So because of the "coronavirus" pandemic bullshit, there's no new releases coming out, which is a bummer considering there were a bunch of movies coming out that I wanted to talk about. So in the meantime, I want to take the next month or so to talk about movies I always wanted to talk about and review 2020 movies that I saw but never reviewed yet. Since Spiral: From the Book of Saw is coming out in May, and is one of if not my most anticipated film of the year, I want to review every Saw film leading up to it. So let's review the film that started it all. Saw came out in 2004, directed by James Wan (who is known for The Conjuring 1 and 2, Insidious 1 & 2, Furious 7 and Aquaman) and is about 2 strangers who find themselves trapped in a filthy bathroom, discovering they are forced to partake in a deadly game perpetrated by a serial killer known as "The Jigsaw Killer". Saw in my opinion is a modern classic, it is a wonderful psychological horror film that is extremely well directed and filled to the brim with atmosphere and the sense of dread. This movie's dirty, grimy look adds to the tone of the film wonderfully. As a directorial debut, this was a solid home run for James Wan. The story is constantly engaging, I was never bored watching this film. This film is also one of the best examples that I can give for using flashbacks for telling the story, it feels very organic and it also feels very integral to tell this film's story. If you ever want to get into this franchise but can't handle extreme gore, this is the one to watch, it's nowhere near as graphic as its reputation. Yes this film gets very bloody at times, but it doesn't get to the gratuitous levels of its sequels (especially Saw VI and Saw 3D) at all. For example, the most iconic scene of the film where Cary Elwes cuts off his foot to free himself, you hardly see anything, it's mostly offscreen. As much as I love this film and I consider it a classic and one of my all time favorite horror films, there are a couple of issues. One of them is the acting. A lot of the acting is terrible. Especially from Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell. The last issue is a minor one, but I wish Danny Glover's character had a bit more development. That's about it. As a low budget indie flick that spawned one of my favorite horror franchises, Saw is amazing. This film has a very special place in my heart as a horror junkie, it's perfectly paced, the story is fantastic, and it delivers atmosphere and tension in spades! If you love horror, Saw is essential viewing.
Grade: A
Run time: 103 min
MPAA: R (for strong grisly violence and language)
Studio: Lionsgate, Twisted Pictures
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