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1453 reviews in total

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295 out of 418 people found the following review useful:
Just See SAW!, 6 December 2004

Author: Remmy Wamweri (wamweri@gmail.com) from Oxford, England

Wow. The critics weren't wrong. Not since seven has horror been portrayed so majestically.

From the first minute to last this film twists and turns you till you feel rather poorly. Just like 'Se7en', the all-round Grittiness that director James Wan creates disgusts and enthralls. Just like 'Se7en', there is a H U G E twist that makes your blood curdle.

A lack of star names helps the movie flow as the pace builds to a finale that won't be forgotten by this viewer in a hurry!

I still can't sleep.

It is well scripted, well acted, and, for everyone who guesses the killer after the first few minutes, keeps you guessing right up to the final reel. It is better than Seven for shock value. It is not over the top gory but there is a final scene which makes you sweat.

Very highly recommended!

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343 out of 517 people found the following review useful:
I loved it, 10 February 2005

Author: dhruvdude from U.S.A

Movies like Saw are the ones that makes us believe in the horror genre. It is because of such movies we like to see horror/thriller movies. Let me tell you that after watching Saw I wanted to buy the ticket and watch it again because after a long time I got to see a real gripping and tightly directed horror movie. The movie is very exciting and has a lot of goosebumps. However, if you are a faint of heart please do not see this movie as it has a lot of gore/violence in it which will make you jump out of your seat. I just can't wait for the DVD to come out as I really want to buy it. My recommendation to all of you is to watch Saw and have a good time like I did. Also, the movie has a great twist. 10/10

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325 out of 488 people found the following review useful:
Well made horror/thriller, two thumbs up, 10 December 2004

Author: lizabeth666

When two men, wake up and find themselves chained to a bathroom pipe, with a dead body lying in between them, they soon realize that they are prisoners, in the secure lair of a serial killer, nicknamed 'Jigsaw'.

This film was, in my opinion, exciting, thrilling, and an overall entertaining film to watch. It delivered the necessary chills, to keep its audiences fully awake, and engaged. This was an enormous achievement for Aussie newcomers – James Wan, and Leigh Wannell. The two have created a well-deserved horror/thriller, without the necessary clichés.The film is not too scary that it becomes unwatchable, so the full potential of its enormity will not be missed. definitely two thumbs uo for me.

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292 out of 466 people found the following review useful:
Sicko movie, Go!, 31 January 2005
Author: Gizelle Fine from California

A sicko movie whose nastiness is almost topped by its weirdness...so obviously any true horror fan worth their salt needs to seek it out! The story is about a surgeon and a photographer who wake up and to find themselves shackled at opposite ends of a nasty-looking toilet. Don't want to say too much but plenty of ugliness ensues. This movie has the perfect mix of scares and a really bizarre plot. The movie's got a decent budget for an indie horror (a little over a million, i think) but it's pretty small for a film that got such a big release. I hear it made a "killing" at the box office, so TAKE NOTICE Hollywood! People want to see this stuff. Go!

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141 out of 185 people found the following review useful:
The best thriller in years, 6 March 2005

Author: Superunknovvn from Austria, Vienna

Since "Nattevagten" I have not seen a thriller that has kept me on the edge of my seat as well as "Saw". Right from the beginning this original story sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the very end. Thrillers as gripping as this one have become extremely rare in times like these, where people have seen almost everything and can guess any twist during the first half of the movie. With "Saw" James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the creative heads behind this project, set new standards. Think you're hard-boiled? Think again and watch "Saw", a movie that will creep you out and surprise you beyond your expectations.

"Saw" has been advertised as the new "Se7en" and while both movies are definitely in the same tradition, "Saw" does a much better job at actually being creepy. Jigsaw is the most gruesome killer the cinema has seen in a loooong time. Wan and Whannel really came up with a monster that has no peer. Where many movies drift into ridiculousness trying to establish the villain as an almost superhuman evil being, "Saw" does never get anywhere near that trap. Sure, the cops are depicted way too stupid and the killer is unrealistically smart, outshining each and every opponent with his perfect plans, but hey, "Se7en" and "Silence Of The Lambs" didn't care too much about realism, either, did they?

"Saw" does have some flaws. Those sped-up tracking shots have just been used too many times by now, the structure of the script is weird and jumps from one period of time to another, some characters' lines are a bit clichéd. However, considering that this movie was made in only 18 days by two independent filmmakers with literally no budget at all, it's really inappropriate to be petty about technical subtleties, when Wan and Whannel came up with such an original and stirring movie.

