Saw Reviews

The movie proved to be better than what I predicted but I'm appalled and sickened by the high rating of such a movie. There is minimal redeeming value and while it does nice in the mind games genre it's not good enough in the filmmaking standpoint.

I already saw this movie but since it was a while back and since it was available on the KPN pluspakket, I thought I might as well check it out again. Well, first of all, I usually don’t care much about the hype around most movies. I mean, I saw Titanic maybe a couple of years after its release (I really boycotted this one for a long time), the first Harry Potter flick at least 6 months after it was released, same thing with Twilight and it took me a while to finally see ‘The Hunger Games’. I eventually watch all these movies, just to check what was the fuss about, but always on my own terms and I never rush to watch them. Anyway, the first time around, my sister had this movie on DVD so I thought it was time to finally see the damned thing. Eventually, I must admit it was not bad at all but I still think it is extremely overrated though, especially concerning the gore aspect. I mean, I was nothing really hardcore in my opinion and, honestly, it still remains pretty mainstream, especially if you compare it to the weird sh*t coming from Asia, especially Japan, it is actually pretty harmless. Still, I have to admit that the concept was pretty cool and they definitely managed to create an unsettling mood. Of course, since it is an American thriller, you had some very far-fetched and rather ridiculous twists but it is inherent to the genre. Eventually, was it original ? Yes, it was intriguing. Was it really groundbreaking or amazing? Not really. Since then, I have seen all the sequels and, even though the die-hard fans might disagree, I thought they were all terribly underwhelming. Anyway, to conclude, even though it didn't blow me away, I must admit it was actually a decent horror flick and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.

SAW is undeniably the greatest horror franchise ever and this is the first, and the only greatest, entry followed by 6 sequels. SAW is a film which everyone loves to hate, despise, loathe and everything in between and I'm all with them. Wizard of Gore may have played a pivotal role in introducing the so-called torture-porn sub-genre to the masses but, more than 30 years after, SAW can be cited as the film which popularized it and made it a full genre of it's own.

This film bought us one of the best, most recognizable horror icon: Jigsaw. It's also pretty ironic that Jigsaw is shown in full light in the sequels and not this film. The thing separates Jigsaw from the other horror icons is that Jigsaw is more intelligent, smart and is a cancer-ridden patient with an inoperable brain tumor and is forced to be hooked up with multiple IV's. Also, another thing that makes him unique is that unlike the horror icons of the 70's, 80's & 90's, he is more human, at least in physical appearance. The character is well made and the storyline intricate, confusing even. It's solely for people who can stand endless screams and long shots of the victim going through pain and suffering. See, I'm a dedicated SAW fan myself and I pretty know my way in and out and hardly any thing has stumped me. But as for you, if you are a curious first-timer, ask yourself one question: Are you prepared? If you're not, then the first film won't answer any of your questions and you will be left confused and that will lead way to curiosity and, well you know, like they say "curiosity killed the cat". You don't want to end up that way right?

On to the film, this is the only great entry in the franchise like I've said before. Two men are trapped in a bathroom chained to the pipes by their ankles and one has to kill the other before 6:00 or otherwise his family will die. There's a seemingly dead body in-between them and that is Jigsaw. We don't get to know him until the last 5-6 minutes of the movie. The film is mostly run on flashbacks describing his past victims and also has subplots which are very critical to this movie and the whole franchise in general. Cary Elwes as Dr. Lawrence Gordon gives one of the best performances of that year and plays his part very convincingly. Joining him in the bathroom is Leigh Whannell as Adam, the guy who needs to be killed. In the supporting we have Shawnee Smith as Amanda Young and despite her small screen time in this film, would go on to become the most important character in the franchise. An excellent setting, great performances and starts off chillingly to it's blood-stopping last moment. As a stand-alone film, SAW would've been great but would've had lead to too many questions and it's a good thing they came up with rather slightly disappointing sequels but that's all right, they managed to answer many questions.

All in all, watch this only if you're prepared and make sure all the lights in your room are working okay. You don't want them to go out while watching Lawrence cut off his.... ooops!

