Saw (2004) User Reviews

I wasn't expecting this!

[EVON1TY · 8/10 · 12 October 2022]

I watched some of the next movies before this. I wasn't expecting this one can be this good!

There was some minor flaws in it but the story was really good overall with it's effective twist and all. Amazing editing, scores and sound by the way.

I believe this is not just an ordinary horror movie, it's also a really great crime movie.

Even if the movie wasn't that good at most, the ending would save it, the ending is so perfect with that "Hello Zepp" score. That music makes the scene two times better.

If I had to mention the minor flaws, here is one example. I don't know why the car parking and all the other areas so dark and feels abandoned? I know, It's because this is a horror movie and the movie tries to scare you. But it's a bit much actually.

The First Great Franchise of the Twenty-First Century

[gavin6942 · 9/10 · 21 February 2010]

Two seemingly unrelated people (Cary Elwes and Leigh Whinnell) wake up in a secluded, dingy bathroom, chained to the wall. With nothing but their wits, a few clues, and a hacksaw, they must figure out who put them in their predicament and how to get out. Well, assuming they're able to get out. For an added bonus, one of the men has a kidnapped family on the outside.

Falsely categorized as "torture porn" (the violence and gore here are more in line with "Seven" than "Hostel"), this film was the first smart horror film of the 2000s. Intelligent horror fans not only got the blood they wanted, but a clever villain and a mystery to solve. Later sequels would get more complicated than episodes of "Lost", and the series loses something as it goes (all franchises do), but this original stands as one of the modern greats. And, luckily, you can watch it without any of the sequels and it makes sense.

There has been an effort in recent years to academically analyze "Saw", injecting a false connotation on to the film. One scholarly article points to the "militarization" of Jigsaw in a post-9/11 world. Jigsaw, like the military, carries out violent acts, but has found ways to rationalize them with moral justifications (saving the worthy, letting the undeserving die). The author makes various other parallels about a "military" setting, mentioning IEDs and the industrial setting of Jigsaw's workshop. I find this to be largely silly, and not at all the creators' intention. I see a much more obvious line of progression from "Silence of the Lambs" to "Seven" to "Saw" with the advent of the brilliant, self-moralizing serial killer. Even Hitchcock's "Rope" offered a justification for murder, albeit a poor one. Terrorism or not, the horror film will go on.

You can make complaints, sure. But for young writers and directors, this was a blockbuster and deserved the massive success it got. As someone who pays close attention to a film's writing and plot, I was stunned. My only real concern is at the very end, when the key's location is revealed. I can't discuss this in a review, but let's just say I found that to be uncharacteristic and unfair of the killer.

If you haven't seen "Saw" yet, see it. And see the second film. After that, they start to go downhill. But the first two are quite good and must-see viewing for all horror fans.

Game Over !

[jack_o_hasanov_imdb · 9/10 · 14 August 2021]

One of the best movies I've watched. I didn't get any spoilers while watching this movie and the ending was devastating.

The tension was perfect and you are looking forward to the end.

Soundtrack is one of the best. I always watch it, even if the series gets worse as it goes.

The game begins

[MaxBorg89 · 9/10 · 3 November 2008]

Not since Se7en's John Doe has there been a serial killer with such a bizarre philosophy behind his actions (not that Jigsaw actually kills anyone; more on that later). Sure, in light of the increasingly deteriorating sequels it's hard to think of Saw as little more than a franchise- starter (something the writer and director never planned), but viewed on its own, astonishing merits, it's a good, nasty thriller, filled with solid scares and (especially compared to the follow-ups) quite well written.

According to the film's notorious back-story, it took only 28 days to shoot it. Not that strange, given most of the action takes place in just two locations: one is a bathroom where Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) fins themselves with their feet chained to the wall, with no recollection whatsoever of how the hell they got there; the other is the lair of the mysterious Jigsaw, a serial killer whom Detectives Sing (Ken Leung) and Trapp (Danny Glover) have been tracking down for weeks.

The two facts are linked in a most ingenious way: Jigsaw doesn't really kill anyone, but "plays a game" with his victims. In the case of Adam and Dr. Gordon, as the tape recorder found in a dead man's hand tells them, each of them has two hours to free himself and kill the other, or they will both die. Problem is, the only way to get rid of the chains is to saw your foot off. And so, while the two unfortunate cell-mates have to choose who gets to live (that's Jigsaw's perverse logic: he offers you a choice), the police close in on the elusive psycho, whose previous deeds and MO are shown in flashbacks.

