Saw (2004)

   
Produced & Directed by: James Wan

Written by: Leigh Whannell

Starring:

Leigh Whannell .... Adam Faulkner-Stanheight
Carey Elwes .... Dr. Lawrence Gordon
Danny Glover .... Detective David Tapp
Ken Leung .... Detective Steven Sing
Monica Potter .... Alison Gordon
Makenzie Vega .... Diana Gordon
Michael Emerson .... Zep Hindle

Release Dates: Sundance Film Festival: January 19, 2004; Cannes Film Market: May 17, 2004; Berlin Fantasy Filmfest: August 12, 2004; Toronto International Film Festival: September 18, 2004; Austin Film Festival: October 14, 2004; Night Visions Film Festival: October 24, 2004 (Finland); Theatrical: October 29, 2004; V 24 Hour Movie Marathon: October 30, 2004 (New Zealand); Gérardmer Fantasticarts Film Festival: January 29, 2005; Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Films: March 12, 2005

*Images courtesy at:
www.outnow.ch

 

 

 

 

Rating:

 

Two people named Adam Faulkner-Stanheight (Leigh Wannell) and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) wake up in a grubby torn down bathroom and find out they've been chained up not knowing on how they got there with a maniac named Zep Hindle (Michael Emerson) watching them on a TV monitor as well as having devices to make sure they're still alive or not when they try to fool him.
Zep studies Lawrence's family by stalking them and then holds his wife Alison (Diana Potter) and little girl Diana (Makenzie Vega) up in their home as he has a limited amount of time in order to try and find a way to get out of the room before Zep ends up killing him.
Meanwhile a couple of detectives named David Tapp (Danny Glover) and Steven Sing (Ken Leung) are doing some research on this psychopath in which some survivors have been rescued by them and tries to find out what this killer is going to do next but it may be too late as well as they are risking their lives since Zep is expecting them and has all sorts of deadly traps for them.

 

There's a good beginning camera shot with Adam Faulkner-Stanheight in a bathtub with water waking up and a glowing key falling in the sink of it while he panicks to get out of it.
Good intense arguments between both him and
Dr. Lawrence Gordon on what's going on between the two of them being trapped in an abandoned bathroom with good intense shots on the two of them.
There's also good close up shots on the two of them trying to figure out some mini cassettes to listen to what they have to do in order to survive along with their reactions on all of this. Plus good close up shots on them using a saw to try and saw off the chain on their legs as well as Adam really losing it and cursing like crazy.
A good flashback sequence with
Diana Gordon lying in bed and feeling troubled as well as good conversations between her and Lawrence trying to make her feel better about her fears as well as good dysfunctional discussion between him and his wife Alison.
Then there's a good shot on Diana in bed again looking scared spotting something and then Zep Hindle appearing out of nowhere approaching her with sheets over him as well as her screaming and then Alison running into the room with him being menacing towards her. Next, there's good shots on both Diana and Alison tied up and tormented with them crying which really looked disturbing and hard to watch.
There's great intense shots with
Detective David Tapp and Detective Steven Sing looking around where a victim is trapped in a cell with barbwire around him and freaking out which looked like a great psychotic moment involving him.
There's also a good moment with the two of them questioning a supporting character Amanda by sitting in a chair looking out of it which looked nice and natural as someone who exprerienced a horrifying incident as well as a good flashback sequence with camera shots circling around her with a piece of equipment on her face and freaking out shaking intensely as well as good shots on her trying to find the right key to unlock it.
There's many interesting shots on David looking at a video that was taped on this victim trying to figure stuff out along with Steven talking to him which looked like a natural situations with two detectives trying to solve a case.
There's great suspenseful moments with the two of them trying to point a gun at Zep demanding him to ask what key to unlock a victim before he ends up being drilled to death which also looking terrifying wondering if this victim will be safe along with a good moment on him springing into action by using a foot blade on David as well as Steven shooting his gun running after him who is running away. Plus there's a nice close up shot on Steven walking towards a string which leads to a deadly trap.
There's a good intense moment with Zep calling Lawrence on his cell and passing it to both Diana and Alison crying to him on the phone with good close up shots on him lying down and crying as well as showing intense expressions on his face.
Great struggling moments between Alison and Zep when they fight for a gun in which you wonder if she will survive this as well as a good moment on David storming in and attacking Zep with good struggling moments between the two of them.
Meanwhile there's a good shot on Lawrence using a saw to saw off his foot with a great close up shot on Adam freaking out when he does this. This was the most disturbing moments throughout the film.
There's some great struggling moments with David beating up on Zep as well as trying to fight for a weapon which was highly energised.
A great camera shot looking up on Adam by using an object to bash on Zep's head.
Scream brought back the horror craze and this flick brought back the psychological horror craze inspiring many more like this one. I mean the film can be very hard to watch imagining if you were chained up in a gross place and experiencing them trying to find any key in a dirty toilet or finding a way of survival while you could be there forever with no food or water and a maniac watching every move you make with the power over you knowing what you're doing every second. Plus towards close to the end of the film one of the lead character's has to do something to himself in order to try and escape which is too painful for alot of people in order to watch this.
The film is very original imagining if you were in a real video game and only have a limited maount of time to find a key to escape a device or else it's game over and you're dead. Plus there's a nice character called Jigsaw with a freaky looking outfit which adds a nice touch to the story.
There's also alot of good dysunctional flashback sequences which makes you think of how much a bitch karma can be later on which is the worst kind leading to torture and death.
There's also alot of great detective scene's with many great struggling moments against him and the psychopath. Not only that this psycho is a brillaint killer having everything deadly up his sleeve that no one knows about causing him to survive anything and getting away with it. I'm sure that Charles Manson would love a character like him since he has more ideas on getting his other victims to kill others in order to try and save themselves which is a good peer pressure decision that is not the least bit easy to decide either.
The bottom line is this flick is a true horror classic with numerous sequels that won't tire you out as the suspense keeps going at a great pace and after watching this film if you're into it you'll be begging for more. Plus this film is so psychological it can really scare you of what's in your head thinking this can happen to you anytime if you're attacked by the deadliest person who's been stalking you.
This film is worth checking out if you like real intense disturbing horror films and how painful survival can be too.

