DVD review: Resonnances (2006)

A perfect getaway for a group of friends turns into a nightmare in this amazing French micro-budget horror/sci-fi film! Thomas, Yann, Vincent and three female friends hop into their cars and travel to the French mountains for a relaxing weekend trip.  On their way, a dangerous psychopath escapes from prison and there’s even talk of a ghostly female apparition haunting the area.  After picking up a suspicious hitchhiker, a thick fog envelops their cars and sends them all over a steep cliff!  Barely surviving the fall, they soon discover something even more horrifying.  An ancient creature lives under the ground… listening and waiting.  It’s ready to devour anyone and anything in its path and this group of friends is very much on tonight’s menu! Resonnances is shot, edited, produced, written and directed by Philippe Robert. The acting is pretty good. It´s professionally shot and edited, the cinematography is very good. Great setting, love the vast spooky French forest, and atmosphere, the scene with the a crap yard graveyard of discarded cars and bodily remains is chilling and very nice. The soundtrack is very good. The pacing is decent. It´s very ambitious when it comes to the special effects. There´s quite a bit of computer rendered visual fx, including the subterranean creature, which looks pretty good but I freakin love the miniature sets. The creature design is cool!  There is a little bit of gore and no T & A in this.
This review is based upon the region all (Region 0) DVD release from Synapse Films, it has french audio and english subtitles.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. I enjoyed this a lot! It´s an entertaining low-budget sci-fi horror worthy of admiration. The visual effects are good for a independent production shot on such a tight budget. Philippe Robert is certainly a director to watch for. Recommended.

/JL