Alexandre Aja directs Cécile de France, Maïwenn and Philippe Nahon in this extreme French slasher flick where a family on a farm is hunted by a brutal stranger and the guest in the attic tries to rescue the eventual survivor.

In France this is called High Tension. And that sums it up. An hour long set piece. Cranked and cranked and cranked until the machine is taut and thrumming. Even on what must be my fourth watch I was utterly gripped. Nahon’s violent fuck is horrible, shows no remorse. A truly awful grotesque creation. The twist will leave you with more questions than answers but I think this works best as cinematic nightmare writ large rather than a product of sturdy logic. Aja is one of the great genre directors of the 21st century.

8

Perfect Double Bill: Creep (2004)

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