That twist was trashy, insubstantial garbage, and was used at the expense of the films own internal logic. At least this one can be handled with a bit of grace unfortunately, high tension was not one of those cases unlike the dreamfake out ending, which is always insulting. Up until the lateinthethirdact plot twist, i was ready to label alexandre ajas high tension the best slasher movie since scream, and among the best slasher movies of all time, eager to place it alongside psycho and halloween, but that last twist is such a colossal bungle, not only from a narrative standpoint but just in terms of common sense, that it almost ruined everything that. Come nightfall, hell pulls up at the front door when a mysterious killer breaks in and kills alexas father, mother, brother, and pet dog. Two female college students, marie and alexa, set off to alexs parents secluded homestead in the country to relax and study.
High tension is a nervejangler that keeps the level of suspense high, throws in moments of black comedy, and turns everything on its ear in the final ten minutes. Alexandre ajas high tension is a slasher film about a madman prowling a rural area of france, chopping, slicing and crunching his way through, lets see, a body count of five or six people, including a small child that the film does not neglect to show crumpled and dead in a cornfield. In high tension, none of the film is being told as a story. I need some help understanding high tension spoilers, duh. I didnt checked what peoples most like, its my personal opinion. High tension house of games hush, hush, sweet charlotte identity incendies jacobs ladder. I thought the ending was a bit incoherent as the movie couldnt support the idea of marie having a second, murderous personality. Hign tension indeed, unfortunate twist, couldve worked but contradicted elements in film. Some people dont like watching movies with subtitles.
Why the twist is not stupid high tension 2003 discussion. Villainizing queerness in alexandre ajas high tension gayly. But on the night of their arrival, the girls idyllic getaway turns into an endless night of horror. The main problem with high tension is the distinct lack of tension. Alexandre aja on sequels, the scanners series and that high. The beginning and the dream sequence provided clues. High tension was released in france on 18 june 2003 where it was distributed by europacorp. I thought the ending was a bit incoherent as the movie couldnt support the. After screening at the festival, the film was purchased by lionsgate films for north american distribution. And in my opinion, it wouldve gone on to accomplish much more if only the ending wasnt such a big letdown which is really disappointing because the.
He even doubts its truth as the story is told, so the unreliable narrator isnt really the twist. Just watched this movie, that twist blew my mind i did not expect that to happen, psychosis of her on a rampage but people were killed which marie believed the killer caused but was actually a physical. Fans were divided on the twist, with some believing that it added to the depth of the film, and also making it worthy of a second watch. The whole of the usual suspects takes place in an interview room. High tension, with its merits, is a film that villainizes queerness in the name of a juicy plot twist. Marie was in fact secretly in love with her best friend alex, and also a delusional, psychotic, murderer. While inside and ills them stand out as the best films from the subgenre, high tension helped carve out a niche for north american fans. During its relatively brief window, the new french extremity produced several truly visceral horror experiences. High tension 2003 high tension is a french foreign horror film. High tension puts the extreme in new french extremity. Conflicting fantasies of a different body split tooth. The 2003 french horror hit high tension is remembered by many for its surprising.
Others believed that it completely ruined what was otherwise a pretty solid horror film. High tension is the kind of film one cant even begin to dissect until the twist has been fully revealed and subsequently picked apart with a. That twist in on par with the inferior now you see me. The ending is a source of endless debate among fans of the film. High tension among the best horror films of the early 2000s. There is indeed a good amount of tension in this french slasher, but the dubbing is bad and the end twist unbelievable. Looking further back to high tension, which first won him international attention in the early 2000s, aja says hes still of two minds about its controversial revelation. French extremity movement, high tension is a french horror film splattered with a looming psychopath, under the radar sexuality, and a twist.
For the majority of its runtime, high tension also known as haute tension or switchblade romance really manages to live up to its name, and is widely considered by many as one of the most notable examples of the new french extremity movement. Plot just like some horror movie,excited like other horror movie and character look stupid like other horor movie but. High tension celebrates 15 years of terrorizing moviegoers. I did feel some tension in parts and the story moves along quite well with some of the most blood curdling gory special effects i have ever seen in a movie. The interviewer is still being told that story whether it is true or not. The philosopher thomas hobbes tells us life can be poor, nasty, brutish and short.
Before i watched high tension, i was well aware that there was a twist right at the end of the film. To me, thats the 2nd sell out in the movie the first being the overused plot twist. Alexandre aja on sequels, the scanners series and that. Ive never seen a movie stoop so low with just minutes of the movie.
In this french film, it turns out that the obese serial killing. I could follow the movie well until the weird twist in the end where we are shown that marie and the killer is the same person in maries body. Once the tensioner has been rotated into position, it maintains effective. The movie was made in 2003, but released in the us in 2005. The 2003 french horror hit high tension is remembered by many for its surprising twist ending, but that twist doesnt stand up to scrutiny. Oct 28, 2010 before i watched high tension, i was well aware that there was a twist right at the end of the film. Martin engineering m38370715 1 martin twist tensioner introduction general the martin twist tensioner uses a rugged rubber tensioning element to supply consistent pressure against the conveyor belt regardless of blade wear. From time to time, a certain type of foreign horror catches on for a period with american horror fans. Up until that point it could have been a solid, fun slasher film it was well shot and mechanically sound. Oct 20, 20 high tension 2003 high tension is a french foreign horror film.
Alexandre ajas high tension haute tension if youre french, switchblade romance if youre nasty hit theaters in france in 2003, but wasnt released in the u s of a until 2005. High tension, aka switchblade romance much better title is the best horror movie ive seen come out in theaters in years. Best friends marie and alexia decide to spend a quiet weekend at alexias parents secluded farmhouse. High tensions central plot is a framed narrative, a flashback recounted by.
Typically, i am not one who goes for a lot gore in my films, but this particular horror endeavor is. Im fairly certain the killer was quint well it only took me 3 yearsbut i finally watched high tension the whole way through. After so many times hearing this is the movie horror fans have been waiting for and then being horribly disappointed by cabin fever, the ring, malevolence, darkness, the grudge, and every single other one, i am throwing. You can watch the film with subtitles or have the french dubbed over in english. High tension takes you on a bloody and brutal ride as a girl fights to save the life of her best friend.
The 2003 french horror hit high tension is remembered by many for. Still, high tension is easily one of the best horror movies of its decade. High tension is a 2003 french slasher film directed by alexandre aja, written by aja and. Movies like high tension if you like high tension you are looking for scary, suspenseful and psychological movies about with insanity, slasher, home invasion, massacre, gory, survival and kidnapping themes of horror genre shot in france or italy. High tension faustina mauricio mercedes spoilers duration. Aug 15, 2018 associated with the new french extremity movement, high tension is a french horror film splattered with a looming psychopath, under the radar sexuality, and a twist ending that will polarize. A whiteknuckle journey into the heart of fear, this is the terrifying story of two girls battle for survival at the hands of a sadistic psychopath. High tension is gory, make no mistake, but the pacing and suspense level are kept high enough that it still manages to be an entertaining thrill ride, at least until the twist ending introduces homophobia by invoking the psycho lesbian trope. The oh, and the hero was the killer all along twist.
Associated with the new french extremity movement, high tension is a french horror film splattered with a looming psychopath, under the radar sexuality, and a twist ending that will polarize. I watched high tension, loved it till the ending completely killed it. Maiwenn in high tension 2003 alexandre aja at an event for high tension 2003 maiwenn in high. At the time of this writing, the seminal french horror film, high tension, is celebrating the fifteen year anniversary of being thrust into theaters and in front of unsuspecting, woefully. Alexandre aja directorcowriter, gregory levasseur cowriterart director. Michael caine, angie dickinson, nancy allen, keith gordon. Jan 25, 2019 high tension takes you on a bloody and brutal ride as a girl fights to save the life of her best friend. For example, the 2000s saw lots of asian ghost movies, such as the ring and the grudge, gain popularity, even leading to remakes. High tension gives us the best and worst in movie making. Featuring one of the most controversial endings i have ever discussed, high tension is a. A mysterious blonde woman kills one of a psychiatrists patients, and then goes after the high class call girl who witnessed the murder. I also rated about how i liked and not how hard the twist are to find. It shreds the neo horror film ideology that the ring and sixth sense seemed to invent and instead grabs a hold of your intestines and squeezes and then twists. As for the best on the basis of a very gory psychoslasher it works quite well.
High tension switchblade romance 2005 rotten tomatoes. From the outset this movie pitches itself as a hard horror, it isnt going to pull any punches and its going. Definitely worth the read if you enjoyed this movie till the twist butchered it. Aug 12, 2016 looking further back to high tension, which first won him international attention in the early 2000s, aja says hes still of two minds about its controversial revelation. High tensions ending twist isnt as good as you remember. It was controversial for a couple of reasons, the first being its depictions of. My second least favorite reveal, after the oh, and it was all just a dream or never actually happened twist. Several viewers of the film noticed striking similarities between the plot of the film and. High tension follows two college girls who are going home for the holiday. During the first night of their visit, their home is invaded, alexias family is murdered, she gets abducted, and marie goes on a nightlong chase trying to save her friend. Actually come to think of it, i dont think ive told anyone not even you god what happened on that night so long ago when i put in the high tension dvd for the first time.