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High Tension Review - Tony H - 06-13-2005
Well, About two weeks ago I posted a thread about this arrival of this French import. I even had the audacity to proclaim the French as the savior of the horror genre. I highly anticipated this film, waited with bated breath to see the film that some said was a return to barebones horror and gore.
I read up on the film on Rottentomatoes.com, I knew there was a twist ending in the movie, a twist that reviled many viewers. A lot claimed they didn't get it, that the twist made no sense. I thought I could handle it, that I could figure it out and shame the many viewers who were dumbfounded by the smart and clever reveal. I thought that I could go on message boards and proclaim the writer a genius as I clearly explained what transpired; I am after all an educated fella.
Well color me fucked.
The film is first and foremost, initially, a BLATANT ripoff of INTENSITY by Dean Koontz. I suspected as much in the description of the film in the many reviews I read. What I did not realize is just how identical the film is to the book, how closely the events mirror Koontz's yarn.
The film takes place in southern France, two college friends Marie and Alexia (Alex) journey to the remote cabin home of Alexia's parents to study for finals. Fifteen minutes into the film the fun begins, unbeknownst to the viewer that in approximately an hour, the fun would come to a grinding halt.
If you have read Koontz's INTENSITY the events that follow will come as no surprise, but for those who have not read the book on which the movie borrows it's main action, this is for you...
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Marie meets Alex's family, as sweet and loving as a French family can be, practically welcoming Alex as a member of the family, her picture is already on the mantle of their fireplace.
With the meet and greet done, Marie calls Alex a slut, (Several times in this film), goes outside to smoke, sees Alex showering and watches a little to long then goes inside to masturbate while listening to American music on her headphones.
This is when the killer shows up and begins his assault on the family in what is a beautifully filmed, white-knuckle moment that clearly defines this throwback to slaughter films of the 80's direct to video era. The dispatches are heinous, vulgar and disgusting. Surprisingly though nothing that hasn't been seen in a Friday the 13th film. Obviously we in the states have received a watered down version which is far different from the original French release and the UK release aptly entitled Switchblade Romance.
Still, it is good to see the gore back on the screen, the likes of which haven't been seen since horrors 80's heyday.
Marie, finally done with her prolonged autoeroticism removes her headset in time to hear the carnage and discover the family, save for Alex, systematically slaughtered. She finds her friend gagged, bound and raped and promises to help her.
When the killer returns Marie hides as her friend is hauled off and tossed into the back of an old truck. Marie sneaks on board and is hauled off in tow to an apparent truck stop which is void of any truckers. Marie sneaks off the back of the truck as the killer fuels up and begs the lone attendant to call the cops as the killer enters. Marie hides in the back of the store and does her best to not be seen.
I will forego the rest of the explanation, suffice it to say the attendant bites the dust and there is more tense cat and mouse moments as hunter and hunted switch roles periodically throughout the film.
There is a misplaced car chase in which Marie flies after the truck in a sports car only to once again become the hunted as the sneaky killer ends up behind her in a scene ripped from the opening of Jeepers Creepers.
It is around this time that Marie, totally exhausted and fearing for her friends life, the friend she promised she would save, fights back and ropes the audience in making you want to cheer as she chooses her weapon and prepares to make a stand.
It is here where the twist is revealed, the very twist that I thought I could explain. The big twist will make your jaw hit the floor initially, but the shock only lasts a split second until you realize that you have been lied to and that the writers Aja and Gregory Levasseur have done the worst thing imaginable, they cheated.
The cheat is unforgiveable as it makes almost everything the viewer witnessed up until that point impossible, but the worst part is it makes you not care anymore. The twist has been done before and been done better, but even in the movie that obviously inspired such an insipid and out of place revelation, it had the same effect, it made the movie inconsequential.
That is exactly what happens here and all the tension and fear the film successfully built deflates like a blow up doll bitten on the neck in the throes of passion.
The cinematography, direction and music in the film are delightful and add to the anxiety in the film. There is, up until the twist, a ticking clock. The film sets into motion a chain of events that seem to play out in real time. It is borderline genius and creates a sense of impending doom, the heart rate definitely gets a boost while watching this film.
So is High Tension worth a look? Yes, but do yourself a favor and as soon as you think the movie should end, leave. Flee flee flee on gossamer wings and don't look back for that is the only way to enjoy this film.
The only other drawback aside from the revelation is that Lion's Gate obviously decided that a dub would be better than a subtitle, and someone in the ranks disagreed so they settled on a hybrid. The characters will be speaking English only to switch into their native dialect mid conversation. This happens periodically making the viewer wish the distributor would have setteled on one or the other. A minor distraction if one at all, depends on if you are a purist or not.
High Tension had so much potential and is definately worth a look, it was the first film that actually scared me in a long time, but that moment takes place at the beginning of the film long before the rug was pulled out from under me and the writers hazed me with urine and feces while I was down.
I would love to see the uncut French or UK release, maybe they will re;ease the full NC-17 version on DVD. I will be adding it to my collection because despite it's unforgiveable flaw, the movie was still a good scare and a fun throwback to the days where horror movies were R-rated and not witty, hip, clever, smart or any other adjective reviewers used to describe any film Written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven in the past decade.
If I had a star rating I would say 2 1/2 out of 5 for almost getting it right.
-Tony
High Tension Review - jimbow8 - 06-13-2005
Sounds like a rental to me.
High Tension Review - APhew - 06-14-2005
Tony,
Completely agree with you on the twist.
I got the "uncut" version off E-bay a while back. I can see two scenes that they might have cut a little short in the American release. But it's probably only thirty seconds to a minute worth of cuts. The rest probably could stay and still keep a solid "R" rating. I think all you missed was probably extra gore. I'd be interested to see the American cut and find out what they shortened up.
Still, for horror buffs, it's a film worth seeing (but only at matinee price)
High Tension Review - Scott Hajek - 06-14-2005
AsMoral Wrote:It is here where the twist is revealed, the very twist that I thought I could explain. The big twist will make your jaw hit the floor initially, but the shock only lasts a split second until you realize that you have been lied to and that the writers Aja and Gregory Levasseur have done the worst thing imaginable, they cheated.
The cheat is unforgiveable as it makes almost everything the viewer witnessed up until that point impossible, but the worst part is it makes you not care anymore. The twist has been done before and been done better, but even in the movie that obviously inspired such an insipid and out of place revelation, it had the same effect, it made the movie inconsequential.
Once again your movie review is excellent reading. Maybe Roeper or Ebert will kick off soon and you could become their replacement. Then there would be consistent honesty in the reviews.
Regarding this movie, E & R both stated that the "twist" was impossible and they gave it "thumbs down."