High Tension (2005)

A perfectly tense and well-executed slasher flick that gets blown all to hell because somebody tried to get too clever. Mr. Aja, it's a freakin' slasher film. Wherefore the stupid plot twist? Were you not satisfied with simply making one of the best damn body count films of the last few years? Is this use of That Particular Ending supposed to be satiric or something? After all, it's a very popular ending lately. But then, I suppose you can't wriggle off the hook that easily, since your film was shot prior to all the other recent films with similar endings. This is still one hell of a meat movie, and slasher-movie fanatics should be mostly pleased. But while I can't agree with md'a about this movie having the most retarded twist in history (Identity hasn't yet ceased to exist, after all), it may be the most damaging -- after all, Identity sucked before it twisted itself into oblivion. I'm looking forward to Aja's next film (even if it is an ill-advised remake), simply because the man proves here that he can direct up a storm... but I'm also hoping that he decides to play it straight next time around.

Grade: C+