‘I won’t let anyone come between us any more…’
The New French Extremity movement emerged in the wake of 9/11 following the release of such violent and transgressive films as Martyrs, Inside and Frontier(s). Despite the extreme violence, all of those films aim for lofty symbolism or social commentary. High Tension is just as violent as those mentioned but there is no message here. The violence is gleeful, puerile even, and the result is a film that is still shocking 20 years later…
Marie (Cecile de France) and Alex (Maiwenn), a pair of French students and close friends, plan to escape to the seclusion of Alex’s family home to study for their upcoming finals. Upon arrival, however, their tranquillity is immediately shattered by the introduction of a sadistic killer (Philippe Nahon).
Now. This review will be split into two sections as I simply must devote some spoilerific analysis of the film’s conclusion. But first, the basics. Writer-director Alexandre Aja does a fantastic job of ratcheting up the tension in this home invasion thriller. The cat-and-mouse game between Marie and her pursuer is incredibly stressful but also incredibly exciting. Aja would be rewarded with the opportunity to remake The Hills Have Eyes – an opportunity that he took with aplomb, eventually delivering a film that far surpasses the original. This is a director who knows how to make the viewer squirm. It is a rare talent.
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It has to be said, however, that Aja doesn’t stick the landing. The third act twist, whilst being both surprising and memorable, simply doesn’t make sense, and only serves to devalue what has come before. Had the film ended 10 minutes earlier, it would have been a superior piece of work overall.
That being said, High Tension is excellent for 90% of its run time, Aja’s talents are clear to see and the primary cast does a terrific job in bringing the script to life. Nahon, credited simply as ‘The Killer’, is utterly chilling throughout, and the fact that we don’t see his eyes until the very end only makes his character more insidious. For those with the stomach for extreme horror, High Tension (or Switchblade Romance to use its English language title) is a winner. A tough watch but an effective film nevertheless.