Dr. Gordon: What's your name?

Adam: My name is Very Fucking Confused, what's your name?

After a long wait, I finally watched the movie everyone has been talking about. and i must say, i found myself enjoying this film. being a fan of movie twists and suspense thrillers, Saw is one of the few movies which actually make you stop and think. no detail is too small; every factor in the scenes may prove to be vital in the upcoming events. take for example the glowing object which was flushed down the bathtub drain; it turned out to be the key to adam's freedom (literally). i also was surprised to see the star of 'the princess bride' chained to a pipe and giving one of his best performances as a doctor and a family man gone temporarily insane. i could definitely see where he was coming from: he could hear the scuffle of his wife, zepp, and tapp, while his daughter screamed hysterically in the background. who wouldnt think the worst? irony is also a playing factor in this movie, and i loved how the director and the storyline played it out. but what really got me was the recollection of amanda, the only person known to survive the trap with which she found herself in. it must have been extremely traumatic, having to fight for your life even if you know how much of a scumbag you really are. :)) familiar tv personalities added to the roster of characters (leung, meyer, and the guy who played zepp) and made the movie even more enjoyable (for me, that is). even a surprise cast member, glover, made me go 'wth' when he first appeared. i can never connect him to any other movie that predator 2. looks like he liked being the cop that hunts the baddies down. :DDDDD it only took one viewing for it to become one of my favorite movies.

Saw truly is one of the smartest horror films ever made. One of the reasons why I loved this film was because it was really clever and it didnt screw up at all. It all adapted really well not only to see how scary it is but also to see the extremely psychological side to it to what some human beings on Earth are really like. It is a real teaser because the audience arent sure whether the victims are going to kill themeslves or each other. It shows real horror and a really gut wretching exciting story but unlike some of the horror films today they are just random horrors that arent really thought about properly. They are just randomly thought of but without thinking about a plot. But this unfortunately happens to Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, Saw V and probably Saw VI. It is a film that I have been told is a really scary horror film but it is a horror film still but I would refer it more of a psychological thriller.


The acting was so crap it made me laugh but that wasnt really the point. It is more about the psychological horror that is used in this film rather than the characters involved. The acting didnt really need to be good in a film like this. This film as I said focused more on the story than the acting and directing involved which made this film a great success.


I thought that the direction was really good because there was a close point of view of living in hell and of the psychological side of things within the film. There were some awesome camera angles that havent really been used that often in a horror film before. The script was so spine chilling and gut wrenching that probably makes you feel a bit sick but makes you feel really good because of its clever storytelling and screenplay.


After seeing this one, I am going to see Saw II but not Saw III, Saw IV, Saw V or Saw VI at all because it will spoil my liking to Saw. I love films like this (psychological thrillers) because they are films that can stay in your mind for a long time and can be films that you would watch again but wouldnt want to watch again for a while like me. Saw is one of those films that a lot of teenagers would watch because of the gore, violence and the horror and that. That is where I find this film extremely overrated but for good reason though: entertainment. As far as I am concerned Saw is a masterpiece of horror films!!

Saw. I really do have a love/hate-relationship with this movie. Why? I'll tell you. The script is superbly written. Lawrence and Adam act exactly like human beings would act in such a situation, and Elwes and Whannell live up to their characters as far as their acting goes, and Charlie Clouser's spectacular score does really elevate their performances, even though it isn't necessarily used as well as it could've been used. Even though Elwes kinda overacts, it is interesting to see how well he manages to keep his british accent out of the way, transforming his voice to this Eastwood-kinda thingy. Actually he even sounded like Dr. Loomis from Halloween 6 around the end, which is great. Glover also surprised me, taking on a pretty serious dramatic role when you usually see the guy as Mel Gibson's funny sidekick. The rest of the cast did a good job as well, and the voice of the killer is pretty good, nothing compared to some others though. Anyhow, back to the script. It has some really, really clever use of flashbacks. We find out a few intriguing things of the characters through flashbacks rather than the regular way of being told. And also, even though the rest of the film is, these flashbacks aren't all too "in your face" so it doesn't get annoying or feel exploitive.

