Saw Review

Written by: Alex   

My favorite horror film. James Wan's "Saw" is one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. It's the stuff of nightmares. Truly. And here I thought that real scary flicks were not going to be made anymore. I saw "Saw" on opening night (in the U.S.) and couldn't have been anymore happier when it was all over.

For me, James Wan had made a film that reflected the freaky low-budget horror movies of the early 1980's. It creeped the hell out of me. Took me back to my childhood in a sense. I guess it's the cheap look (it was made with a tiny budget) that sends shivers down my spine (Dario Argento's and 80's slasher films benefit from the same thing).

"Saw" plays out like a cross between "Seven" and "Cube". On one side, you have an absorbing police thriller "who dunnit?" and on the other, you have a twisted, creepy puzzle movie. With an emphasis on HORROR. The way "Jigsaw" eradicates his victims is truly grotesque and sickening.

Gore. Thankfully, there's just the right amount of it in "Saw". It's never excessive, yet never light. However, this is a hardcore horror film. The brief spurts of goth rock on the soundtrack was done rather well. And I think the acting (or overacting as seen by Elwes) suited the film just fine. The twist ending? Shivers, man. It blows your mind and creeps you out simultaenously. Anotherwords, it's a very satisfying one indeed.

It had been awhile since I had seen a movie that actually freaked me. And "Saw" brought that feeling back of childhood fear of watching late night scary movies. I love it.