A new era of horror started in the early 2000s. The French created several horror films all known for being extremely dark, dread filled, and usually quite bloody and gory. High Tension was the first one to be an extreme version of the slasher film. Alex Aja takes influences from many horror films, and creates a tension filled, unrepentant, and ultra violent horror film that never lets off the intensity and suspense. A reveal toward the end of the film usually makes or breaks someones opinion on the movie. To me the ride up until that reveal is great in itself. This movie has two of the best kills in any horror movie. Regardless of how someone feels about the ending I like the reveal because it forces me to think about how I can justify it and what is really going on scene by scene. Some may say it could never be justified. Whether or not it was Aja's intention he created a movie that doesn't actually make any sense at times unless you make up how it makes sense. It's one of the few slasher movies that really tries to explore the psychology of the killer which makes it more interesting.
Synopsis: A beautiful young Frenchwoman, Alex (Maïwenn Le Besco), travels out to the country to visit her family and brings along her friend Marie (Cécile de France). Soon after they get settled in the secluded home, Alex's parents are brutally attacked by a psychotic truck driver (Philippe Nahon), who proceeds to stalk the two women as well. When the killer kidnaps Alex in his truck, Marie hides in the back to try and rescue her, but the bloodshed is far from over.
Since this movie is impossible to talk about without talking about what happens toward the end I'll break down some of it until I feel like getting to a spoiler section. The movie starts with Alex and Marie riding the car. Their friendship is established as something natural by having them vibe to the same music. The film then transitions to the driver getting some road head. The next thing we see is him dropping the lady's head out the window. They arrive at Alex's house by nightfall. There are some interesting conversations between the two that do mean something later in the movie. Marie calls Alex a slut for her talk about the men she's been with. Marie gives vague answers to questions from Alex about why she doesn't have a man of her own yet. Marie goes outside to smoke. Alex takes a shower with the window open. The scene then transitions to Marie fingering herself which implies she probably has a crush on Alex.
At the same time, the driver makes his way to the house. He slashes Alex's father (Andrei Finti) at the door and then traps his head between two holes in the staircase. He runs a bookshelf at him to decapitate him. The lingering on the moment and not relieving that tension was like something from a Fulci movie. Speaking of Fulci, Gianetto De Rossi who did the effects for movies like Zombi 2, aka Zombie Flesh Eaters, as well as The Beyond, did the practical makeup and blood and gore effects for this movie. The decapitation near the stairs shows he's still got it. Not only that but it is the first of many kills where Aja lingers on the violence. After the kill is completed the camera closes up on the robe Alex's father was wearing and the pouring blood coming from it. Alex's mother (Oana Pellea) is awoken and goes to investigate. The killer goes in Marie's room and doesn't bother looking for her under the bed. Alex is shown waking up with the killer over her. The mother is killed in a room with florescent light. Marie goes into that room and hides the closet, very Halloween style, while the mother is killed. This kill might just be the best razor blade kill in any movie ever. The impact of the blade goes past throat, and you see it. The blood starts rushing out slowly, but it's one of the few razor blade kills I can think of where you really can see through the surface of the wound. While Marie rushes back to Alex's room to find her handcuffed. While this is happening the killer goes outside and shoots Alex's little brother Tom, (Marco Claudiu Pascu) trying to run away through the cornfield.
While killer comes back Marie hides again. The killer abducts Alex and takes her into his truck. Marie grabs a knife before leaving and gives to Alex and she sneaks on the truck. While Marie is asking Alex to relax, Alex doesn't seem to respond to Marie's presence. There are other women's pictures all over the truck implying this isn't the first murder rodeo for the killer. The killer stops at a convenience store and gas station. Marie sneaks in while the killer isn't looking. She tries to get help from the cashier. The killer goes and murders the cashier with an axe. Something to remember is this all on camera. Marie sneaks into the bathrooms. In a very Maniac style suspense sequence the killer eventually leaves. Marie pursues the driver and Alex in another car. More diabolus ex machina moments happen. Marie had taken a gun the cashier had never been able to get to. Later we see the killer has the bullets. These are moments you might want to remember. In a very Duel style car chase Marie and the driver eventually collide. This sets up a final confrontation the woods between Marie and driver.
This movie is incredibly well shot. It does have that greener and browner cinematography that movies around this time became known for. Like other French movies, such as Inside it mixes bright and florescent lighting at times with darkness to great effect. The blood and gore effects in this movie don't look quite as garish as something Rob Zombie's movies or the Saw films. It has a better and less stomach churning look. The final confrontation sets up one of the best kills ever with a concrete saw blade. Some of Aja's influences and things he could have taken from other movies are actually things I noticed more on rewatch so it doesn't feel like thievery so much as him trying to recreate those things for the better. There is a great use of sound design. There is a scene where a character gets hit by a rock and you really feel it with the sound it makes. Not only that but French films in general seem to have a thing for broken glass, something I hate. Broken glass is used to full impact at times throughout.
NOW FOR THE SPOILER SECTION
I have tried to come up with my own interpretations of this twist and what it means for a while. Not only that but how does it change things from scene to scene. Marie's relationship with Alex seems real enough. I don't like the idea of her actually being some random killer who just selected Marie. It is possible that all the pictures in the truck are people Marie has had a crush on. I think most of this movie is shown from Marie's perspective. It is important to note that the reveal doesn't come until she is seen on camera which isn't her narrative. My best interpretation is that the killer is a part of her personality with obsessive love who will do anything, obviously including murder so that Alex will have no one else to turn to. Marie struggles with this side of her personality. The fact that she hides from the killer is that part of her personality taking control. She manages to take back control in the final confrontation with the killer but by that point it is too late. Alex rejects her, because she obviously can't see the difference between the personalities and that brings her murderous personality back for one more confrontation. How do I interpret every scene before the reveal? Again if Marie is unreliable narrator it would seem that things are taking place in different times, or she is only imagining the weaker side of her personality actually being in those places. In the scene where Alex's brother is killed I think it is only in her head as that part of her personality is still dormant. The weaker side of her personality gets stronger throughout and confronts the killer first with the car but then actually fights him. While she thinks she has killed him off, Alex's rejection brings him back. The scene in the gas station probably never happened either, up until the point where the driver comes in and asks for whiskey. I know some people still won't say that justifies anything but just being able to think about it is fun enough to me and makes it acceptable.
Rating: 9/10
Trivia: During the scene where driver is murdered in the car with the saw, the blood oozing on to the camera was accidental. Alexandre Aja liked it so much he kept it in the movie.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CtFKeZKnTs
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