Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  not a fan of the gore fest horror films that this movie started generating but this was a decent movie. The twist to me was slightly unrealistic as how could a man alive lay there that long and not move once or show breathing . . .

• Dan S

  
  A gritty, dirty, and intense horror movie with superb acting from Whannel and Elwes. This movie gets a lot of bad rep for ceaseless violence and excessive gore, it gets unfairly coupled with "Hostel" in this aspect. This is one of the better horror films of the 00's,… More
  A gritty, dirty, and intense horror movie with superb acting from Whannel and Elwes. This movie gets a lot of bad rep for ceaseless violence and excessive gore, it gets unfairly coupled with "Hostel" in this aspect. This is one of the better horror films of the 00's, with a twist ending that will knock you out cold. The score is also one of the better scores I've heard, amping up the intensity (especially in the final act) to an almost unbearable degree.

• Eric S

  
  Interesting story with some cool twists but the acting is absolutely terrible. Of course, this is only the beginning of a money-making sequel shitfest, and it really goes downhill after the third film. People will pay to see grisly violence, simple. Probably the most pointless… More
  Interesting story with some cool twists but the acting is absolutely terrible. Of course, this is only the beginning of a money-making sequel shitfest, and it really goes downhill after the third film. People will pay to see grisly violence, simple. Probably the most pointless franchise of all time. Although, I must say that this first installment is entertaining and even unpredictable.

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Saw is a difficult film to review. Though the plot is intriguing as well as, a gleefully perfect set up for fans of gore and splatter, it interlocks the flashbacks with the narrative sometimes unclearly and… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Saw is a difficult film to review. Though the plot is intriguing as well as, a gleefully perfect set up for fans of gore and splatter, it interlocks the flashbacks with the narrative sometimes unclearly and quite forcefully. The characters also are underdeveloped and whilst watching Saw your sometimes unsure whether or not your supposed care about them. The direction is also perfectly fine, but definitely not perfect. However the art direction is brilliant, and possibly the most precise and visually creative for a horror film in years, there's a genuine mix of shocks from the kills and plenty of scenes with suspense. But there is a lack of atmosphere through out, sometimes it gets repetitive and feels too long but it's saved by the inventiveness of the violence that really makes you think the film makers are twisted. That said, I think it's fairly weak on a narrative and character level, I dont think it's as original as some people suggest it is, and it definetely lacks emotional involvement. But as a fan of gut-churningly gory horror movies I enjoyed it for the most part. But all the sequels after this one, as expected with horror franchises, the whole thing goes downhill.

• Alexander D

  
  SAW is in no way your average serial killer horror movie. In a certain sense, it is a unique blend of the crime and horror genres, with an added pinch of what could easily pass for a twisted reality TV program. This film may be grisly more often than not, but it should never be… More
  SAW is in no way your average serial killer horror movie. In a certain sense, it is a unique blend of the crime and horror genres, with an added pinch of what could easily pass for a twisted reality TV program. This film may be grisly more often than not, but it should never be considered a mere slasher. (There is a decent plot here, after all.) What brings SAW down to being just fine is the fact that it canâ(TM)t help but to unintentionally elicit laughter from its audience. Hmm, that looks like a spooky place they woke up in. Wait a momentâ"why did Adam just plunge his hand into the toilet? Whyâ(TM)s there a toilet there to begin with? And that puppetâ¦whyâ(TM)s he riding a tricycle? Some scenes just leave no question as to why the people behind the SCARY MOVIE series decided to spoof this.

• Emil K

  
  Annoingly noisy and over-edited torture porn-flick that has absolutely nothing to recommend in it. If you are interested to see people getting slaughtered by more and more sadistic ways, then this may be your cup of tea. For me this is just a sad example how patheticly bad most of the… More
  Annoingly noisy and over-edited torture porn-flick that has absolutely nothing to recommend in it. If you are interested to see people getting slaughtered by more and more sadistic ways, then this may be your cup of tea. For me this is just a sad example how patheticly bad most of the horror-films of today has got. They are not about mood and style anymore. They are about shocking and killing people more bloodier ways than ever. This is not a film, it is garbage.

• Jason C

  
  Contrary to the eventual saturation of the series, Saw's early chapters are quite entertaining. Saw came out of the gate swinging. The introduction to the series is a sadistic and vile innovation to the horror genre. The film is contrived at times with occasionally awkward… More
  Contrary to the eventual saturation of the series, Saw's early chapters are quite entertaining. Saw came out of the gate swinging. The introduction to the series is a sadistic and vile innovation to the horror genre. The film is contrived at times with occasionally awkward dialogue. That said, the traps, gore, and ending make up for the weaknesses. If you can block out the most recent sequels, this movie is good enough to recommend.

