SAW

"Let the game begin"

Waking up in a derelict bathroom with a dead body lying between them, Adam (Whannell) and Lawrence (Elwes) find themselves chained to pipes on either side of the room. In their pockets they find tapes that have a recording that tells why they are there and that Lawrence has eight hours to kill Adam or his wife and daughter will die.

As Hollywood struggles to be inventive in the horror genre and Asian filmmakers continue to excel, the dream factory fights back with a creepy thriller that will have you squirming in your seat.

Saw is a shining light in a very dark hole for Hollywood. Over the last decade or so all the creative blood has slowly drained out of the horror genre, with only the odd gem, usually a low budget, having any originality at all. Filled with rehashes and remakes, Horror has become the forgotten genre and it really needs someone to come in and shake it up abit. Enter first time writer/director James Wang.

The filmmaker takes all the best elements of Asian cinema, the stylistic look, the sheer creepiness of the environments and then combines them with everything that Hollywood does well, the calculated serial killer and the plot twist to produce a horror movie that will stick long in the memory. Forgoing the supernatural for a more realistic serial killer protagonist, this is the kind of horror movie that is really scary. Someone like the Jigsaw killer could actually exist and this is what makes this movie more frightening that anything from beyond the grave. The film is very reminiscent of David Fincher's Se7en, in style and look but it is also heavily influenced by Asia, especially through the films of Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, and his passion for the bizarre and macabre.

All of these influences are rapped up in story that will keep you guessing to the end. In a unique twist, this is a serial killer movie about a madman who doesn't actually kill anyone. In an inventive move, Wan has created a master manipulator who puts people in extreme situations, leaving them with the dilemma to kill or be killed. As the story unfolds we are shown, in flashback, Jigsaw's past victims and the extreme situations they found themselves in. Again, much like Se7en, we see the aftermath of the crime and through fast editing and creative cuts we see how the victims came to their grizzly ends. A lot is left to the imagination however, intensifying the scares as your imagination runs riot.

The intriguing premise and riveting story is backed by a mixed bag on the acting front however. Cary Elwes makes a prominent return to the big screen in a role that you would really associate the actor with. Known more for light-hearted, comedic parts, Elwes starts off quite well as Lawrence, giving the character a cool head and a logical mind when it comes to figuring out what they should do and assessing the situation. His performance breaks down when a more emotional and dramatic response is required from the character. His lack of talent in this area is exposed like a gaping wound, as everything looks forced and, at times, laughably bad. Leigh Whannell is the same. His character of Adam again, starts off well but struggles during the tension filled finale. This slightly spoils the impact of the film but doesn't take anything away from the twists in the story.

The support fairs a lot better however. Danny Glover is as good as ever as Detective David Tapp, the investigating officer obsessed with the capture of the killer. Ken Leung is also good as Detective Steven Sing. Monica Potter shows real fear as Lawrence's wife Alison and Makenzie Vega is exceptional as their young daughter Diana, who actually shows more emotion in her acting than Elwes.

Saw is a clever, horrific thriller that restores some credibility to Hollywood's contribution to the horror genre. With a plot that will keep you guessing to the end and a suitable level of gore for purists to rejoice, this is a movie that goes some way in restoring your faith in the genre and might just be the film that kick starts a new era of horror.

Uncut version of the main feature, 'Bite The Hand That Bleeds' music video from Fear Factory, Unrated version of the music video & 'Sawed Off' featurette

Se7en

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2004