Saw (film series)

SAW (18)

D: James Wan

Lionsgate (Oren Koules, Mark Burg & Gregg Hoffman)

US 2004

103 mins

Horror/Thriller

W: Leigh Wannell

DP: David Armstrong

Ed: Kevin Greutert

Mus: Charlie Clouser

Cary Elwes (Dr. Lawrence Gordon); Leigh Whannell (Adam Stanheight); Danny Glover (David Tapp), Monica Potter (Alison Gordon), Tobin Bell (John Kramer)

The first of a series of films which gave birth to a new genre of "gore porn" movies, featuring sadistic, grizzly and violent deaths at the hands of a serial killer who goes by the name of the Jigsaw Killer.

This first film is a convuluted horror-thriller about two strangers who wake chained to each other in Jigsaw's lair, where they attempt to piece together clues on a tape recorder as to why they abducted and by whom. Meanwhile, a detective tries to track down the killer before the two men become the next in a long list of victims.

The twisted sadism doesn't make this film a comfortable watch, but it's quite possibly the most inventive addition to the genre since 1995's Seven (qv), featuring a number of rather ingenious deathtraps and incredibly unpleasant situations.

All the production values are very decent, from dingy dungeons to the visceral direction and camerawork. Unfortunately, Cary Elwes was a very poor choice for the lead.

A number of sequels followed almost immediately, all of varying quality.

6/10

SAW II (18)

D: Darren Lynn Bousman

Lionsgate (Oren Koules, Mark Burg & Gregg Hoffman)

US/Canada 2005

93 mins

Horror/Thriller

W: Leigh Wannell & Darrell Lynn Bousman

DP: David Armstrong

Ed: Kevin Greutert

Mus: Charlie Clouser

Donnie Wahlberg (Det. Eric Matthews), Franky G (Xavier Matthews), Glenn Plummer (Jonas Singer), Erik Knudsen (Daniel Matthews), Shawnee Smith (Amanda Young), Tobin Bell (John Kramer)

The same formula of a number of people overcoming violent deathtraps to ensure their own survival is employed in the first of the Saw sequels, although this film does give it's villain more screen time than in it's predecessor, ensuring Jigsaw becomes a memorable and malevolent movie villain.

The gore porn is much the same as the first film with a little more invention thrown in for good measure, so it certainly isn't one for the squeamish.

A decent sequel which arguably should have been the only one. The films become more and more inferior and brainless after this one, merely resorting to throwing sadistic violence up on screen just for the sake of it. Also, it’s a shame that the final twist is, quite frankly, insulting the audience.

5/10

SAW III (18)

D: Darren Lynn Bousman

Lionsgate (Oren Koules, Mark Burg & Gregg Hoffman)

US/Canada 2006

108 mins

Horror

W: Leigh Wannell

DP: David Armstrong

Ed: Kevin Greutert

Mus: Charlie Clouser

Tobin Bell (John Kramer), Shawnee Smith (Amanda Young), Angus MacFadyen (Jeff Denlon), Bahar Soomekh (Lynn Denlon), Donnie Wahlberg (Det. Eric Matthews), Dina Meyer (Det. Allison Kerry)

After eluding the cops in the previous sequel, cancer-ridden serial killer Jigsaw and his new apprentice pick on some new victims to torture, having promptly done away with the characters from the previous instalment within the film’s opening act.

The formula is pretty much the same as the first two films, featuring violent death after violent death, and it’s pretty much just gore porn at this point, barely resembling any of the creativity of the first two movies.

Obviously, more sequels were to follow, because the series of films proved to be very bankable for the production company, but there really didn’t need to be any further films after part two, at least not one as depressing and nihilistic as this.

4/10

SAW IV (18)

D: Darren Lynn Bousman

Lionsgate / Twisted (Gregg Hoffman, Patrick Melton & Mark Burg)

US/Canada 2007

92 mins

Horror

W: Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunstan

DP: David A. Armstrong

Ed: Kevin Greutert & Brett Sullivan

Mus: Charlie Clouser

Tobin Bell (John Kramer / Jigsaw), Costas Mandylor (Det. Mark Hoffman), Scott Patterson (Agt. Peter Stratton), Betsy Russell (Jill Tuck), Lyriq Bent (Off. Daniel Rigg)

Snore IV. The original Jigsaw killer may be gone, but there’s still games to play and victims to kill in this rushed sequel to capitalise on the success of previous films.

Who cares about story? Just have some random people suffering violent deaths from twisted methods, chucking in some peripheral characters from previous movies and the odd cameo. That’ll do.

Honestly, these films get progressively worse, forgetting that what made the original film so good was mystery and originality, rather than constant gore porn.

There also doesn’t need to be a twist in the tail every single time, especially one as pathetic as what’s served up here.

3/10