High Tension

Upon its release “High Tension” (2003) stirred up a fair amount of discussion among horror fans for its much-talked-about twisted ending. Whether you agree with the conclusion or not, the film is definitely a polarizing experience that is going to stay with you for a while. Obviously, the writers were inspired by Hollywood movies such as “Psycho” (1960), “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974), “The Usual Suspects” (1995), and “The Sixth Sense” (1999). Nonetheless, “High Tension” in essence works competently as a slasher flick for two-thirds of its running time.

“High Tension” executes all the moves brilliantly in the first fifty minutes. It has all the elements of a horror movie: a mysterious stranger, a bloody massacre, a deadly cat-and-mouse game, and, of course, a final act of redemption. The film begins with brutal force with its depiction of violent murders and excessive gore. But is the whole experience greater than the sum of its parts? It depends on how you feel about the ending. I felt almost cheated, as if the climax robbed me of the thrills and shivers experienced in the first two acts.

Looking for a break from noisy town life, two friends, Alex (Maïwenn Le Besco) and Marie (Cécile de France), take a trip to the countryside to stay with Alex’s parents’ in their house. Soon, an unnamed serial killer knocks at the door and savagely kills Alex’s family. The stranger spares Alex, but takes her in a truck to a nearby secluded place. Meanwhile, Marie witnesses the grisly murders and vows to rescue Alex. The aftermath of the massacre triggers a deadly game in which Alex is precisely planning her moves to stay ahead of the killer.

Up until the twist is thrown in, “High Tension” succeeds in developing the tension by appropriately mixing the gore with the reality of the events. We witness the two intelligent characters in the form of a killer and an ensuing survivor, Marie. It seems as if you are playing a video game in which you are controlling the mind and actions of the film’s main character. Marie swiftly moves from one room to the next, hiding behind walls and closets. Without panicking, she always stays a step ahead of the killer. Her personality radiates with an emotional strength that gives her the right balance in a crisis like this. Indeed, Marie’s presence of mind and patience pay off during the close encounters with the killer. However, even with a strong emotional façade, the entire experience of witnessing the bloody murders and the constant threat from the killer gradually breaks her down, psychologically. But in spite of this, she is determined to rescue Alex, irrespective of the consequences.

Likewise, Philippe Nahon’s portrayal of a serial killer is mind-blowing and convincing.  Not much of a talker, the killer quickly gets to the grotesque ritual act of killing the victims. The writers compose the killer’s portrait as a callous, brutal, sharp, and unforgiving person, who leaves a bloody carnage in executing his plans. In addition, the preparedness of the killer shocks to a certain extent. Indeed, it’s the deadly game of survival between Marie and the killer that keeps viewers grossly engrossed, amidst all the savagery and gore. There is no doubt that the film produces several hair-raising moments early on.

That brings us to the climax. Does the twisted conclusion work? Unfortunately, it makes the final act a complete mess. “High Tension” doesn’t adhere to the twisted-ending formula, and it breaks certain rules in the process. Consider, for example, the case for clever endings in “The Usual Suspects” and “The Sixth Sense.” In “The Usual Suspects,” the entire film is carried through a narration that realistically builds the plot, its characters, and their motives. Similarly, the idea of seeing dead people in “The Sixth Sense” works marvelously from the young boy’s perspective, since it’s not a false concept in the story. What’s more, the twists don’t take anything away from the narrative; in fact, they make the stories entirely plausible. Surely, viewers would come back to these movies to dissect every aspect in the plot and analyze the hints thrown by the writers. After all, the majority of viewers felt they were outwitted by some crafty writing.

Conversely, “High Tension” takes a complete U-turn, and it breaks the rudimentary rule that the story should work even without the twist element. In fact, the melodramatic bloodbath ending reverses the whole affair until that point, and instead of propelling the plot forward, the film breaks apart. The characters are hidden behind a veil that crosses the fine line between reality and weird imaginings. Sadly, if you already know how the story wraps up in the dying moments of “High Tension,” there is no reason to watch the macabre events unfold again.

The first two acts of “High Tension” are something you rarely see these days in the horror genre. With fast-paced, thrilling sequences, compelling performances from the two leads, and sharp editing techniques, the film entertains immensely. Yet despite the positive attributes, the third act is certainly going to divide viewers. And I thought the story would have worked even without the inclusion of the final twist.

Video:

“High Tension” arrives on Blu-ray encoded in an AVC codec and framed in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1.  The movie is mainly shot at nighttime and in dimly light conditions. Grain is present in the night sequences and adds a gritty element to the viewing experience. The close-ups are remarkably better than the long shots, and they exhibit consistent improvement in detail. Sharpness suffers due to softness in some scenes. Overall, the 1080p shines even for a low-budget movie like this one.

Audio:

Lionsgate has included two audio tracks: a French 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track and an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. I watched this movie with the original French track. As expected, the dialogue is clear and sharp throughout. The surround channels are activated in the action and chase sequences.

Extras:

We get two commentary tracks. The first track is with director Alexandre Aja and co-writer Gregory Lavasseur. The second track features selected scenes commentary with Alexandre Aja and Cecile De France. In both the tracks, we get insights on the story, the killer’s portrait, and locations used in the film.

Following this, a featurette, “Haute Horror – Making of High Tension,” takes us through the detailed production process on the sets. The director offers his take on the story and how they filmed the final sequence. The cast discuss their characters and the complexity involved in shooting several action sequences.

Up next, a short featurette, “Building Tension” focuses on how the writers crafted the fear factor through the portrait of a psychopath killer. Finally, we have a brief segment dedicated to iconic make-up artist Giannetto De Rossi.

Parting Thoughts:

Alexandre Aja’s “High Tension” with its twist element aspires to associate itself in the same league as other well-known twisted thrillers like “The Usual Suspects” and “The Sixth Sense.” However, the contrived ending is a bit of a mess that pretty much questions what followed before it is revealed. The film has several exciting sequences, but an underwhelming final act makes “High Tension” a mixed bag.

Video = 8/10

Audio = 8/10

Extras = 5/10

Film Value = 6/10