• Tyler K

  
  A very smart tale of five men who are involved with Jigsaw's game (Adam, Dr. Gordon, Tapp, Pigman, and Jigsaw himself. The ending is sad, insane, and fantastic, but a little bit unrealistic, dido with the intro. How could a man lay motionless for nearly 2 hours, and how can a guy… More
  A very smart tale of five men who are involved with Jigsaw's game (Adam, Dr. Gordon, Tapp, Pigman, and Jigsaw himself. The ending is sad, insane, and fantastic, but a little bit unrealistic, dido with the intro. How could a man lay motionless for nearly 2 hours, and how can a guy hold his breath so long while underwater? The ending really lives up to the name of the movie, with the famous lines "He doesn't want us to saw through the chains... he wants us to saw through our feet!" The plot is extremely emotional, and the acting is good, but the thing that people say is the "main theme" to this movie, is the gore. Gore this and gore that, this movie is a gore galore... not. There is hardly any gore (believe it or not, but blood, too!) in the whole movie! Most of the violence is off-screen, and, although realistic and plays along with gruesome sound effects, it the violence in this movie is a 7-8/10 with it. People just think the Saw series is all about the gore, they just don't know what there missing. But the one thing that really makes me angry is the fact that critics hate this movie JUST because they say it's "too" violent. What about movies like Saving Private Ryan, The Thing, Se7en, Silence of the Lambs, or... most movies? They get so much applause from critics, despite the fact that they're extremely gory. Please, I could probably watch this movie while eating a burrito. Great movie, though a bit unrealistic. There are some plot holes, but it all ties up in the other movies. Can't wait to see Saw ll. This is a series that hardcore horror fans WILL love!

• Jim C

  
  Saw was a classic horror movie, and I can honestly say I Ioved it. The plot is an incredible thrill and was honestly one of the best horror plots I have ever seen. The cast has its ups and downs, but overall they creeped the hell out of me and they played great performances. This… More
  Saw was a classic horror movie, and I can honestly say I Ioved it. The plot is an incredible thrill and was honestly one of the best horror plots I have ever seen. The cast has its ups and downs, but overall they creeped the hell out of me and they played great performances. This movie had everything it takes to make a great horror movie, and even the the second viewing is not as enjoyable, that is the main flaw in a otherwise perfect horror movie, and I respect the negativity, but in all honest I have fun watching this and its one of my favorite horror movies.

• BG Movie Reviews 2

  
  Having heard many things about the Saw series, but never having actually seen one, I thought it was about time I take a look at it to stop people from telling me more mixed reviews about it with no idea who to believe. Seeing the 18 rating on the front and having seen various traps… More
  Having heard many things about the Saw series, but never having actually seen one, I thought it was about time I take a look at it to stop people from telling me more mixed reviews about it with no idea who to believe. Seeing the 18 rating on the front and having seen various traps from latter films, I expected a hands down gore fest that would fall quite flat in my expectations of a good film. Luckily, however, this film did not fall flat at all and came in as a nice start to the septology it would soon become. The introduction was creepy and introduced everything oh so well. Unfortunately I found that having most of the film based on memories alone rather than what was happening to the two people at the time rather different to what I had been expecting and disappointed me a little, but not enough to make me hate or even dislike this film. What it offered was NOT an all out gore fest, but a clever film with a famous actor (before the film had been released) and very clever twists that left me wanting to see more. Which is probably why I then went on to watch Saw 2 at the same time!

• Unknown H

  
  I think had I reviewed this movie before I saw the other six then maybe its rating would have been higher. Unfortunatley I saw this movie after I saw the second one (confusing?) and I must say the deaths, although gruesome, are not nearly as poetic and thought out as the movies that… More
  I think had I reviewed this movie before I saw the other six then maybe its rating would have been higher. Unfortunatley I saw this movie after I saw the second one (confusing?) and I must say the deaths, although gruesome, are not nearly as poetic and thought out as the movies that follow. However, I do think that this movie set a standard that other horror movies can only dream to replicate, but never fully will.

• Eric A

  
  Kept me on the edge of my seat, a favorite of mine in the horror genre for sure.

