HIGH TENSION. Bloody and repulsive fun

The term “New French Extremity” refers to a group of films that emerged at the beginning of the current century from the banks of the Seine, which dared to show—in often extreme fashion—the complete collapse of humanity, a descent into savagery and psychosis, all while avoiding any shared diagnosis of what caused this condition. These works often differed in nearly every respect: from style and genre to ambition, technical execution, and ultimately, their conclusions. That’s why the list of Extremity films includes works by such acclaimed auteurs as François Ozon, Leos Carax, and Claire Denis, as well as the nihilistic dramas of Gaspar Noé—and most notably, gory and brutally violent horror films.

Soon, the entire movement became associated almost exclusively with that genre. The turn of the millennium proved especially fertile for this type of cinema—though, as it turned out, its heyday was brief and didn’t yield the wealth of talent it initially promised. The names Fabrice Du Welz (Calvaire, 2004), David Moreau and Xavier Palud (Them, 2006), Xavier Gens (Frontier(s), 2007), or Pascal Laugier (Martyrs, 2008) mean little today—some have left horror behind, others are awkwardly trying to prove their worth in the genre, whether still in France or already on American soil. Arguably the most talented of the bunch turned out to be Alexandre Aja (born 1978), who made such a strong impression with just his second film that he landed in Hollywood, where he remains to this day. That film was High Tension (2003), a horror movie that was as brutal and shocking as the works of his New French Extremity peers, but also had the entertaining qualities of mainstream cinema that secured its international success. Aja, unlike his contemporaries, doesn’t seek out depth where there is none—and perhaps that’s why, combined with his technical mastery, his thriller leaves such a colossal impression. It’s bloody and repulsive fun—but, in the end, still just fun.

Two students, Marie (Cécile De France) and Alex (Maïwenn), head to the countryside to stay at Alex’s parents’ house for a weekend of studying. But that’s not what fate has in store for them. Not long after their arrival, a psychopath invades the house, slaughters Alex’s entire family, and kidnaps her. Terrified by the murderer’s brutality, Marie pulls herself together and sets out to save her friend. But will she need to become as ruthless as he is in order to defeat him?

The plot, as befits a slasher, is not particularly complex, but that works to the director’s advantage. Aja leans fully into familiar genre tropes, making sure that from the moment the killer appears, the viewer’s heart pounds non-stop until the final frame. The execution scenes are shockingly brutal—be it a decapitation with a dresser, a throat slashed with a razor, or an axe plunged into a chest, Aja avoids euphemism (with one notable exception: he wisely chooses not to show the death of a child). More importantly, these scenes are prolonged just enough for us to practically feel the agony of the victims. Considering the killer is a hulking, filthy, sweaty, and clearly insane man, we instinctively want to stay as far away from him as possible.

He’s no indestructible masked maniac but someone terrifyingly believable. He’s played by Philippe Nahon, likely cast for his disturbing and pitiful role as the nameless butcher in Gaspar Noé’s I Stand Alone (1998). But in Aja’s film, he is a monster utterly devoid of feeling.

The villain is frightening enough by appearance alone, but High Tension is perhaps best remembered for Marie, a true horror heroine.

Cécile De France delivers a fantastic performance, combining sheer terror—almost shock—as she watches the sadist’s actions from hiding, with determination and cleverness. When she realizes the killer is in the house, what does she do? She meticulously cleans her room to ensure he doesn’t know she’s there. It’s her only chance at survival and the only way she can act. Aja builds much of the tension around Marie’s efforts to stay hidden and gain the upper hand—whether by calling for help or arming herself.

But Marie isn’t only shown through the lens of the horror she faces—her sexuality is also highlighted. In an early conversation with Alex, we learn that Marie isn’t particularly interested in male company, and the mention of Alex’s boyfriend elicits a scowl.

She has no qualms about watching her friend shower and, presumably, thinking about her later during a masturbation scene. As I’ve said before, Aja doesn’t deal in subtleties, and the climax brings Marie’s hinted-at homosexuality to the forefront. This is tied directly to a plot twist that not only turns the entire story upside down but also betrays its characters—and the audience. I’ll try to remain vague, but if you haven’t seen the film, it’s best to skip the next paragraph.

Why did the screenwriters (Aja and his frequent collaborator Grégory Levasseur) opt for such a wild twist? High Tension never aspired to be a great film, but it’s an excellent thriller. The ending, however, raises serious questions about the filmmakers’ mental health—not because the gore exceeds all limits, but because the entire narrative is called into question in a way that’s hard to accept. The usual distinctions between killer and victim, or man and woman, are obliterated. The director effectively closes a loop—the film begins with a dream sequence whose meaning becomes clear at the end—yet he doesn’t even try to clarify what is true and what’s false. The viewer is left helpless, unable to make sense of the story. There’s no footing in the narrative, the protagonist, or even logic. Any attempt to rationally explain what we’ve seen ends in defeat.

You could hold it against the director—or even be angry—for such a resolution. But thanks to this very choice, his film all the more earns its place within the New French Extremity.

What we’re watching is the disintegration of body and mind—humankind descending into savagery, whether consciously or not, killing not just others but themselves. This slasher wisdom doesn’t absolve the film of its plot inconsistencies, but since they deepen its nihilistic tone—characteristic of the entire movement—can we really criticize the director for his perverse finale Even the original title, Haute Tension, promises the viewer “high tension”—and in that regard, it truly delivers, reaching levels few horror films ever achieve.

So where is Aja now? He still makes horror films, though it must be said that with each new title, he becomes harder to categorize. His remake of The Hills Have Eyes (2006) retained the cruelty typical of French Extremity, but with Mirrors (2008), he leaned more toward atmosphere than blood-soaked spectacle. Piranha 3D (2010) was deliciously gory satire. He fared less well with Horns (2013), a genre- and tone-hopping oddity featuring a strong performance by Daniel Radcliffe. And so on. The Frenchman continues to surprise with his choices, though none have had the same impact as High Tension. Still, I hold out hope that his best film is yet to come.