Whereas the subsequent Saw films use the messy chronology just for the hell of it (though they do get away with some neat narrative tweaks thanks to it), the first installment takes advantage of its non-linear storytelling to increase the suspense and provide some valuable clues to how everything fits together. It is to James Wan and co-writer Whannell's eternal credit that they, like Se7en writer Andrew Kevin Walker, went beyond slasher clichés and came up with something more. Okay, so Saw's philosophical undertones aren't entirely original, but what the heck, they do manage to keep the audience interested in what's going on. In addition, adding a little more depth to the killer ensures that the movie's more gruesome parts (and there are a lot of them) don't come off as gratuitous bloodletting (for an example of the latter, look no further than the countless sequels to A Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday 13th).

Furthermore, the intelligence behind the film's structure might also have had a positive effect on the performances, given the acting is more convincing here than in most post-2000 shockers: Elwes and Whannell's desperation is conveyed with an intensity that's almost too painful to behold, Glover plays the aging cop role resisting the temptation to do a Lethal Weapon in-joke (you know, the "too old for this sh*t" gag) and when Jigsaw himself appears... well, it's the horror equivalent of Keyser Soze - chilling and impossible to forget (and, for once, not played by Kevin Spacey). Just like the movie.

The best thriller in years

[Superunknovvn · 7/10 · 6 March 2005]

Since "Nattevagten" I have not seen a thriller that has kept me on the edge of my seat as well as "Saw". Right from the beginning this original story sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the very end. Thrillers as gripping as this one have become extremely rare in times like these, where people have seen almost everything and can guess any twist during the first half of the movie. With "Saw" James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the creative heads behind this project, set new standards. Think you're hard-boiled? Think again and watch "Saw", a movie that will creep you out and surprise you beyond your expectations.

"Saw" has been advertised as the new "Se7en" and while both movies are definitely in the same tradition, "Saw" does a much better job at actually being creepy. Jigsaw is the most gruesome killer the cinema has seen in a loooong time. Wan and Whannel really came up with a monster that has no peer. Where many movies drift into ridiculousness trying to establish the villain as an almost superhuman evil being, "Saw" does never get anywhere near that trap. Sure, the cops are depicted way too stupid and the killer is unrealistically smart, outshining each and every opponent with his perfect plans, but hey, "Se7en" and "Silence Of The Lambs" didn't care too much about realism, either, did they?

"Saw" does have some flaws. Those sped-up tracking shots have just been used too many times by now, the structure of the script is weird and jumps from one period of time to another, some characters' lines are a bit clichéd. However, considering that this movie was made in only 18 days by two independent filmmakers with literally no budget at all, it's really inappropriate to be petty about technical subtleties, when Wan and Whannel came up with such an original and stirring movie.

I can't remember the last time I've been surprised by a movie's final twist, but "Saw" has an ending that I didn't see coming at all. This thriller is the most original piece of independent film-making since "Cube". I'm really looking forward to seeing how Wan and Whannell's career develops after this fine sleeper.

Tastefully done

[AngelHonesty · 8/10 · 12 August 2021]

I was always terrified to watch this movie because I thought it would be over the top blood and gore. I finally found the nerve and was extremely surprised. Unlike other horror movies this one takes in the entire scene of the detectives trying to catch the murder while you're trying to figure out what is going on. Even though the movie keeps flashing back it helps take some intensity off of what's going on and adds a nice story to it. Instead of a meaningless film with blood and gore, this one had a well thought out storyline and a killer with rules. It reminded me a little of Silence of the lambs, they both have that edge that anything brutal and gory can happen any moment keeping up the intensity of the film. Don't get me wrong there is blood and gore in the film, but it's done in a tasteful way unlike some of the final destination movies.

The first, the best!

[shadowdreadblade · 7/10 · 2 February 2011]

Okay, i have seen a lot of horror films. Saw was another one that i liked much. Saw 2,3,4...and so on were movies i disliked. The splatter was increasing for no apparent reason, the atmosphere and the whole set up and the feeling, that made the first a success, were all missing from the rest.

So here we are. I review the first one that is the best in my opinion. I liked it. A friend of mine, a co-student at College, told me to watch the movie together. She couldn't remember how many times she had seen it. It was her favorite so she wanted to share it with me.

