I Enjoyed It a Lot!

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2019)

I may be the only horror fan left on the planet who hadn't ever actually seen a single entry in the "Saw" franchise. I had plenty of exposure to it in the form of parody - there's an unending supply of parodies of this film, many of which were just as bland, uninspired and unoriginal as I always seemed to believe the franchise itself was.
Today I watched the first entry for the first time, and i was pleasantly surprised. Was it the greatest horror film of all time, or the greatest franchise kickstarter I've ever seen? Not by a long shot. But it was a pretty interesting idea that you really need to watch for yourself to get invested in. It's not the typical "person locked in a room with a time limit to get out because there's someone waiting outside to kill them if they fail." This movie presents a killer with a coherent and interesting back story, even if they don't take the time to fully explore it in this film.
The acting is wonderful; spot-on when it needs to be, cliche when the time is right, but always moving the plot along nicely. It's a non-linear story, which I also really appreciate. It's a film that demands your undivided attention from start to finish, and it's interesting enough to justify doing so.
While it's far from a perfect horror movie, I think it's a pretty decent entry into the genre that everybody should see at least once. I'm just disappointed that I put it off for so many years.