Saw is about two men who wake up in a room, chained to the floor with a dead body between them. Consider this the movie that launched a thousand escape rooms as the two men have to figure out how to escape from a series of clues and games. The photographer and the doctor slowly put together why they are there and who did this to them. The man responsible is represented by a little doll on a tricycle and he refers to himself as Jigsaw. Can either man escape the room? What is Jigsaw's grand scheme?
This was the first film by James Wan, who has since gone on to be a huge voice in modern horror. When people think of Saw, they often conflate the original with all the sequels that followed. I don't think that is really fair. The sequels devolved quickly into torture porn where people were stuck in traps with no way out. The first movie played brutal but fair about the games Jigsaw set up. You can escape if you are willing to sacrifice something. Danny Glover plays the cop that is on Jigsaw's trail and his weariness is perfect for the roll. Cary Elwes as the doctor stuck in the room gives a solid performance well past his most famous years.
Some scenes are brutal and hard to watch but I have fond memories of this film. The sequels have perverted and ruined a decent concept so don't judge by later works. Go back to the original and have a pretty good time if you don't have any spoilers in your mind.
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