Saw (2004 film)

I want to play a game. - Jigsaw

And so, the Saw-ga begins with the first film of what became a yearly release, the Saw series.  While the series became known for its over-the-top deathtraps and blood, this first film, while not lacking in the red stuff, was decidedly tamer than later installments.  So, let's take a look at the film that started the franchise!

The main part of the film centers on Adam and Lawrence, two men chained by the ankles to pipes on either side of an old, decrepit bathroom, with a body lying between them, dead from an apparently self-induced shot to the head.  A tape in Adam's pocket tells him to "follow his heart", while a tape in Lawrence's pocket gives him a more concrete goal: kill Adam by 6 or face the death of his wife and daughter.  Now, the clock is ticking as Lawrence and Adam must match wits with a man with nothing to lose and a message to send.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie the first time I saw it, and this second time didn't lose any of the suspense or thrills the first viewing held.  The performances were top notch, the lighting and make-up were perfect, and the film introduced us to a new movie villain in the Jigsaw Killer, a man who never really killed people himself.  He set people into escapable deathtraps and gave his victims the opportunity to save themselves, if they wanted it bad enough.  (In this way, he sort of reminded me of John Doe from Seven, the serial killer motivated by the seven deadly sins, though Jigsaw wasn't quite as overzealous in his beliefs.)

So, on to our cast.  We have a surprising number of known actors in this first film.  Lawrence Gordon is played by the great Cary Elwes, who some may remember from The Princess Bride, The Crush, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Twister and Kiss the Girls.  He had a real meaty role here and he played the part well.  Playing Detective Tapp, an officer investigating the Jigsaw Murders (so named because the killer cuts a puzzle piece shape out of the skin of whoever dies in one of his traps) is Danny Glover, who also played in the Lethal Weapon series, President Wilson in 2012, and also in Switchback.  His role here required him to reach the very limits of sanity and obsession, which he successfully conveys.  Playing hospital orderly Zep is the great Michael Emerson, one of the few character actors around today.  He will be extremely well-known to fans of The Practice (where he played a serial killer in a recurring role), Lost (where he played the mysterious Ben Linus) and his current acting gig, Person of Interest (where he plays super genius Harold Finch, creator of the Machine that drives the series).

Altogether a fine film, and an excellent start to what became a very famous (and infamous) film series.  I give it a 5 out of 5.  Tune in tomorrow for the next film in the series, Saw II.  It's going to be another wild time.  Until then, as always, this is Red Hawk signing out!