Intense, scary & gruesome but goes a little OTT !

Rating: 7/10 (18 October 2004)

Funny to see an American film come out in the UK well ahead of its US release - SAW is doing pretty well here in the UK. Starting off as a claustrophobic little horror film promises intensity and intrigue, it starts off well as a mystery, as both the viewer and the characters figure out where they are and what is going on. But when the film steps outside of its primary location - a dirty basement cellar - it tries to become a 'Se7en' style murder-mystery, going off at random tangents, introducing many new characters and spreading out its story over several locations, with images of ever-more gruesome murders, dead bodies and extreme trap situations. Some of them are clever, some scary, but others become silly and way over-the-top, both in the scenario and in the script. Anyway, it's still worth waiting around to find out what the hell is going to happen. Definitely more interesting than most horror films have been for a long time, and if you forgive the cheesy script, it's definitely worth watching although the detective part of the story lets it down (is it a horror film or a detective thriller ? - please choose one category - don't try to be both). This is also very gruesome, quite disturbing, and perhaps unique as it introduces the viewer to some disgusting images that have never been seen before in cinema. Go and see it. You may even want to see it a second time as it is crammed with a bit too much for its own liking. Would have worked better if it stayed as a tight, little claustrophobic horror film but it tries to be far more than it really is. Anyway, very ambitious and promises many more things for the director.