I liked the flow of the movie. And then the movie ended. And i found my jaw fallen on the floor. Incredible movie. No i wont spoil you anything!!! Go and watch it!

Warning though, it has extreme violence. I was about to eat something, while i was watching Saw. I reconsidered. I paused... i ate... then i watched the film.

Carpentry

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 2 April 2020]

I accidentally stumbled onto this one when I googled how to make a wooden pencil box. I wasn't disappointed

The Most Clever Horror Movie Ever!

[KornFrog · 10/10 · 1 August 2007]

Not only does this movie create an extremely tense atmosphere the moment it starts, it has plenty of gore and violence to bombard your eyes, not to mention that it has one of the best twists seen in any horror movie.

I watched this film alone at night with the lights off, expecting to be freaked out by it since I thought it was just another typical horror movie; but instead I was completely intrigued by the story line, and utterly drawn into the film for the whole 100 minutes. At the end I did not feel scared, rather, I felt something very few horror movies have to offer: satisfaction! This movie left me in a slightly disturbed but very thoughtful state. It did not give me nightmares, rather, it plagued my day-dreams; for two days my thoughts could not stray far from this film, that's how powerful it is.

If you want a cringingly gory and violent horror movie, watch "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" or "Hostel"; if you want a nightmarishly scary horror movie, watch "The Grudge" or "The Ring"; if you want a clever and disturbing horror movie with an excellent story and a great twist, watch "Saw".

Just See SAW!

[wamweri · 10/10 · 6 December 2004]

Wow. The critics weren't wrong. Not since seven has horror been portrayed so majestically.

From the first minute to last this film twists and turns you till you feel rather poorly. Just like 'Se7en', the all-round Grittiness that director James Wan creates disgusts and enthralls. Just like 'Se7en', there is a H U G E twist that makes your blood curdle.

A lack of star names helps the movie flow as the pace builds to a finale that won't be forgotten by this viewer in a hurry!

I still can't sleep.

It is well scripted, well acted, and, for everyone who guesses the killer after the first few minutes, keeps you guessing right up to the final reel. It is better than Seven for shock value. It is not over the top gory but there is a final scene which makes you sweat.

Very highly recommended!

Don't confuse this movie for its sequels- this one's actually good

[amullen34 · 8/10 · 27 March 2020]

The Saw movies tend to get a pretty bad rap. Most people think of them as senselessly violent and overly gory torture fests with no actual interesting plots or characters. Granted, some of the movies are like that. But, when you watch this 2004 original, leave those expectations at the door, because this movie is just a genuinely good thriller and mystery.

This movie has an intriguing premise of two strangers waking up in a room, handcuffed to pipes. As the move progresses, this mystery unfolds as we learn more and more about these two characters and about the situation that they are in. There are many twists and turns as the movie unfolds, but they never feel forced. These twists feel organic and are truly shocking. Because of this, I don't think of this movie really as a horror movie. It feels more like a mystery thriller, and it draws you into its premise. However, it is a very tense movie and there are some frightening scenes, so it does succeed as a horror movie as well.

If gore is the main thing keeping you from watching this movie, I would give it a try. Granted, there is gore in this movie, but it's not nearly as much as you would expect from a movie these days with Saw in the name. The gore is never intrusive or over-the-top, and it certainly is never meant to be the point of the movie. If you cannot watch gore at all, there may be a couple of scenes where you'll want to close your eyes, but there is still so much to enjoy from this movie outside of those moments.

Sicko movie, Go!

[jade_fine · 31 January 2005]

A sicko movie whose nastiness is almost topped by its weirdness...so obviously any true horror fan worth their salt needs to seek it out! The story is about a surgeon and a photographer who wake up and to find themselves shackled at opposite ends of a nasty-looking toilet. Don't want to say too much but plenty of ugliness ensues. This movie has the perfect mix of scares and a really bizarre plot. The movie's got a decent budget for an indie horror (a little over a million, i think) but it's pretty small for a film that got such a big release. I hear it made a "killing" at the box office, so TAKE NOTICE Hollywood! People want to see this stuff. Go!

An interesting concept

[cbnewham · 6/10 · 13 April 2020]

I've always been meaning to watch this film.

I have to say that while it is an interesting concept, there are several instances where things would have had to go exactly right for Jigsaw's plan to work.

On top of that is people not using guns when they were in a situation where it was shoot first ask questions later. I found that extremely annoying! And I thought America was a gun-mad place where shooting first happens frequently.

