a great yet flawed thriller

Rating: 6/10 (20 November 2005)

When two men who seem to have nothing in common find themselves trapped in one of the worst bathrooms, (one that rivals the toilet from trainspotting), they come to realise they are at the hands of the serial killer Jigsaw. The irony of Jigsaw is that he isn't really a killer; he hasn't killed anyone. Instead he sets up 'games' which will either kill the victim or they have to fight to survive. Adam and Dr. Gordon are chained either side of the room and in between them is a dead body. Not long after they find their messages from Jigsaw and the game has started. The aim of this game is for Dr. Gordon to kill Adam before 6 o'clock; if not his wife Alison and daughter Diana will die. There are clues everywhere for them to escape, they have to figure out the clues to survive.
The idea behind Saw is great. It's twisted, macabre but overall its a step away from the mainstream thrillers. The idea though was brought from the draw back of having a small budget, yet stripping it back to a simple one location and a small cast makes to more focused and the concept can flourish for it. You can see though that there is a mix from other films that have influenced Saw. The killer teaching people the preciousness of life; Seven. People waking in a strange location and need to figure out how to escape; Cube. People thrown into a situation to fight for their lives at the cost of other lives; Battle Royale. Though Saw has a very solid foundation, it does have its flaws, which does effect the overall impact.
The acting is the least desirable factor. Cary Elwes and Danny Glover are so way under par; its nowhere near their best job. Danny seemed really rigid and Cary was to over the top in the more dramatic scenes. Being his first major role, you can see Leigh Whannell doesn't have a lot of acting experience yet he still does alright. Monica Potter while having a minor role just walks through the steps without much enthusiasm.
The intensity of Saw has a problem of keeping it at a constant pace. There are times when the intensity blows through the roof and you find your hand is searching for something to grip onto; Amanda cutting into a mans guts to find the key to her head trap and Paul stuck in the razor wire trap are very intense, but then it falls flat and takes awhile before it starts to pick up again. The feel of Saw though is very dark and bleak. There isn't that sense of hope that lies within many thrillers. All the games that are quickly looked upon in flash back are some of the most macabre situations ever. Though it would have been so much better if they were developed and fleshed out more; adding more dimension to the world of Jigsaw, instead of the quick glances.
The biggest problem with Saw is due to the small shooting schedule that James Wan had. He had only eighteen days of shooting and not a lot of time in post production. Give that if he had more time, he could have made those touch up and been able to fine tooth the over all product. Yet credit has to be given to Wan and Whannell for getting this done on such a short schedule and a small budget.
Though it has its flaws, Saw is still a great watch. It has one of the best twists that comes right out of left field and punches you so hard that it resonates in your mind for days.