High Tension - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution movie review

'High Tension': Long on blood, short on plot

By BOB LONGINO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Leave it to France to go for the jugular in taking on the American tradition of low-budget, goopy, gory horror films.

Like "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" and "Dawn of the Dead," French director Alexandre Aja's "High Tension" is awash in blood and body parts. Limbs get chopped off. There's a chase with a roaring chainsaw plus a grisly beheading or two. All done to a modern soundtrack with thrashing songs performed by the wailing Muse and other bands.

Lion's Gate Films

'High Tension'

B-

The verdict: Scary, bloody, creepy and gory — but with a plot that, by its end, falls apart.

Director: Alexandre Aja
Starring: Cecile De France, Maiwenn Le Besco, Philippe Nahon, Franck Khalfoun
Run time: 91 minutes
Release date: June 10, 2005
Rating: R for graphic, bloody killings, terror, sexual content and profanity.
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Horror fiends shouldn't get too worked up, though. Because while "Tension" has plenty of good points (it earns its name, for one), it also has a couple of big problems. Not the least being that the film's central conceit simply does not work. Ultimately, the plot's got more holes than an ambushed Sonny Corleone.

But at the start, the story seems to be solid. There's these two college co-eds — Marie (Cecile De France, all buffed up and toned like she's ready for a "Terminator" sequel) and Alex (Maiwenn Le Besco, who scores the requisite horror film nude shower scene).

They head out to visit Alex's mom, dad and little brother in their remote multistory farmhouse. It's a cozy place where La Mere hangs fresh linens outside on a line to dry and Le Pere busily types on his computer. Alex's grade-school-age brother runs around in his new cowboy outfit with the family dog.

Alex's family is what some in the horror film business refer to as "fresh meat."

Anyway, before anyone in the audience can say "Michael Myers," there's a nameless, almost faceless greasy truck driver who shows up and, without any further ado, the slaughter begins.

What a bloodletting it is. The carnage is rendered in graphic detail (at least a minute of the original film has been cut to avoid the dreaded NC-17 rating) as Marie goes from room to room, hiding and trying to find a way to get help.

For a while, the film becomes a kind of woman against beast as Alex is taken hostage and Marie goes on the hunt to try and save her.

Aja takes his time with his film, correctly building tension by letting his camera linger on Marie as she hears screams and slashes and rarely letting the air out to give moviegoers a chance to breathe. He's as interested in the faint sound of blowing wind in a silent house as he is in streaming blood across his screen.

De France does Herculean work. She's capable, whether she's hoisting a stake wrapped with barbed wire to whack her attacker in the face or crazily reciting the film's opening mantra: "I won't let anyone come between us anymore."

For the film's American release, not only has the violence been trimmed, but the dialogue has been partially dubbed in English to attract audiences who normally avoid foreign-language films with subtitles. It means a ludicrous makeover for Alex and her French family, who suddenly become American imports who talk about the local "rednecks."

The dubbing is an irritating distraction. But the potential deal-breaker — the problem that slices at the film's own throat — is Aja's wide plot hole.

He's left with a watchable film, one better than plenty of American horror remakes ("The Amityville Horror," anyone?). Just one that in its last gasp almost completely loses its kick.