• Zach B

  
  With horror, as of now, there is next to nothing original to do other then make the films more grotesque, more diabolical, and just plain sickening. Horror as transformed into the genre known as Torture Porn which are nothing but films that have next to no plot and consist of a simple… More
  With horror, as of now, there is next to nothing original to do other then make the films more grotesque, more diabolical, and just plain sickening. Horror as transformed into the genre known as Torture Porn which are nothing but films that have next to no plot and consist of a simple formula that involves brutally killing and slaughtering people. Now, one of the things about this film that makes it stand out is that, while it is grade 'A' Torture Porn, it is different in that it is original in terms of the plot and killer. The plot, you may ask? A man wants to teach people to value the life that they have and to stop trashing and making waste of that life. Now, we all know that to do this, this man named Jigsaw puts his victims through these terrible tasks that involves hacking off limbs, spewing gallons of blood, and a lot of screaming and fast cut camera tricks in rooms that are tinted either blue or green. Now, I arrived into this film rather early when it first came out. Originally I saw the film after seeing the trailer for the second film and being curious. When I first saw SAW, I will admit that while the gore did not effect me, the pacing did. This film takes next to forever to tell it's story, and I will admit that it did get a little tedious at first. But, going back and re-watching the film, I now know that it is not really the pacing that is the problem. It is how the film was written and directed that is the problem. But, looking back on it, I do see that this film was on to something that was beyond special and original and could have been a landmark film. But, like most films, it only got worse with the sequels that had followed. Now, for the details. First off, the directing by James Wan. While this film was based off of a short film that he made (which is a MUCH better film), Wan does not really do that much of a great job. I mean, yeah he does try to make this into something of an art house film with the styles he uses and how it is all styled, but adding in the traps and the gore, it just does not mix all that well. He had potential, but it did not do much of anything. Acting, a tad bit better then one expects, but that is not saying much. Being made up of mostly unknowns (with the exception of The Princess Bride actor Cary Elwes), they are decent with them trying to make sense of the situation that they have been given. But, I would of liked to see more sides to the characters and more development. But, for some of the characters, the sequels give aid to that. So, I will cut some slack on that. But not much. For the script, this seemed like to me that it was written with only one draft and that was that. This script should have been rewritten, but add some development to the characters, fleshed them out, and give them better dialogue. Now, the best part of this entire film the score to the film. Written and composed by Charles Clouser, he does a fantastic job with the score, but the best piece is the one called 'Hello Zepp'. Only thing I have to say is that that piece is beyond fantastic and worth a listening to. Overall, this film could have been better, but it is not all that much. Watch only if you want to see what a Torture Porn film is like.

• Bethany M

  
  It's no doubt scary, but the plot of the films are confusing at times and you find yourself lost. The only thing that really keeps you intrigued is the gore and horror that it brings. Expect to be shocked, but nothing more.

• Luke B

  
  I'm re-reviewing this in the run up to watching the final chapter. Over 2 days I've watched all of the Saw films and this one is still impressive. Knowing how the film was made adds extra charm to it. Cheap but very effective. Saw takes on some simple ideas and extends them… More
  I'm re-reviewing this in the run up to watching the final chapter. Over 2 days I've watched all of the Saw films and this one is still impressive. Knowing how the film was made adds extra charm to it. Cheap but very effective. Saw takes on some simple ideas and extends them into an interesting mystery and some enjoyably twisted set-pieces. Unlike many low-budget films, the budget doesn't betray this film. Simple editing techniques have been used to disguise some of its misgivings. If you allow yourself into the characters minds you might find this unsettling and a lot of fun.

• Carlos M

  
  Saw is gruesome, perverse and highly macabre, as it is also really ingenious and gripping. There is something quite compelling about the twisted reasons behind the killer's doings, and the film ends on one of the most surprising, unpredictable scenes I can remember.

• KJ P

  
  Not thinking about the qualification of horror films these days, Saw dominates the rest of the new horror films. This is a great update to new day horror flicks! Not only will it not be topped in the continuation of it's coming sequels, but it will be hard to beat this horror… More
  Not thinking about the qualification of horror films these days, Saw dominates the rest of the new horror films. This is a great update to new day horror flicks! Not only will it not be topped in the continuation of it's coming sequels, but it will be hard to beat this horror film, since no director can pull it off anymore! Heavy twists and a gruesome ending! SAW is Awesome!

• Everett J

  
  watched this again last night, gotta get caught up for number 7 sat. with the family...Still holds up as a true classic horror movie...No matter how many times I watch it, I still love the live "I don't care if you cover yourself in peanut butter and have a 12 hooker… More
  watched this again last night, gotta get caught up for number 7 sat. with the family...Still holds up as a true classic horror movie...No matter how many times I watch it, I still love the live "I don't care if you cover yourself in peanut butter and have a 12 hooker gangbang"..CLASSIC!

• Conner R

  
  I never have and never really will like this first movie in the series very much at all. While it does contain the mastermind techniques of Jigsaw, he himself is essentially absent. The twist ending is truly the main reason that I have some respect for it. However, there's just… More
  I never have and never really will like this first movie in the series very much at all. While it does contain the mastermind techniques of Jigsaw, he himself is essentially absent. The twist ending is truly the main reason that I have some respect for it. However, there's just too much corny dialogue and hyper editing to truly grasp the main concept. While this set up a very cool series with a lot to love, this is undoubtedly the weakest. It's still fun in some ways and worth watching, but it could've had the potential to be so much better.

• Spencer S

  
  I was not very intent on watching one of the franchise's films, because they had become inflated and plotless, but the first turned out to be more psychological than I expected, and the acting of Cary Elwes was splendid.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings