Yet again French cinema takes an American genre and transforms it. In this case, Haute Tension recalls the heyday of American horror in the 70s but this brand of Gallic horror has a distinct twist. On the surface the film seems to be another horror gorefest with many contrivances and inconsistencies. There are some scenes that strain credibility and seem to be aping the conventions of the genre it recalls and later subverts via the twist ending. This is why the film demands at least two viewings. A first viewing will be visceral in its intensity while a second will yield many clues that lead to the twist ending. Cecile de Frances gives a tour de force performance as the "heroine" and holds the film together until the very end. The film has a flair for sound design and imagery as well, with a sense of foreboding captured by the cameras and use of audio. I wonder how America will remake this masterly French horror film? I suspect not as well.
Review of High Tension
