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# Alleviate the ‘Tension’ and save the 10 bucks
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/alleviate-the-tension-and-save-the-10-bucks/
- Published: 2005-06-10T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:14:42.000Z
- Author: Dan Dunn
- Tags: Entertainment, Santa Monica, #archive-import

There are, no doubt, scores of indiscriminate slasher-flick freaks out there willing to drop 10 bills to see yet another tasteless rehashing of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” but unless you’re one of them, “High Tension” should be of little interest.

Alexandre Aja is a talented young filmmaker with a Tobe Hooper-esque flair for lurid visuals, and although Aja’s film is virtually devoid of originality, for much of the way he manages to suffuse it with nerve-jangling suspense. But in the end, thanks to a frighteningly inane and contrived twist, anything that might have made “High Tension” recommendable gets expeditiously lopped off at the neck. Aja’s denouement achieves “The Sixth Sense” effect, only in reverse — making everything we thought was clever about the movie seem quite ridiculous.

The plot: Two college classmates, Marie (Cecile de France, channeling Lori Petty) and Alex (Maiwenn), retreat to an isolated farmhouse for a little R&R with the latter’s parents and kid brother. We never learn any of the clan’s names, which can only mean they’re going to die gruesome deaths. But before the psychotic killer (played by a perpetually grunting Philippe Nahon) arrives, we do discover that Marie has the hots for her sexy female friend. The scope of her affection comes into full focus much later, though I won’t say how for fear of ruining the surprise that ruins the film.

It should also be noted that this French film has been partially dubbed to English, with some sections subtitled. Not overly distracting, mind you, there is an occasional interruption of the film’s ebb and flow. (Rated R for graphic bloody killings, terror, sexual content and language. Running time: 85 minutes)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 10, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061005.pdf?ref=smdp.com)