Saw (2004)

Director:

James Wan

Writers:

Leigh Whannell (written by)
James Wan (story) ...

Release Date:

29 October 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Death is a shortcut (Denmark)

Plot:

With a dead body laying between them, two men wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer who's been nicknamed "Jigsaw" by the police because of his unusual calling card.

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Flashback | Chained | Bathroom | Toilet

Awards:

4 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Leigh Whannell	...	Adam Faulkner-Stanheight
Cary Elwes	...	Dr. Lawrence Gordon
Danny Glover	...	Detective David Tapp
Ken Leung	...	Detective Steven Sing
Dina Meyer	...	Kerry
Mike Butters	...	Paul
Paul Gutrecht	...	Mark
Michael Emerson	...	Zep Hindle
Benito Martinez	...	Brett
Shawnee Smith	...	Amanda
Makenzie Vega	...	Diana Gordon
Monica Potter	...	Alison Gordon
Ned Bellamy	...	Jeff
Alexandra Bokyun Chun	...	Carla (as Alexandra Chun)
Avner Garbi	...	Father

MPAA:

Rated R for strong grisly violence and language. (edited for re-rating; originally NC-17)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS (5.1 surround)

Certification:

Taiwan:R-18 | USA:Unrated (uncut DVD version) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:R (Alberta) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) | Canada:18A | Netherlands:16 | Germany:16 (cut version) | Malaysia:18SG | Iceland:16 | Mexico:C | South Korea:18 | France:-16 (with warning) | Italy:VM14 (cinema rating) | India:A (cinema release) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:T | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Philippines:R-13 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | Greece:K-17

Filming Locations:

Lacy Street Production Center - 2630 Lacy Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Evolution Entertainment

Trivia:

According to the DVD commentary, casting agent Amy Lippens asked director James Wan who he wanted to play the character of Amanda. On a whim, Wan suggested actress Shawnee Smith, on whom he had had a crush since his teen years. He was surprised when Lippens came back a few days later and told him that they had secured her for the role.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Adam searches in the toilet bowl, his hand is covered in brown slimy water. However, after he removes the lid from the cistern, his hand is completely clean, and he clearly used his other hand to remove the hacksaws from the water.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Adam: Help! Someone help me! Is someone there? Hey! Oh shit, I'm probably dead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Bite the Hand That Bleeds

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...

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.