An awful film, for an awful audience

Rating: 1/10 (10 July 2005)

What is going on with people these days? How come this piece of celluloid junk can garner a 7.5 rating on IMDb, higher than films like "The Duellists", "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", "Predator"... or "Bachelor Party", for that matter? "Saw" is yet another derivative shocker, stealing copiously from the likes of "The Cube", "Se7en" and several low-budget European films. It has no redeeming values, and offers no real surprises to speak of. By comparison, "Equilibrium" was another derivative film, but it had a heart in the right place. "Saw" is pure cinematic drivel, coming from another "cool" wannabe director, probably weaned on video games and MTV-style editing, and scarred for life by hooded men in corridors with blinking yellow/blue lights.
Beyond a bunch of shocking images, there's nothing worth a glance, much less a second look. We're not talking about a "Funny Games" type of movie here, since the German film was at least engaging, albeit in a sadistic way. The re-watchability factor is *zero* for James Wan's creation... I was wondering why the local Blockbuster stores are selling scores of "Saw" DVDs for a couple of bucks apiece. Now, that I've seen the film, I know the reason. Word of mouth may have helped this abomination gain some attention, but its real place remains the trash can, amidst empty syringes, vomit-stained underwear and junk food containers.
I honestly wonder if the reviewers claiming this film teaches you true lessons in the meaning of life are in fact convicts escaped from an asylum where they were taught lessons about "life, the Universe and everything" - including art - by the likes of Dr. Mengele, Ceausescu and Uwe Boll.