Saw

Director: James Wan (Stygian)
Cast: Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover, Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith
USA, 2004

Seen: February 11, 2007

Reason to see: #10 on my 101 is to see the next 5 movies recommended to me regardless of what I think of them, and this was the first on recommended.

It was no surprize to me that I didn't like this film. In fact I on purpose knitted while watching in case I needed to look away. It really does feel like a 'grown up' film for the 'gross out' generation. In a lot of ways it felt like it was just seeing how far can they go to be disturbing. At times, I found it so contrived that it wasn't scary I was just thinking to myself "Oh, come on...". That is the huge skeptic in me talking. That aside, it did provide a lot of tension if that is your thing and create a very strong mood as well as showing a lot of innovation. On the other hand, a lot of the ideas (philosophical questions, not how gross-out can you go) have shown up in a variety of other films from It's a Wonderful Life to Fight Club to My Little Eye (2002).

All in all, I think it has a very specific target market and those people will like it, everyone else probably won't and knows pretty clearly to stay away.

Shannon's Overall View:
I did not like it
I will not watch it again
I'd recommend it only with hesitation to those who like extremely dark and violent movies. Warnings would include extreme violence, disturbing images & ideas, torture

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