and the killer creates enough mayhem to satisfy any horror fan. From car chases to giant circular saws, this movie has it all.

If you are lucky enough to have High Tension playing at a theater near you, cancel the trip to grandma’s and SEE IT TODAY!

Grade: A

MOVIE REVIEW: HIGH TENSION (HAUTE TENSION)
By Tim Hannigan, MoviesOnline Critic