Part of that credit must go to the director and co-writer, James Wan. Wan makes this movie with heart, even though it sure is one cold heart. He gives us everything we would want from a thriller of this kind, and he does so with expertise and craftsmanship... Until the last two minutes of this movie. The ending of this film prevents it, atleast in my case, from becoming a great movie. Since I won't spoil the ending twist for you, I will only say that it is utterly, inexcusably ridicilous, retarded and overall so very meaningless. There is no need whatsoever to end a twist filled movie like this in the way this movie ends. It seriously feels like they would've just thrown it in there so that all the teenagers could go "Z0mGG I t0t4lly n3v3r s4w th4t c0m1ng!!1!" It is dumb, naive and vulgar, and yet again, there is no need whatsoever for it to even be there. Without the ridicilous ending, this movie would be a great movie, but with the ending it has now, it isn't one.

the 2004 movie that started the series, about lessons learned in life; the hard way. Danny Glover plays a detective on a hunt to find a madman who’s victims deaths are just they’re failures of an unsuspecting unwilling game. The game depends on how they view life and what they choose to take for granted; setting up the room they die in and how they get helped before they even realize it. The main game taken place in this film is with two people in it, trapped in a room with a chain on their foot and a dead man in the middle of them. Both have to cooperate in order to play the game, and both of them have secrets, form both the world and each other. This film came out before there was hype in the series, when it was just a horror film with not that big of an audience. I decided to give it a chance because I haven’t seen a film idea like this in a new movie and I also had some money to blow on movie tickets. (Trying to help out a smaller twin type theater that ending up closing anyways. Great.) I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and thought the plot stuck, not too many holes in it or boring scenes of dialogue. The movie starts already into the game and preludes it within the next 30 minutes; how each person got there along with flashes of they’re past. Just enough to give you some idea of what they do in life. The idea of a killer who doesn’t actually kill anyone brought curiosity to see and gave me the idea of a good horror film series in my lifetime. Able to catch the last episodes of Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street bummed me out and after the shocking ending of this film; I looked forward to the next installment.

John: [on videotape] Hello Amanda. You don't know me, but I know you. I want to play a game. Here's what happens if you lose. The device you are wearing is hooked into your upper and lower jaw. When the timer in the back goes off, your mouth will be permanently ripped open. Think of it like a reverse bear trap. Here, I'll show you. There is only one key to open the device. It's in the stomach of your dead cellmate. Look around Amanda. Know that I'm not lying. Better hurry up. Live or die, make your choice.

''I want to play a game.''

With a dead body laying between them, two men (Whannell and Elwes) wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer who's been nicknamed "Jigsaw" by the police because of his unusual calling card.

Leigh Whannell: Adam

The original Saw, a film that was originally planned for a straight-to-video release but after receiving positive nods at pre-set screenings, was finally given the go ahead in October 2004, just in time for Halloween. Saw contains one of the those plots that shows you certain plot threads then twists them and distorts them for mouth watering results.
It's not hard to see why this almost hit the instant DVD release list. I mean, people will closely observe that it obviously contains similarities of its successors, namely Se7en (95), and that may be all the ammunition the haters will need to crush it.



But I begin with assertions and an experience that Saw is a genius thriller, yet not exactly original or daring. The film does its best to exploit the claustrophobia and mounting tension that collects as it progresses.
This is a Silent Hill 2 similar venture in some ways, the hero even looks like James Sunderland from that game. Saw falls into the trap alot of franchises do, such as Matrix, Pirates of the Carribean, these films needed no follow up but due to Box Office and more money to spin they followed them on with sequels unequal to the effortless originals. Again this happens with Saw
Ironically, the title has alot to do with plot, a hooded psychopath who deals his own brand of justice, going by the name of Jigsaw, a puzzling anti-hero. A clever piece of the title, Jigsaw is,
The two main characters, the main players of the sick game at center stage, Lawrence (Cary Elwes) and Adam (Leigh Whannell, also the film' screenwriter) are the main focus here.

