A decent start for a famous horror franchise

Rating: 7/10 (21 October 2017)

This film has a very interesting premise. Rather than simply being a serial killer, the villain instead forces people to play in his game, where they can choose whether or not they'll actually survive. This potential to survive depends on the victim's problem solving skills and the willingness to sacrifice in the face of usually great pain. These scenes where the sacrifice occurs often times can be morbid and cringe worthy, but the unfolding plot more than makes up for this. The main characters, Adam and Lawrence, are acted very well and Jigsaw's presence is felt very ominously and powerfully when he has speaking lines. Seeing the characters' backgrounds develop as the movie progresses highlights the film's overall message starkly, namely how too many people don't appreciate what they have and also take life for granted. Also, while they are the prettiest things to look at, the sets are very well dressed and definitely give off the feel of both abandoned buildings and the darker places of society. The producers also did a very good job with creating this film and the gore in particular looks quite realistic. Overall, I found the plot entertaining despite the gory parts, which I chose not to pay too much attention to.
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