Well, it appears gory horror is indeed the new black and, alongside compatriots Hostel and The Hills Have Eyes, the Saw series gave birth to the term gorno. Short for gorenography, gorno, like the genre it takes its name from, relishes in explicitness. Along with its intelligence, inventiveness and having possibly the best theatrical posters in history, Saw has rightfully become a runaway hit.
Saw (2004)
Directed by James Wan
Starring Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover
103 mins; MA15+; DVD
Saw broke through as an indie film in 2004, and
what a hit it was. The brainchild of two Melbournites James Wan and Leigh Whannell (the former directed), Saw is a sick, twisted entry to the thriller genre rivaling Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs for all out depravity and black-as-night tone. The storyline itself is wildly original – a perverted genius named Jigsaw kidnaps people he perceives to be unworthy of the life they lead and subjects them to life-and-death games. The only way they can be released from their torment is by freeing themselves from an outrageously grisly death and this process in itself usually involves some kind of self-mutilation or murder. Two men have been chosen for one such game and find themselves chained in a decrepit toilet cubicle. A man lies motionless in the middle of the room in a pool of blood with a gun in his hand. They search their pockets; each finding a tape marked 'Play Me'. When they do and begin to grasp the situation they have been placed in, they rack their minds for clues.
Saw is one of the best thriller films I've seen - it manages so successfully to milk tension while maintaining an intense and complicated storyline that makes it essential viewing. It rivals the goriest horror films for sheer audacity although it is only a few scenes that make this so – the film generally is quite standard when it comes to explicitness (it’s the sequels that need to be watched out for). The traps are highly inventive and some of the set pieces make you wonder whether the Wan and Whannell should be given Oscars or put into prison. Highly recommended. 9/10
Saw II (2005)
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith
93 mins; MA15+; DVD
You can’t describe any sequel to Saw with any kind of depth without giving away the plot, but in short, this sequel sees Jigsaw back to his old tricks, trapping eight people in a house boarded up ala Fort Knox. Problem is, deadly gas is seeping through the air vents, giving the occupants only a few hours to find the antidote, which is scattered around the house in places reachable for t
hose with masochistic tendencies. The film begins with Jigsaw’s capture and apprehension by police (though not without a grisly fight) and, as live feed from the house is shown on televisions in Jigsaw’s lair, it is up to Detective Eric Matthews, whose son is also in the house, to find its location before people die.
This sequel is admittedly less intelligent and it is unremittingly gruesome, with the set pieces and traps all amped up times ten. However, there’s something morbidly fascinating about watching people die in exceedingly inventive ways, which may account for the series’ success. Saw II is far from a bad film, but it lacks the originality of the first. Leigh Whannell scripts with Bousman but there is no Wan to be seen this time around. 8/10
Saw III (2006)
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith
113 mins; MA15+; Cinema (DVD release 11 April 2007)
Coming out so soon after its latest predecessor automatically puts Saw III in poor stead and, indeed, this is an inferior film – the twist is mediocre and the acting is t
he weakest of the three (but has the best poster). However, any disappointments about these two factors are amply made up by gore, gore, gore - Grand Guginol set-piece slaughters, torture, mayhem, full-frontal nudity – this is one of the most exploitative films released since Lucio Fulci’s heyday.
Jigsaw is dying and he is secluded in a warehouse hideaway with his apprentice keeping watch over him and continuing his murderous legacy. The duo kidnaps a doctor and holds her captive in their hideaway. If she tries to run, a necklace rigged with shotgun shells will detonate, making mincemeat out of her. While she is treating Jigsaw, another game unfolds – a man whose son was killed by a drunk driver is given a morality test – save those who were involved in his child’s death or let them die horribly.
Don’t take it lightly when it’s said that Saw III is violent – it is easily one of the most violent films I’ve seen and its gristle far surpasses that of Cannibal Holocaust and the like. Films have gotten banned in Australia for far less and the fact that this gets an MA15+ is incomprehensible. The tension, though, is extremely high and this is what really separates it from the regular thrillers – perhaps if the concept didn’t feel so fresh, the rants about Saw III wouldn’t be so loud. 7/10
A fourth Saw film is slated for release in time for Halloween 2007.
