High Tension
Directed by Alexandre Aja
Hoping to prepare for their college exams in peace and quiet, best friends Marie and Alexia decide to spend a weekend in the country at Alexia's parents' secluded farmhouse. But in the dead of the night, a stranger knocks on the front door. And with the first swing of his knife, the girls' idyllic weekend turns into an endless night of horror... This vicious, divisive neo-slasher introduced audiences to Alexandre Aja and helped usher in a highly praised new wave of French terror that brought us the likes of INSIDE and MARTYRS in the mid-2000s.
Two best friends' quiet weekend turns into an endless night of horror in this French horror breakthrough.
Cast: Cecile De France, Maiwenn Le Besco, Philippe Nahon, Franck Khalfoun
Member Reviews
I have always loved the twist and could never understand the vitriol
great movie until the terrible nonsensical twist (who was on the car with the head in the beginning?). ruined it for me to be honest.
I spent the whole time criticising the characters’ stupid logic only to be blown away by the most unexpected, insane plot twist at the end. Stick with it, it’s well worth watching.
Well executed story (photography is sharp and brutish, dialogue - at least in the original French version - is strong) that unfortunately plods into an unsustainable twist ending; furthermore, loses an extra skull for me due to Aja's refusal to acknowledge how much of the plot is lifted from Jeff Koontz's "Intensity". Part of the "New French Extremity" movement of the early 00s, it ups the gore to truly scary heights (better than its counterparts, I would argue), but not enough to justify a rewatch.
like the tile say, the tension is high and the movie is really good.