I can't remember the last time I've been surprised by a movie's final twist, but "Saw" has an ending that I didn't see coming at all. This thriller is the most original piece of independent film-making since "Cube". I'm really looking forward to seeing how Wan and Whannell's career develops after this fine sleeper.

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198 out of 327 people found the following review useful:
Tops!!!, 14 December 2004
Author: Nennapuppy from Sydney

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Finally a horror/thriller movie that has a plot and scary bits! Most go for the scare and have no plot, so when they aren't scary they suck! This one is good from either plot side or scare side. This movie is tops!! I've often thought about the awful things that killers could do to people, but usually just shot/stab them - this movie does some of those things! It really made me cringe in some parts and I could really "feel" how terrified the characters probably were cause of the great acting.

I just didn't see that ending coming, that just topped it all off. At one point i figured it was just going to end in the same old "big fight with lots of blood" scene but, WOW! that ending was the icing on the cake! I'm spun out but the whole thing - definitely a DVD buy for me. 4/5

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78 out of 99 people found the following review useful:
Two strangers mysteriously wake up to find themselves in a derelict basement. Together, they find out how to escape, and if they are really strangers..., 9 November 2005

Author: ocelot-05 from United States

I have utmost respect for Wan. To my knowledge, he and his buddies were right out of film school. Instead of slowly building status by making mediocre films, he showed the world right from the get-go that he had something to prove.

Along with Silence Of The Lambs, Saw is the only horror movie that truly chills me. You see, I am not easily frightened by gratuitous bloodshed and screams that you might see in films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The plot has to be coherent, and there can't be anything ridiculous like a monster. Saw evokes strong emotions of terror and fear, all the while remaining plausible. Well, the story is actually unlikely, but everything in the film is physically possible.

The scenes that are meant to be frightening don't require things that jump out at you every two seconds, or cheesy orchestral flailings. The situation is what frightens you, not the presentation. Saw does have some second-rate acting, but then again it is a low-budget film and I suppose they couldn't exactly afford Robert De Niro. The script is not fantastic, but one true redeeming quality of the whole film is the story. It is dense, complex, but so captivating. I can only think of a few mystery plot lines that can even compare to this one. The Usual Suspects is probably up there, but Saw stands alone.

I strongly recommend this film who appreciate good stories, and aren't easily scared by the garbage you see in theaters like House Of Wax. For people who get squeamish, steer clear of this film. It is very nice graphic, and very sadistic at times. A brilliant debut, and a terrifying ride. 9/10.

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150 out of 243 people found the following review useful:
One of the Most Unique and Grisly Thrillers In Recent Memory., 11 December 2004

Author: youshotandywarhol from Oregon

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"Saw" is one of the better horror films in recent memory. I suppose it's more of a thriller than horror, although it still is gory and serves well on a horrific level. It's sort of a cross between "Se7en" and "The Silence of the Lambs" I'd say, and the film is pretty damn good.

"Saw" opens with two men who wake up in a dilapidated public restroom with no memory of how or why they are where they are. Chained to the floor, they are both utterly confused and terrified. Together, they begin to piece together the memory of what happened to them as the serial killer, nicknamed Jigsaw threatens them and plays numerous mind games that lead up to their demise. Meanwhile, detectives and officials are on the trail of the brutal serial murderer, trying to save the men the entire time.

This is definitely a smart thriller and it will have you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning to the bloody, limb-severing conclusion. The characters are extremely believable and the acting was great, including performances by Carey Elwes, Monica Potter, and Danny Glover. Everyone performed perfectly and were very believable to watch. The entire movie has a dark, damp setting, and is overloaded with intense scenes and lots of gore, that are sure to please any horror fan. On top of that, the cleverly-woven story is unique and underived. James Wan does an excellent job, especially considering this to be his first feature film. I can't wait to see some his future stuff.

Bottom line - "Saw" is a smart, grisly, unforgiving, all-around brutal horror movie that is unique and original. If you are looking for a horror movie a notch above your average slasher flick, I advise you see "Saw". 9/10.

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69 out of 97 people found the following review useful:
I +Saw+ it last night, 11 June 2005

Author: dee.reid from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"Saw," a film that was originally planned for a straight-to-video release but after receiving positive nods at test screenings, was finally given the green light in October 2004 - just in time for Halloween. "Saw" contains one of the those plots that shows you everything it's got up its sleeve, then doubles-back on itself three-fourths of the way through and reveals something entirely new.