Saw (2004)
Directed by James Wan
Starring Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover
103 mins; MA15+; DVD
Saw broke through as an indie film in 2004, and
what a hit it was. The brainchild of two Melbournites James Wan and Leigh Whannell (the former directed), Saw is a sick, twisted entry to the thriller genre rivaling Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs for all out depravity and black-as-night tone. The storyline itself is wildly original – a perverted genius named Jigsaw kidnaps people he perceives to be unworthy of the life they lead and subjects them to life-and-death games. The only way they can be released from their torment is by freeing themselves from an outrageously grisly death and this process in itself usually involves some kind of self-mutilation or murder. Two men have been chosen for one such game and find themselves chained in a decrepit toilet cubicle. A man lies motionless in the middle of the room in a pool of blood with a gun in his hand. They search their pockets; each finding a tape marked 'Play Me'. When they do and begin to grasp the situation they have been placed in, they rack their minds for clues.Saw is one of the best thriller films I've seen - it manages so successfully to milk tension while maintaining an intense and complicated storyline that makes it essential viewing. It rivals the goriest horror films for sheer audacity although it is only a few scenes that make this so – the film generally is quite standard when it comes to explicitness (it’s the sequels that need to be watched out for). The traps are highly inventive and some of the set pieces make you wonder whether the Wan and Whannell should be given Oscars or put into prison. Highly recommended. 9/10
Saw II (2005)
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith
93 mins; MA15+; DVD
You can’t describe any sequel to Saw with any kind of depth without giving away the plot, but in short, this sequel sees Jigsaw back to his old tricks, trapping eight people in a house boarded up ala Fort Knox. Problem is, deadly gas is seeping through the air vents, giving the occupants only a few hours to find the antidote, which is scattered around the house in places reachable for t
hose with masochistic tendencies. The film begins with Jigsaw’s capture and apprehension by police (though not without a grisly fight) and, as live feed from the house is shown on televisions in Jigsaw’s lair, it is up to Detective Eric Matthews, whose son is also in the house, to find its location before people die.This sequel is admittedly less intelligent and it is unremittingly gruesome, with the set pieces and traps all amped up times ten. However, there’s something morbidly fascinating about watching people die in exceedingly inventive ways, which may account for the series’ success. Saw II is far from a bad film, but it lacks the originality of the first. Leigh Whannell scripts with Bousman but there is no Wan to be seen this time around. 8/10
Saw III (2006)
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith
113 mins; MA15+; Cinema (DVD release 11 April 2007)
Coming out so soon after its latest predecessor automatically puts Saw III in poor stead and, indeed, this is an inferior film – the twist is mediocre and the acting is t
he weakest of the three (but has the best poster). However, any disappointments about these two factors are amply made up by gore, gore, gore - Grand Guginol set-piece slaughters, torture, mayhem, full-frontal nudity – this is one of the most exploitative films released since Lucio Fulci’s heyday.Jigsaw is dying and he is secluded in a warehouse hideaway with his apprentice keeping watch over him and continuing his murderous legacy. The duo kidnaps a doctor and holds her captive in their hideaway. If she tries to run, a necklace rigged with shotgun shells will detonate, making mincemeat out of her. While she is treating Jigsaw, another game unfolds – a man whose son was killed by a drunk driver is given a morality test – save those who were involved in his child’s death or let them die horribly.
Don’t take it lightly when it’s said that Saw III is violent – it is easily one of the most violent films I’ve seen and its gristle far surpasses that of Cannibal Holocaust and the like. Films have gotten banned in Australia for far less and the fact that this gets an MA15+ is incomprehensible. The tension, though, is extremely high and this is what really separates it from the regular thrillers – perhaps if the concept didn’t feel so fresh, the rants about Saw III wouldn’t be so loud. 7/10
A fourth Saw film is slated for release in time for Halloween 2007.
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