Obviously not in the Saw universe...

6/10 for being OK, but this movie isn't half as clever as it thinks it is.

Very good

[skrstenansky · 6/10 · 13 October 2021]

This movie is a very good and one of the best thrillers and one of the most interesting and tense ones. Very unique story line and extremely tense and entertaining, it kept me guessing what is going on and how are things going to go. Very well done story and directing, good acting, great effects, and a great twist. Very well done and entertaining.

Well made horror/thriller, two thumbs up

[lizabeth666 · 9/10 · 10 December 2004]

When two men, wake up and find themselves chained to a bathroom pipe, with a dead body lying in between them, they soon realize that they are prisoners, in the secure lair of a serial killer, nicknamed 'Jigsaw'.

This film was, in my opinion, exciting, thrilling, and an overall entertaining film to watch. It delivered the necessary chills, to keep its audiences fully awake, and engaged. This was an enormous achievement for Aussie newcomers – James Wan, and Leigh Wannell. The two have created a well-deserved horror/thriller, without the necessary clichés.The film is not too scary that it becomes unwatchable, so the full potential of its enormity will not be missed. definitely two thumbs uo for me.

A puzzling game worth playing

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 24 November 2017]

Finally saw all the 'Saw' films prior to seeing 'Jigsaw' (as part of my wanting to see as many 2017 films as possible this year, during a quieter and less intensive period). Heard a lot about the films, good and bad, but wanted to see them for myself to know what to expect.

The films as an overall series are a very mixed bag. The first 'Saw' is very problematic but is one of the better films of the 'Saw' series. It is very easy to see why people will dislike it, and no it is not because of the full throttle horror-like elements that are not for the faint hearted. Some of the story is ridiculous with large lapses in logic, Danny Glover's character's actions will have one screaming in frustration at the television screen. Some of the script is tight, other parts are half-baked and silly and Elwes' character's back-story had some taut tension but that it had some melodramatic parts with frustrating character behaviour.

Some of the acting is not good. Cary Elwes seems to be thinking like he's acting in a very over-heated melodrama that would have been out of date even in the period when they were in fashion. Danny Glover's performance is also a mess, with a mix of over-compensating and not looking interested. Even for the film's mood, some of the editing is chaotic.

However, for a film that didn't have a high budget 'Saw' visually doesn't look too bad on the whole, effective even. There is a real sense of unsettling claustrophobia induced in the lighting, setting and photography. Music has its eeriness.

Not everybody fares badly in the acting. Michael Emerson has an unnerving presence and Monica Potter and Leigh Whannell also do a decent job. Then there is Tobin Bell, not easy to forget him after this film. James Wan does more than competently in the director's chair, even with the inexperience.

Despite its ridiculousness, the story is also edge-of-your-seat and highly atmospheric. There is genuine dread, some truly imaginative traps and kills and much of it throughout is disturbing and creepy. 'Saw' is notable in particular not just for the traps/kills but also for its bold twists, the character of Jigsaw (the modus operandi, impulse and justification setting him apart from most characters of his type) and an unforgettably shocking ending.

Overall, very problematic but effective. 7/10 Bethany Cox

BRILLIANT

[hfreinoso · 10/10 · 23 October 2018]

I love this movie man. I just love everything about it. Not only does this movie create an extremely tense atmosphere from start to end, it has plenty of gore and violence to bombard your eyes, not to mention that ENDING. Man I LOVE that ending. With unknown actors and they all did and incredible job acting in these types of situations. This film was, in my opinion, exciting, thrilling, and an overall entertaining film to watch. It delivered the necessary chills, to keep its audiences fully awake, and engaged. This was an enormous achievement for both James Wan, and Leigh Wannell. The two have created a well-deserved horror/thriller, without the necessary cliches. The film is incredible and it start from Saw 2,3,4,5,6, Final Chapter, Jigsaw, and now in 2020 Spiral. I don't care what anyone says Saw is the best of the series and the best horror movie ever. 10/10. Love it.

He doesn't want us to cut through the chains,,,

[reddiemurf81 · 7/10 · 18 May 2021]

I remember seeing the trailers for this, and at the time it was unlike anything we'd seen before.

1.2 mil budget, only a few actors you'd know by name, and one CRAZY plot. Who could pull this off? Well,, James Wan!!! Now he's a little more well known,,,

Anyways,, imagine waking up to find you've been chained up in a room with a stranger (who's also chained up), and you're only explanations for your predicament are waiting to be found throughout the room.

