Saw - A Movie Review

We have to figure out a way out of here before it is too late.

Saw woke up in theaters in 2004. Finding themselves in an unknown room, two men are chained to the wall with a dead body lying in the middle of the floor. Solving this deadly game, there is no time to spare.

I cannot believe that I have never seen this horror classic until now. I had the best time watching it with my friend. Even though I already knew about the famous twist, I completely forgot about it by the end. Saw introduced a new dynamic to the world of horror. Eerie and suspenseful, I had some issues involving the setup of the story.

Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell are the entities of the film. You can never pick whom you want to be trapped with. Having to work together to get out of this situation, Elwes and Whannell were terrific in their interactions. If only they could have been the main focus of the film.

I have never seen Elwes in another film aside from The Princess Bride until now. The way Elwes conveyed emotion was heartwrenching. Both men are not so innocent. Due to the situation, they learn to be better - the hard way.

In my opinion, I feel that Saw would have been better if it took place in one setting and had minimal characters. Other credits include Danny Glover, Ken Leung, Dina Meyer, Mike Butters, Paul Gutrechi, Michael Emerson, Shawnee Smith, and Makenzie Vega.

Smith and Vega did a wonderful job together. For a young actress, Vega was impressive in a mix of a sweet personality along with acting pure terror from the situation. Despite having a nasty case of the flu during filming, Smith stuck through it. She demonstrated her incredible powerhouse abilities, never standing down.

Cutting from the main action ruined the atmosphere of the film. We’re given too much exposition. I think that the film would have been better off remaining in one room the entire time. The cryptic world of Jigsaw is meant to be a mystery, right? So, why follow ensemble characters when Lawrence and Adam are the main focus?

Saw had a low budget. A budget that compromised of no exterior shots. Filmmakers did an impeccable job of designing a retched set that nobody wants to set foot in. This iconic room is dirty, covered in mold, and smells toxic. And you’re only watching these characters outside of your TV screen!

Saw is violent. Be aware that it gets gory - sporting images you’d prefer not to see. Let’s not forget about the horror. Saw is a true horror film. It occupies themes regarding kidnapping and torture. Avoid this film if those are triggers for you.

In his film directing debut, James Wan did an excellent job absorbing the chaotic atmosphere. The cinematography plagues that something is not right. Playing with audiences’ minds, Wan introduced the frightening character, Jigsaw. The spinning, out-of-place camera angles captured the twisted situation.

This film reminded me of Cube (1997). Relating to several aspects of this film, I wasn’t sure if writers were trying to change a few aspects so it wouldn’t be soo similar. I believe that the film should have remained in the room of torture the whole time, instead of diving into exposition. There could have been more suspense by not knowing what is going on.

For anyone who has not yet seen Saw, do not look up any information involving the film. Watch this film during the Halloween season and prepare for the horror to unfold.