Written by: Michael Den Boer on December 13th, 2010
Theatrical Release Date: France, 2006
Director: Philippe Robert
Writer: Philippe Robert
Cast: Johanna Andraos, Marjorie Dubesset, Vincent Lecompte, Sophie Michard, Franck Monsigny, Patrick Mons, Romain Ogerau, Livane Revel, Yann Sundberg, Thomas Vallegeas
DVD released: December 14th, 2010
Approximate running time: 82 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Letterboxed Widescreen
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo French
Subtitles: English
DVD Release: Synapse Films
Region Coding: Region 0 NTSC
Retail Price: $19.95
Synopsis: Three friends narrowly survive a car accident on their way home from a get-together. Unknown to the three friends the hitch hiker that they picked up along the way is a homicidal maniac. The car they were driving fell off a cliff leaving them stranded and unable to contact the outside world. Things turn for the worse when they discover that there is something else lurking in the woods that is even more dangerous than the homicidal hitch hiker.
After a slow opening act things pick up once the homicidal hitch hiker is thrown into the mix. With the film hitting its stride after the three friends and the hitch hiker have fall over a cliff. And from there the film keeps up a relentless pace as it races to its unforgettable conclusion.
What this film lacks performance wise it more than makes up for with its inventive special effects and abundance of atmosphere. With the most memorable sequence being a scene in which two characters stumble upon a car graveyard. This sequence also marks the first time that the survivors of the car crash get a glimpse of the subterranean monster that has been stalking them. Without a doubt the main attraction of this film is the subterranean monster and all the other character which populate this film serve as nothing more than its prey. At the heart of this film is a creature feature about a subterranean monster that owes as much to Tremors as it does to The Thing.
Warning! If you are someone with a low tolerance when it comes to low budget cinema. Then you should look elsewhere. While those with a more adventurous outlook are sure to enjoy this unusual horror film.
The DVD:
Synapse Films presents Resonnances in a letterboxed widescreen that retains the film’s original aspect ratio. This dual layer transfer has been flagged for progressive playback. This film was shot on a micro budget and only so much can be down with the source material. With that being said Synapse Films has done their usual great good with this transfer. It should be noted that there are some mild instances of edge enhancement.
This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in French and a Dolby Digital stereo mix in French. There are no issues with distortion or background noise. Range wise the audio is limited. Also included with this release are removable English subtitles that are easy to follow and error free.
Extras for this release include a trailer for the film (1 minutes 59 seconds – letterboxed widescreen, in French with English subtitles). Overall Resonnances gets a good DVD release from Synapse Films.