The Buildup Leads to a Lackluster Ending...

Rating: 4/10 (27 September 2008)

What to say about Saw? Probably that as thrilling as it may come off from all the sequels, there's nothing that makes these films, nor this one, remotely good.
This is a very ugly, grotesque, and disgusting looking film. From atmosphere down to the settings, this movie has no aesthetics. The acting is terrible; why on Earth Danny Glover is in this film is beyond me. I was sincerely shocked that Michael Emerson was in this, but at least he provided an ideal performance; one that all the other actors could look up to. Karl Elwes is very uninspired, as all he does is talk in a raspy voice and yell a lot.
The terror that is in this film is hardly terrifying. Is it thrilling? At times, yes. Is it at all memorable? No. With all the running around and yelling, it all builds up to one of the most lackluster endings of the decade.
James Wan's story and direction would make Se7en quiver with flattery, as this film contains no depth, nor reality to maintain it as a memorable thriller. In fact, the screenplay is so limited, that when these guys are given a time limit to escape, all they do is reminisce about what they were doing before they ended up in Hell's restroom; very silly and highly stupid.
All in all, I highly advise anyone seeking a movie with thrills to watch it, because, after all, that is the intended search. Then again, those impressed with films like Se7en or The Silence of the Lambs, will find no film equivalent to them. Instead, they will get a mediocre story that has spawned numerous, unoriginal sequels that one can only pray ends sooner rather than later.
Skip this film, please.