High Tension Year: 2003 Director: Alexandre Aja Written by: Alexandre Aja, Gregory Lavasseur Threat: Psychopath Weapon of Choice: Barbed-Wire Club Based upon: None IMDb page:

Other movies in this series:
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The tyranist's thoughts
We don't watch a lot of foreign horror. Most of it isn't available at all where I live, and Rish hates subtitles. Still, last time we got together, we watched 3 movies in foreign languages (this one in French, Ringu 2 and Audition in Japanese) so I must be wearing off on him. It was actually really nice to see this one get the kind of attention it got. Granted, the attention was small scale compared to some, but for any kind of foreign film to get noticed even redubbed instead of remade is fantastic.
Two college girls are headed to the country for the weekend to get some serious study time in away from the bright lights of the city. They aren't even there one night and suddenly a psychopath shows up out of nowhere and starts to kill everyone. It just doesn't seem fair, does it?
This movie was brutal and violent and gory. I've seen enough horror film at this point to have a hard time awarding a double Skull for Excessive Gore, but this one earned it and more. The interesting thing is that it was all very stylish. I've seen a lot of movies that are mostly just like this one, but that go for the low-budget, realistic look and those disturb me. There was enough style to this one that I found myself really into the movie and genuinely terrified for the characters, while still able to appreciate the art of the movie.
But that sounds snootier than I mean it.
Didn't recognize any of the actors. Never heard of the director or writers. But I'll watch out for them in the future. This was top-notch horror and, even though it is only the second French horror movie I recall having seen, makes me appreciate French horror enough to possibly seek it out.
I recommend this, but with the warning that it isn't for the weak of stomach or psyche. The title seemed sort of bad until I had experienced the movie, and they are right about the amount of tension it causes.
Posted: January 30, 2006

Rish's Reviews
High Tension, or Haute tension, a rare French gory horror film, actually lived up to its name. Throughout, it does raise the level of dread and menace to sickening heights. The gore was ridiculously over-the-top, and consistently well done.
There was a moment halfway through where it strained crediblity a little too far, but by the end, it became so absurdly nonsensical and impossible, that I didn't care anymore about that one moment.
The film wouldn't stand up to a repeat viewing, but the first time through, I was quite unnerved and afraid for our characters. The villain is so repugnant and nasty that you never once root for him or wish him success in his bloodletting endeavours.
There was some unusual, quite avant-garde lighting choices, but those only helped to remind me that it was a movie rather than create some kind of surreal mood. While I don't find this kind of brutal, semi-realistic horror film very fun, they are quite a visceral experience, and except for the silly/fun/tricky/exciting/shocking/ludicrous twist ending, I admired the work and power of the film.
The DVD we picked up had both a French track and dubbed English track, but we went with the French, since that seemed to be what the filmmakers had in mind. I don't know if that enhanced or detracted from our enjoyment of the film, but it certainly prevented us from giving out Bad Acting or Dialogue Skulls.
I met the director, Alexandre Aja, earlier in the year, before High Tension was released here in America, and tried to engage him in conversation. Unfortunately, he spoke less English than most babies, and we were unable to talk about the film, which I know was a big hit overseas. He did give me a signed poster, though, which I suppose I ought to give away on the site.
I'd actually recommend this one, if this sort of thing appeals to you.
Posted: February 1, 2006

Total Skulls: 24

Sequel
Sequel setup
Rips off earlier film
Horror film showing on TV/in theater in movie
Future celebrity appears
Former celebrity appears
Bad title
Bad premise
Bad acting
Bad dialogue
Bad execution
MTV Editing
OTS
Girl unnecessarily gets naked
Wanton sex
Death associated with sex
Unfulfilled promise of nudity
Characters forget about threat
Secluded location
Power is cut
Phone lines are cut
Someone investigates a strange noise
Someone runs up stairs instead of going out front door
Camera is the killer
Victims cower in front of a window/door
Victim locks self in with killer
Victim running from killer inexplicably falls
Toilet stall scene
Shower/bath scene
Car stalls or won't start
Cat jumps out
Fake scare
Laughable scare
Stupid discovery of corpse
Dream sequence
Hallucination/Vision
No one believes only witness
Crazy, drunk, old man knows the truth
Warning goes unheeded
Music detracts from scene
Death in first five minutes
x years before/later
Flashback sequence
Dark and stormy night
Killer doesn't stay dead
Killer wears a mask
Killer is in closet
Killer is in car with victim
Villain is more sympathetic than heroes
Unscary villain/monster
Beheading
Blood fountain
Blood spatters - camera, wall, etc.
Poor death effect
Excessive gore
No one dies at all
Virgin survives
Geek/Nerd survives
Little kid lamely survives
Dog/Pet miraculously survives
Unresolved subplots
"It was all a dream" ending
Unbelievably happy ending
Unbelievably crappy ending
What the hell?