It's not hard to see why this almost hit the straight-to-video fodder list. I mean, people will closely observe that it obviously contains the traits of its successors, namely "Seven" (1995), and that may be all the ammunition the haters will need to trash it. Already, I see that the IMDb voters have averaged "Saw" a 7.5, with those people who have rated it with an "8" or a "10" being neck-and-neck at the polls.

But I begin with reassurances that "Saw" is a genius thriller, if not entirely original or daring. The film does its best to exploit the claustrophobia and mounting tension that collects as it progresses. "Saw" will also make you think twice about bladed objects as well.

Ironically, the title has very little to do with plot, as there is no chainsaw-wielding maniac on the loose as the ghastly cover art of a severed foot would imply. The only saws here are the ones the two main characters Lawrence (Cary Elwes) and Adam (Leigh Whannell, also the film' screenwriter) have been given.

The two men awaken to find themselves chained to lead pipes in a decrepit public bathroom. In the middle of the floor, is a dead body that's surrounded in a pool of its own blood, with a gun in one hand and a tape recorder in the other. As it would turn out, they're the latest victims of a serial killer known as the "Jigsaw Killer."

Jigsaw has a nasty little way of torturing his victims by trapping them in a situation where they have to kill if they want to survive. As Lawrence explains, technically Jigsaw is not a killer, simply because he hasn't killed anyone; the victims do that for him. As one fortunate victim observes, who survived her ordeal, she is bound to a chair with a reversed bear trap-like device strapped to her head with pliers wired into her upper and lower jaws. A timer is on the device and if she does not locate a key before it runs out, her mouth will be ripped open and no more pretty face. In order to get out, she must open up the stomach of a dead man lying on the floor next her to get the key.

As Jigsaw ever so carefully points out to his victims, he doesn't just choose them at random. To him, they're all perfectly immoral individuals and he uses their immorality to set up horrific situations where the victim rarely survives the trap; in essence, life is its own reward because Jigsaw's victims don't value it, as he explains to the one young woman lucky enough to fight through his plan. Also on the case of Jigsaw, are two detectives Tapp (Danny Glover) and Sing (Ken Leung), who bring forth the news of Jigsaw's previous victims in one particularly gruesome flashback sequence.

Lawrence is pretty well aware of the case of Jigsaw, as even once he was considered a suspect by the police. As you would have it, Adam is not especially trustful of Lawrence being that he seems to know a lot and is not reporting many details to him. They realize, however, that if they are going to survive this nightmare, they're going to have to play into Jigsaw's game, observe the clues he's willing to give them, and ultimately make it out alive.

"Saw" was directed admirably by James Wan and written by Whannell, who also makes an effective victim alongside Elwes. Elwes, a highly underrated actor, is given a chance to shine here, even though this really isn't an actor's movie, as it is more in the hands of the director. However, we do get a sense of the desperation of the two leads, who soon realize that they're not the only ones trapped in this madman's game.

"Saw" does benefit from its moody atmosphere, which may cover up any of the film's shortcomings. Towards the end, it does lose pace a little bit as things seem to be spiraling down the haunted house route, but quickly regains momentum as it draws to a close. I know that despite its flaws, I was glued to the seat and really "in" the film's tight tension, which thankfully doesn't let up.

Is "Saw" a genre classic? Certainly. Is it a classic like "Seven"? I don't know. There's a lot to consider when pondering a question with so much baggage like that one. I liked it, but I'm not so sure about the news that a sequel is in the works. This seems a lot like a stand-alone-type movie, that of which doesn't need to get bogged down by the weight of unnecessary sequels.

8/10

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52 out of 71 people found the following review useful:
The Most Clever Horror Movie Ever!, 1 August 2007

Author: KornFrog from Kenya

Not only does this movie create an extremely tense atmosphere the moment it starts, it has plenty of gore and violence to bombard your eyes, not to mention that it has one of the best twists seen in any horror movie.

I watched this film alone at night with the lights off, expecting to be freaked out by it since I thought it was just another typical horror movie; but instead I was completely intrigued by the story line, and utterly drawn into the film for the whole 100 minutes. At the end I did not feel scared, rather, I felt something very few horror movies have to offer: satisfaction! This movie left me in a slightly disturbed but very thoughtful state. It did not give me nightmares, rather, it plagued my day-dreams; for two days my thoughts could not stray far from this film, that's how powerful it is.

If you want a cringingly gory and violent horror movie, watch "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" or "Hostel"; if you want a nightmarishly scary horror movie, watch "The Grudge" or "The Ring"; if you want a clever and disturbing horror movie with an excellent story and a great twist, watch "Saw".

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