Two men awaken to find themselves on the opposite sides of a dead body, each with specific instructions to kill the other, escape or face the consequences. These two are the latest contestants in Jigsaw's games.
- Tom MajskiDecember 1, 2025There are several clear turning points in modern horror. Halloween, Scream, Saw to name a few. Those movies that mark a new taste in horror audiences and spark a series of movies that share a distinct vibe. Of those 3, Saw might be the least important but its still incredible. I don't want to dig too deep into the story. I just love the way its framed around a simple premise and unfolds with a 'Seven'esque hint of detective drama and reveals. Yes its a one and done in terms of the reveals but its just so well played out and visually had all of that amazing James Wan charm we grew to love. A big shake up from the slickness of the 90s, its grim and dirty and that influenced a generation of horror movies such as Eli Roth's Hostel as perhaps the closest in feel without copying. I just love it, a treat for horror enthusiasts and detective story lovers alike. Its genius in its simplicity and a core horror experience.
- ርልዪረOctober 8, 2025The games we play should always follow rules. Simply playing to win isn't good enough if we can't discern between cheating and strategising. Mind games are especially deadly when we don't follow the set path but where's the fun in that. Maybe every players can derive pleasure by participating within a controlled environment; and just maybe, it's in that challenge that we can find the road to true enlightenment. The premise is simple - Two men wake up in a run-down room with no recollection of how they arrived there. In a game presented before them, they must work together to piece the puzzle that joins them in the hell they find themselves in. James Wan and Leaigh Whannel wrote an enticing screenplay with elements made up of real life fears the pair had as children. Over 18 gruelling days of make up FX and set design, Wan directed the film in its entirety. It was the previous years short based on a short scene from the bigger story that would convince studio execs to take a chance on the project and a small Aussie dream became a big Hollywood success. The rules of this game are made very clear. All the pieces are there and every move is carefully thought out. If we look at the size of the board it's easy to see why it works flawlessly in a one-room setting (or at least for the most part). You'll be surprised what a few simple twists and turns can do to reinvigorate your love for the horror genre and what a grander illusion can accomplish in the staging of a suspenseful mystery.
Saw Trivia
Saw was released on October 1, 2004.
Saw was directed by James Wan.
Saw has a runtime of 1h 43m.
Saw was produced by Mark Burg, Gregg Hoffman, Oren Koules.
Two men awaken to find themselves on the opposite sides of a dead body, each with specific instructions to kill the other, escape or face the consequences. These two are the latest contestants in Jigsaw's games.
The key characters in Saw are John Kramer / Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes), Adam Radford (Leigh Whannell).
Saw is rated R.
Saw is a Horror, Mystery, Crime film.
Saw has an audience rating of 8.4 out of 10.
Saw had a budget of $1.2M.
Saw has made $104M at the box office.