Review of:Saw (2004)
Director:James Wan
Rating:R for strong grisly violence and language.
Starring:Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Leigh Whannell, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson
There are few times that I enjoy watching movies out of the horror genre. The reason‚ there are very few times when there is any type of substance to them. There are times when some films take it to another level‚ such as “The Silence of the Lambs‚” or “Six.” These are films that Saw has been linked to‚ and for good reason. It follows‚ and in short instances overshadows its horror predecessors.
The background of the story is something taken straight out of a tabloid paper. There is a man out in the world that does not follow the rules of society. Instead, he picks out victims that he feels are unworthy of the life that has been blown into their souls‚ and sets them up in a challenge of sorts. If they win they will continue to live‚ but if they lose‚ their life is forfeit and in the most grisly fashions.
The games that this unknown man plays are what separates him from the likes of Hannibal Lecter or the like. Instead he pits man against man‚ forcing people to make decisions that impact their own life as well as the lives of others for survival.
The film sports a pretty good class of actors‚ and the storyline is superb. One thing that I would have like to see a little more of was a little background on the killer‚ and possibly why he was doing the things he was. The film keeps you guessing to the very end‚ and I still did not know who the killer was until the credits were about to end. I Love That In A Movie!
Although we are given some background on other killings the main focus is on two current captives that he has control of. Adam (Leigh Whannell)‚ and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) find themselves chained in a dirty old bathroom‚ with neither able to remember how they got there. With instructions left on a micro cassette‚ each victim learns what their abductor wants from them to attain their freedom. You would think that being co-victims would bring some sort of animosity or co-operation between them. Sadly‚ this is the portion of the film that fails the most. I found myself not caring if either person made it out alive.
Even with that said I enjoyed the guessing game that went along with the film‚ and when the killer was finally shown I had to smile. This is not a film that the kid lets should be seeing (I’m sure you already know that)‚ but during this Halloween season it serves its purpose.