I loved it

[dhruvdude · 10/10 · 10 February 2005]

Movies like Saw are the ones that makes us believe in the horror genre. It is because of such movies we like to see horror/thriller movies. Let me tell you that after watching Saw I wanted to buy the ticket and watch it again because after a long time I got to see a real gripping and tightly directed horror movie. The movie is very exciting and has a lot of goosebumps. However, if you are a faint of heart please do not see this movie as it has a lot of gore/violence in it which will make you jump out of your seat. I just can't wait for the DVD to come out as I really want to buy it. My recommendation to all of you is to watch Saw and have a good time like I did. Also, the movie has a great twist. 10/10

An Ending You Will Not See Coming!

[efrens-44931 · 10/10 · 6 May 2020]

My favorite franchise of all time... Starts out with two regular Joes stuck in a random grousome room. Movie gradually becomes exponentially more interesting as the plot unfolds, leading to (in my opinion) the most interesting serial killer of all time. One really frightening scare and phenomenal acting.

The scariest movie i have ever seen

[filmbuff1970 · 7/10 · 6 October 2004]

I have seen many horror movies in the cinema over the last twenty years. This is without doubt the scariest i have ever seen. This movie is so sick and twisted it makes Se7en look like a Disney movie. The cast are all fantastic. The twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat. The serial killer in this makes Hannibal Lecter seem as scary as Dora The Explorer. It;s been a long time since anyone called a horror movie a instant classic. But this is truly a classic. This is one horror movie that is not mindless blood and guts, this is clever blood and guts. People called Open Water scary it wasn't. This will cause nightmares, If you like Horror prepare to see the best. 10 out of 10.

Original terror movie that originates a successful franchise

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 20 July 2009]

Two men(Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell also screenwriter) wake up in a dirty bathroom tied by their ankles to pipes. Between them appears a dead man , near lies a tape-player and a pistol. Both play some tapes which find in their pockets. One must murder the other or his wife and daughter will die. Meanwhile Detectives(Danny Glover,Ken Leung, Dina Meyer) and another people must avoid deadly traps that a sinister character has set on the way.

This exciting terror movie contains horror, suspense, thrills, chills and lots of blood and gore . The picture takes accent on tension as well as a well-knit script full of twists and turns.It packs eerie images-shock , slick edition and nail-biting pace. The movie is well starred by Tobin Bell, a support actor working in television and cinema from the 80s. Frightening and stirring musical score by Charlie Clousier and colorful cinematography by David Armstrong, both of whom are usual of franchise. The motion picture is stunningly directed by James Wan.

It's followed by Saw II by Darren Lynn Bowman with Glenn Plummer , Enmanuel Vaugier, Donnie Wahlberg; Saw III by Darren Bowman ; Saw IV ; Saw V and in -production Saw VI, repeating similar players as Betty Russell, Shawnee Smith, Costas Mandaylor and of course Tobin Bell.

They came, SAW and altered (Horror Movies)

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 24 February 2008]

I haven't seen the original short movie yet (titles SAW as well), but with this feature length effort, a change has been made in Horror movie history. A new sub-genre was born (some call it "gorno", because of the explicit gore it has in it)! Many movies tried to copy the formula, but didn't have financial success. Saw on the other hand, is a brand name now. A 5th saw movie will come out later this year (and more are yet to come).

But let's talk about this original, that lays some seeds for the other movies to follow. We get the rules to which the character have to play (the general idea) or let's say the concept. It will keep you guessing from beginning to the end, what is going to happen. And although I like the other Saw movies as well, none of them achieved the tension that this one build up! Apart from the gore you'll get a thrilling experience as well! I can only recommend it (as many others do here too)

Better than it seems

[briancham1994 · 6/10 · 1 June 2020]

I'm not a fan of these sadistic horror movies so I didn't enjoy this film but I must admit it's better than it seems. There is a lot of exploration of the characters and backstory that leads up to the moment where they wake up in the bathroom. Not great, but definitely well crafted.

Classic Horror Film

[thakikdd · 10/10 · 12 October 2021]

One of the most dynamic villain's of any horror film. A bitt bloody but its a bit of a staple when it comes to the saw movies. Has to be at the top of the list when it comes to best horror films ever. Off topic but i feel like the series goes a bit downhill after this one.