Haute Tension
Sub-Genre- Slasher/French Horror
In Attendance- Me, Eryn and The Vanilla Gorilla. The rest of the club have seen this one already... I think.
Cast Members of Note- Cecile De France, Maiwenn, and Philippe Nahon.
What's it about?- This is a story about love, lesbian undertones, insanity, and home invasion. It's also a cautionary tale, as many French horror movies are, about the dangers that await innocent people in the rural French countryside; just trust me when I tell you to always stay in the city. There's death in them thar hills.
When a creepy old French delivery dude comes knocking in the dead of night, we all know what he's delivering... death! Cold, hard death. He also kidnaps a hot chick, prompting another hot chick to give chase and try to save her friend... I say it's because she's got some lesbian hots for the other girl, but that's just me.
What comes next is a bloodbath of epic proportion, a love story, and a really confusing ending. I won't spoil the ending here, other than to say that it's really confusing.
The Good- What isn't good about this movie? There are those that will complain that the "Twist" ending ruined the movie, but really, it didn't. Not one bit. This movie is sick, twisted, visceral, tense, and on many levels, deep. In fact, once you see it, the ending makes the second viewing better, and more challenging.
Does the title High Tension refer to sexual tension and repressed desires? Maybe. At the beginning when we hear Marie say "Are we recording?", does that mean she's recalling the events from her point of view, to satisfy herself or to be deceptive? I can't say for sure. No matter what happened, this is a movie that challenges us, and stays with us long after we've seen it.
This movie is an instant classic that needs to be seen by anyone who truly loves horror. Gritty, bloody, nasty, and even thought provoking... a must have for any good horror collection.
The Bad- I'm going to bitch about the ending really quick here, but not because I hate it, but because it threw me the first time I saw it. It isn't neat and tidy or straightforward, and it makes me think way too much... Then again, I kinda like that.
The Downright Horrendous- Can kids ever escape horrific violence in French horror movies? And for that matter, what about the dogs... I guess if you're cute and or cuddly in these movies, you're pretty much as good as dead. I'm eventually going to need therapy.
The Gory- This is probably one of the bloodiest movies I've seen. What makes it worse, or better if you're sick like me, is the realism and mood which make it hard to watch at times. I especially like the buzz saw... This is great stuff.
The Naked- We get to see some boobs, and a hot/odd masturbation scene, other than that, this movie isn't much on the sexy stuff.
Best Line- "I won't let anyone come between us any more."
What did we learn?- Women really are crazy. Also, I need one of those crazy French vans.
Rating- A+ Hate the twist ending or not, this is a spectacular film, and one that horror really needed to be made in the lull of the early 2000's. Bloody, tense, engagin, and ultimately disturbing, this one is a must own.
Final Thoughts- Chicks with buzz-saws are hot.
