I first watched this film last year, and I thought that I had written a review giving it 3 stars, despite the horrible ending, but I evidently never posted it, so after just rewatching it I am able to give it a different review. What may have passed for suspense and “tension” in the first viewing, becomes tedious in subsequent viewings because you already know the impossible, lazy twist ending, and that most of what is happening isn’t real. What was a tolerable cat and mouse game on first viewing, becomes an infuriating head scratcher as you try and justify the directors stupid plot choices. Everyone seems to be moving underwater, as the “killer” plods along trying to drag this out to feature film length, or maybe he’s building high tension. It might as well be a silent film, since what little dialog there is means absolutely nothing, except it reveals that the antagonist/protagonist is a jealous, obsessed lesbian who wants her friend all to herself. The entire effort is a disingenious cheat as the director claims that it isn’t gory, yet every murder involves an impossible amount of blood, he throws in a shower scene, lesbians kissing, masturbating, oral sex with a severed head, hiding under a bed, in a closet, phone lines cut, cars that won’t start, twist ending, basically every cliche that exists as he panders to everyone who likes their horror an inch deep. He actually uses a subway restroom in place of the typical one stall gas station rest room just so he can give the killer more stall doors to open at a snails pace to build tension. This willingness to sacrifice believability so that he can milk the suspense is a cheap ploy. The killer forgets what he’s doing and stops to urinate and doesn’t check the stalls in the men’s room anyway. Feel the tension build. The car chase was filmed at about 5 mph and just creates another unfillable plot hole rather than tension. To actually name the film “High Tension” tells me that creating tension was the only goal of director, not to tell a plausable story. I enjoyed some of Aja’s other films like “The Hills Have Eyes” and “Mirrors”, although “Mirrors” moved too slow in spots, had no real chemistry between actors, plot holes but a slightly more palatable twist ending.

Some people consider this a masterpiece, and to each his own, but I actually found it to be one of the ugliest films I have ever seen. Being a low budget film, I’m sure they used whatever locations were available and spent the budget on gore effects, but the film seemed too grainy in spots with too much contrast and color saturation other times. It seems like there was a predominate sickly green cast to alot of scenes. This may have been deliberate on the part of the director as I found it unsettling and it made me more tense (high tension) than what was onscreen, at least I noticed it more the second time around. The score was just available music and was mostly atmospheric.

There is a criticism that people who don’t like this film are just lazy and expect everything to be tied up with a bow at the end plot wise. I don’t mind loose ends and unanswered questions as long as they are fair and handled deftly. What I resent is watching a film, and just when I think the killer must be either Mrs. Maple with a candlestick or the butler using a fireplace poker, the director trots out the previously unseen Avon lady and pins the murder on her. I feel as though I’ve just gotten punked, and if the writer/director doesn’t care about his story, why should I. It’s like working all day and not getting paid. This movie has no payoff. It may be fun till the ending, but that will feel like a donkey kick in the guts. It may be lazier to like this movie, rather than use the powers of critical thinking to see how sloppy the whole effort really was and hold the director accountable. I enjoyed Fight Club, but seeing security footage of Edward Norton dragging himself through a parking garage defied the laws of physics and killed it for me.

If you like blood splatters, power tools, cat and mouse, lesbians or dirty finger nails, this may be worth a rental, but once you know the premise, I can’t see enjoying repeated viewings unless you are very forgiving.

Do you remember when, we did the twist last summer? Do you remember when, we did the twist last year?

The twist in this movie, as has been copiously mentioned, stupefies an already stupid audience even further. And if you think such a thing cannot be done, let me assure you, You can ape the ape. I know about that.

Spoilers
So the upshot is the girl with the Cesar hairdo who was fudding herself stupid was actually at the same time breaking into the house in the form of a demented orange farmer. She then… ah what’s the use.