One of the greatest horror films ever made

Rating: 10/10 (8 July 2017)

For my 500th review I have decided to begin my 'Saw' series of reviews leading up to the October release of the eighth installment 'Jigsaw'. Back around 2004 the "situational horror/thriller' genre was quite a big thing, however it seemed no one could quite nail it. They even tried making a main stream one in 'Collateral' which admittedly was a pretty good film. Other than that though it seemed no one could seem to quite get it right. Then along came James Wan and Leigh Whannell with a little project they called 'Saw' and the rest is history.
So what made 'Saw' so great? Firstly, was how clever it was. Other similar films always felt like they were trying to be clever, but could never quite pull it off. 'Saw' had a genuine motive and a genuinely intriguing premise. It was incredibly simple and incredibly intricate all at the same time. Secondly, was the originality. Never before had we really seen anything like this. The situations these characters were being put in were not only thought-provoking and captivating to watch, they also were unlike anything we had seen.
It was a low-budget production obviously so it's far from a perfectly put together package. The acting for one thing is quite shocking in a few moments. It wasn't until the sequels where the budget obviously increased that they became very fine and well oiled machines. Nonetheless though 'Saw' is one of the best horror films ever made and is proof that storytelling will always be where the true strength of any film lies.