Vertige (2009)
Directed by Abel Ferry

Adventure / Horror / Thriller
aka: High Lane

Film Review

Abstract picture representing Vertige (2009)
It is somewhat disappointing that, having earned his spurs with his short films, up-and-coming director Abel Ferry should choose as his first feature a genre as limiting and well-worn as the survival thriller.  Historically, French cinema has tended to stayed shy of horror films of any kind but over the past decade several rookie French filmmakers have tried their hand at the familiar slasher format, in most cases achieving little more than a bland imitation of their American counterparts.  Abel Ferry is the latest director to participate in this worrying trend, and his first feature Vertige is a virtual rip-off of Rob Schmidt's Wrong Turn (2003), a kind of Friday the 13th set in the Croatian mountains.  Although the film is impressively directed and makes excellent use of its picturesque location, it does little if anything to extend the frontiers of a pretty tired and uninspiring genre.

The film begins promisingly enough by introducing a set of interesting characters who, whilst slightly caricatured, are convincingly played by a batch of talented young actors that includes up-and-coming stars Fanny Valette and Johan Libéreau.  The location is beautifully shot and serves as much more than a static backdrop - it actually becomes another character in the drama, cruel and forbidding.  Some highly inventive camerawork helps to build the tension and prepare us for what is to come.  Unfortunately, when the horror element suddenly enters the picture at around the mid-point the film ends up rolling down a predictable path, and the only satisfaction the spectator derives is guessing who will be the next victim to meet a grisly end at the hands of yet another crazed psychopathic killer.  Vertige is sufficiently well-crafted to hold our attention and will doubtless be enjoyed by aficionados of the slasher movie genre.  Unfortunately, it offers few surprises and makes tedious viewing if you have already subjected yourself to other films of this ilk.  Abel Ferry does a respectable job but this is really a wasted opportunity for a director of such evident talent.
© James Travers 2010
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.

Film Synopsis

With a thirst for adventure, a group of friends decide to go on a rock climbing expedition in Croatia.  What begins as a carefree outing in the countryside soon turns into something darker as old feelings resurface and a fear of heights grips some members of the party.  Then they realise that they are not alone.  Their dream holiday is about to become a nightmare...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.


Film Credits

  • Director: Abel Ferry
  • Script: Johanne Bernard, Louis-Paul Desanges
  • Cinematographer: Nicolas Massart
  • Music: Jean-Pierre Taieb
  • Cast: Fanny Valette (Chloé), Johan Libéreau (Loïc), Raphaël Lenglet (Guillaume), Nicolas Giraud (Fred), Maud Wyler (Karine), Justin Blanckaert (Anton), Guilhem Simon (L'adolescent)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Support: Color
  • Runtime: 90 min
  • Aka: High Lane ; Dead Cliff

The Golden Age of French cinema
sb-img-11
Discover the best French films of the 1930s, a decade of cinematic delights...
The very best of French film comedy
sb-img-7
Thanks to comedy giants such as Louis de Funès, Fernandel, Bourvil and Pierre Richard, French cinema abounds with comedy classics of the first rank.
The history of French cinema
sb-img-8
From its birth in 1895, cinema has been an essential part of French culture. Now it is one of the most dynamic, versatile and important of the arts in France.
The best French war films ever made
sb-img-6
For a nation that was badly scarred by both World Wars, is it so surprising that some of the most profound and poignant war films were made in France?
The best of American cinema
sb-img-26
Since the 1920s, Hollywood has dominated the film industry, but that doesn't mean American cinema is all bad - America has produced so many great films that you could never watch them all in one lifetime.
 

Other things to look at


Copyright © filmsdefrance.com 1998-2024
All rights reserved



All content on this page is protected by copyright