This post is not only for Movie Monday, it is also part of Halloween Month AND my submission for The Tenth Daughter of Memory, the topic this go-round being "Trapped".
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What better horror flick to choose for a topic such as 'trapped' other than "Saw"!
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While it is easy for some to dismiss ALL the "Saw" films as torture porn flicks, that leaves the greatness of this film lost in the mess. And it really isn't fair to lump this movie into all that came after it.
When "Saw" hit theaters in 2004, moviegoers were blown away by the intense, edge-of-your-seat thriller.
The plot, in a nutshell, revolves around two men who are kidnapped and locked in an industrial bathroom with a dead body between them and given instructions related to escaping. Meanwhile, police detectives investigate and attempt to apprehend the criminal responsible, the "Jigsaw Killer".
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The premise of a killer who doesn't directly kill his victims is intriguing. The Jigsaw Killer is hopeful, in his own warped way, that the people he sets into these traps will somehow "see the light", extricate themselves and go back into life with a renewed appreciation for all they have. Granted, this isn't how it works out 99% of the time, but it is essentially his plan.
Also, the movie has a twist, and I was one of the viewers who truly didn't see it coming and was shocked by it. Watching it for the second time is therefore a different experience.
It is basically a ton of fun for horror/thriller fans. The writing and directing by James Wan and Leigh Whannell is great, as is the acting, especially from Cary Elwes. This is one of those times where an actor was cast against type and it worked.
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However, the sequels have gotten off-track. Some of them are down-right confusing, plot-wise. Too many flash-backs and ill-conceived twists have muddled the waters. A clean slate and a return to what the first film was all about is in order, I think.
Also, the "torture porn" stigma that is associated with these movies is more suitable a description for the sequels than it is for the original. It is sometimes argued that this film is the "torture porn" starting point, but I think films like "Hostel" or "The Devil's Rejects" are more in line for claiming that title.
When all is said and done, "Saw" remains an imaginative, thrilling, uneasy horror flick. Granted, this is not every movie fan's idea of a good movie, but variety is the spice of life, right?
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"Saw" was originally filmed as a nine-and-a-half-minute Australian short horror film in 2003. It was also directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell, who starred in it. This short became known as "Saw 0.5".
Here is the that short, in its entirety.
WARNING: NOT suitable for all. This is an intense, somewhat violent film.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
This short was turned into a scene in the theatrical release, with Amanda Young wearing the Reverse Bear Trap device instead of David.
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The trailer for "Saw"
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Trailer for the latest film, "Saw VI", due in theaters October 23, 2009
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Saw VI Official Site
Site for the Official Saw Fan Club
A site that deals with the Traps from the Saw Movies
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The Tenth Daughter of Memory - "TRAPPED"
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