Saw

UK Release Date: 01 October 2004

Certification: 18
Director: James Wan
Cast: Tobin Bell, Cary Elwes, Michael Emerson, Danny Glover, Ken Leung, Dina Meyer, Monica Potter, Shawnee Smith, Leigh Wannell

Rating: 60%

Review:

Following an impressive short film of the same name debuted in 2003, Lions Gate Entertainment decided to produce the feature length film Saw. With a budget of $1 million, the film went on to gross $103 million world-wide spawning a two decade long franchise spanning nine films (with a tenth set to release this year). Often cited as the father of horror sub-genre, torture porn, the inventiveness of Saw is yet to be recaptured. 

Lead performances from Cary Elwes (Dr. Gordon) and Leigh Wannell (Adam) were genuinely quite captivating. Both over-acted at times affecting the narrative being told but the juxtaposition of personalities forced to work together meant for an intriguing concept. This stark contrast between the two characters is emphasised by the way James Wan films the two protagonists - shaky cam representing Adam's unease and steadicam representing Dr. Gordon's calm approach. 

The originality of the kills is what made Saw a staple of the horror genre. By now the sub-genre has been done to death but at this point everything seen on screen is unique and fresh. A lot of the traps aren't showcased fully which leaves a lot of the gore up for interpretation. This was partially down to the low budget and rushed production but it benefits the film giving Saw a more suspenseful edge. I preferred the scenes that took place in the bathroom, watching Dr. Gordon and Adam attempt to escape, than any of the other sub-plots. I wish the film solely stuck to the escape room because it became somewhat derivative and used cheap jump-scares rather than psychological terror. 

There's a reason that Saw is still discussed almost twenty years after the film's release. Certain moments of the film are iconic. The twist utterly renowned, the final line gripping and the screams over the credits chilling. Jigsaw, alongside Billy the puppet, is now one of the most marketable serial killers in horror medium. Plus, Billy riding a tricycle is kind of cool.

With the filming of Saw only lasting 18 days the editing was a bit all over the place. The choppy cut from one shot to another was rough to watch. But in all honesty, I was pleasantly surprised by Saw.