Clever. Heart pounding fright and terror. The birth of a new horror franchise.

Rating: 8/10 (31 October 2006)

Saw when first released in 2004, the low budget horror flick, wasn't expected to do much, but guess what surprise over 100 million! It looks as if though James Wan has founded a new horror gem. When I finally viewed it I was amazed at the clever plot and bloody gore. Saw is well done, well shot as it tries to teach us morals. Only these life lessons are taught by a new sadistic serial killer Jigsaw, who abducts his morally wayward and he puts each in a horrific game of cat and mouse survival. The abducted must fight for life or die in the process. And some of Jigsaw's methods are clever and cruel such as chaining victims feet together, strapping people to seats with leather even ranging from fire torture and barb wire cutting methods how cruel and sick! Saw begins with Carry Elwes who plays an abducted doctor who is chained up with an abducted photographer, the cat and mouse game is clever and sickening, as Jigsaw watches both thru camera and makes cell phone calls to them! The Elwes character is unaware that Jigsaw has held hostage his wife and daughter, and the only way they survive is that the photo man must die. Monica Potter and Makenzie Vega give fine performances as the wife and daughter of the Elwes's character. It is just so sad and sickening though when the sadistic killer has both the Monica and Makenzie characters bound, tied up and gagged. As while both are pleading for mercy the crazy uses a stethoscope to check the fright and fast heartbeat of Makenzie while he points a gun to Monica's head, how terrifying as they both scream and cry thru their gagged mouths. Really a tough scene, overall this film is frightening in a way that disturbs the mind as a dangerous game that's tough to win, it seems only the lucky survive. Saw is a must see it was good to finally see a new twist and take on the horror genre with Jigsaw. I must finally say a thumbs up for James Wan's clever new fright franchise.