The acting is terrifically well done having such a superb cast. The writer Leigh Wannell (Adam Faulkner-Stanheight) played the lead role in this film too so he knew this character inside out showing a great insecurity to his role as well as really knowing how to act paranoid and scared by what is going on too. He certainly showed alot of energy to his part in the film. He shows alot of great aggressions to the highest when he is using an object to bash someone's head near the end of his performance.
Cary Elwes
(Dr. Lawrence Gordon) however stole the film with his performance as an unfaithful family man and doctor in the flick in which he does well with his serious and calm attitude and really proving to be versatile later on in the story when he finds out what this manaic has done by showing a terrific rage on his end. He certainly came across as convincing when he was losing his mind during this moment. Great hysteric emotions on him freaking out during a certain scene on what this maniac has done. He's a true character actor.
Danny Glover
(Detective David Tapp) lived to play a detective with his smooth talking and serious behavior in the film and had the right masculine looks too. He kn ew this part inside out and also was good with his fighting scene's trying to survive the madness he was involved with. He was the second best actor in this film without a doubt.
Ken Leung
(Detective Steven Sing) showed great energy as well by trying to get down and dirty with his gun chasing and helping out with the clues to end this mess. He came across nicely on set of this film and did what he had to do to try and win the viewers watching him perform with what he had to do making his part believeable as an assistant detective.
Child actress Makenzie Vega (Diana Gordon) really drew attention as a key member in this film with a child fearing things in the night and then suddenly it happens to her as well as her crying with her fears while being held hostage by this maniac in which ytou feel sorry for this poor child. She does this so well it can disturb her in real life too by what's happening with her.
Michael Emerson
(Zep Hindle) had the creepy and goofy looks to play the role of the maniac and really shows it well when he is about to do something deadly. He also knew how to bring his aggressions across perfectly when he moves in for the kill. He sure portrayed a perfect horror character and didn't have to be a big guy to potray this role at all.

A supposed corpse is lying in a pool of blood in an abandoned bathroom
A body is trapped in barb wire
A person's insides are pulled out in order to find a key
A head is cut open
A leg is sawed off

There's alot of thumping sounds as well as some rusty metal scraping sound effects which really works in this film since there's alot of great disturbing moments. Also there's the odd low classical violin playing too which sounds smooth and nice. There's also good drum beats and electronic rock sounds too which was extremely effective too all done by Charlie Clouser.

Dr. Lawrence Gordon: What's your name?
Adam: My name is Very Fucking Confused; what's your name?

Adam: I don't give a crap if you covered yourself in peanut butter and had a 15 hooker gang bang!

John: [on videotape] Hello Amanda. You don't know me, but I know you. I want to play a game. Here's what happens if you lose. The device you are wearing is hooked into your upper and lower jaw. When the timer in the back goes off, your mouth will be permanently ripped open. Think of it like a reverse bear trap. Here, I'll show you. There is only one key to open the device. It's in the stomach of your dead cellmate. Look around Amanda. Know that I'm not lying. Better hurry up. Live or die, make your choice.

Detective Steven Sing: Maybe you should find yourself a girlfriend.

Zep Hindle: I'm gonna kill your husband now, Mrs. Gordon!

Zep Hindle: Dr. Gordon's time is up, now I gotta do what I gotta do and... I'm afraid it has to be you that tells him he's failed.
Dr. Lawrence Gordon: [in bathroom, cell phone ringing] Is that you, Zep, you bastard? I know it's you, you son of a bitch!
Alison Gordon: [back in Gordon household] Larry.
Dr. Lawrence Gordon: Ali?
Alison Gordon: You failed.

Adam: [as Lawrence is sawing off his foot] No! Oh, my God! What are you doing? Lawrence, what are you doing? What are you... Oh, my God! Lawrence, don't! No! Lawrence, please! I'm begging you! Lawrence, it's not me who did this to you.
Dr. Lawrence Gordon: You have to die
Adam: No, I want to live!
Dr. Lawrence Gordon: I'm sorry...
Adam: I want to live!
Dr. Lawrence Gordon: My family...
[shoots Adam]
Dr. Lawrence Gordon: I've done it, now show them to me!

John: The key to that chain is in the bathtub.