The two men awaken to find themselves chained to lead pipes in a decrepit public bathroom. In the middle of the floor, is a dead body that's surrounded in a pool of its own blood, with a gun in one hand and a tape recorder in the other. As it would turn out, they're the latest victims of a serial killer known as the Jigsaw Killer.
Jigsaw has a nasty little way of torturing his victims by trapping them in a situation where they have to kill if they want to survive. As Lawrence explains, technically Jigsaw is not a killer, simply because he hasn't killed anyone, the victims do that themselves. As one fortunate victim observes, who survived her ordeal, she is bound to a chair with a reversed bear trap-like device strapped to her head with pliers wired into her upper and lower jaws. A timer is on the device and if she does not locate a key before it runs out, her mouth will be ripped open and no more pretty face. In order to get out, she must open up the stomach of a dead man lying on the floor next her to get the key.



''Face it Larry, we're both bullshiters. My camera, it doesn't know how to lie. It only shows you what's put right in front of it!''

As Jigsaw ever so carefully points out to his victims, he doesn't just choose them at random. To him, they're all perfectly immoral individuals and he uses their immorality to set up horrific situations where the victim rarely survives the trap; in essence, life is its own reward because Jigsaw's victims don't value it, as he explains to the one young woman lucky enough to fight through his plan. Also on the case of Jigsaw, are two detectives Tapp (Danny Glover) and Sing (Ken Leung), who bring forth the news of Jigsaw's previous victims in one particularly gruesome flashback sequence.

Lawrence is pretty well aware of the case of Jigsaw, as even once he was considered a suspect by the police. As you would have it, Adam is not especially trustful of Lawrence being that he seems to know a lot and is not reporting many details to him. They realize, however, that if they are going to survive this nightmare, they're going to have to play into Jigsaw's game, observe the clues he's willing to give them, and ultimately make it out alive.



''Live or die, make your choice.''

Saw was directed by James Wan and written by Whannell, with dazzling results who also makes an effective victim alongside Elwes. Elwes, a highly underrated actor, is given a chance to shine here, even though this really isn't an actor's movie, as it is more in the ball court of the director. However, we do get a sense of the desperation of the two leads, who soon realize that they're not the only ones trapped in this madman's puzzle.
The movie does benefit from its own moody atmosphere and vibes it sends forth, which may cover up any of the film's shortcomings. Towards the end, it does lose pace slightly, as events seem to go spiraling down the conclusion route, but quickly regains an injection of momentum as it draws to a climax.

But having said all this is Saw a genre classic? Certainly. Is it a classic like Se7en? I don't know. There's alot to consider when pondering a question that compares two different levels of movie making. I loved it, but the sequels that followed has everyone after a twist which kind of denotes that no surprise is in store for fans of the original. Granted this will always be the best of the franchise and that shocking ending is genius. So some poor acting and unrealistic traits let it down but Saw's mind set and ideas are phenomenal.
While Se7en was a blown up epic made for the big screen, this is a more small scale TV-styled mini project compared. Having said that it works and the feel and vibe also works too. Jigsaw raises some interesting questions about the complacency of society and shows that sometimes just a little push is sufficient to make individuals appreciate life and more specifically their own lives.

''Most people are so ungrateful to be alive, but not you, not any more...GAME OVER!''

I admit this film is sick and very twisted. It has a lot of blood, and the ideas that Jigsaw has for killing his victims are also very sick but this film is entertaining and very enjoyable to watch. I mean, come on people, it is not real torture, it is a film. The plot in the first saw film is just starting to show what Jigsaw does, how he does it, and why he does it. It starts off with two men trapped in a big room, with a dead guy laying in the middle. While they are in that room,they must find clues and figure out why they are there. Meanwhile, they begin realizing who each other are, and the story becomes even more in depth and enjoyable to watch. If you have not seen this film, then I suggest you do. It is a great horror film.