One of the more shocking, disturbing films I've seen in a long time.one of the best of the year.

Rating: 9/10 (5 December 2004)

**WARNING! POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW!!**
I was anticipating this film ever since I first saw the poster. When I saw the trailer I anticipated it even more. I'm a BIG fan of psychological thrillers (anyone expecting this to be, or saying this is a horror film is wrong), and I was certain that this would be on the level of some of the classic thrillers of this kind; i.e. Se7en, Silence of the Lambs, etc. After seeing it I must say that it met my expectations and is one of the best films I've seen this year. I honestly left the theater with my mouth dropped, it was an exhausting and exhilarating feeling at the same time.but it was a GREAT feeling. I don't think I've seen a movie begin and end the way 'Saw' did, it jumps RIGHT into the action and right back out of it. And as far as the ending: absolutely genius. No one could honestly say that they predicted that the killer was who it ends up being in the end. I've read other reviews criticizing the end, saying 'why would he lay there for 8 hours' who cares?!?! What's baffling and mind-boggling is that he DID! I love how everything was done.the movie was smart and nail-biting, it gave me the feeling that the aforementioned thriller classics did; but what it also did was make its own mark on the whole genre. The only thing preventing 'Saw' from getting a perfect score is the ASININE actions (or lack thereof) of Cary Elwes' wife after getting the upper-hand over the guy holding her hostage. Why in the HELL didn't she shoot him once she got the gun from him? That was so ANNOYING to watch, it almost ruined the movie for a second. All in all, 'Saw' is truly a great, great film that I will HAVE to own when it's released on DVD. A classic thriller film, it's nice to see that people can still make good thrillers nowadays.
*** ½ out of **** stars.