2.5 stars out of 5

‘Saw’ is the kind of movie your friend who doesn’t know a lot about movies is going to strongly recommend you see.

To the naked eye, the film has a lot going for it: unflinching gore, the look of panic in the eyes of a victim who knows time is running out and Danny Glover. But while your friend will be understandably blinded by the peaks of the movie, a discerning eye will recognize the film for what it truly is: a well-made, but inconsistent, psychological horror flick that aims high and fails to follow through.

Ultimately, ‘Saw’ writes checks it can’t cash. Director James Wan banks the success of the movie on a complex mythology involving a plethora of characters who are all hooked into the web of one calculating, maniacal serial killer. Unfortunately, as the last frames frantically draw to a close, it is not that there are any connections completely unmade, but the bonds that hold many of them are weak at best.

For a movie so seemingly obsessed with detail, pivotal scenes are handled with maddening sloppiness. A seasoned police officer fails to physically subdue a suspect leading to his almost-too-easy escape; a photographer insists on using his flash as a way to light his darkened apartment when he hears a series of noises and finds a demonic-looking doll cackling in the night; a mother holds her assailant at gunpoint only to allow him close enough to grab the firearm. These are small details which could be forgiven in a lesser film that did not hold itself to such high standards, but when ‘Saw’ demands the viewer pay extra-close attention to everything going on, they stick out like a sore thumb.

Stylistically, the film also seems unsure of itself. At some points, Wan appears determined to create an eerie air of creepiness, but turns on a dime sporadically to rely on ultra-fast motion, quick-cut editing and roaring heavy metal riffs to exaggerate brutality or suspense. It’s almost as if he can’t decide if he should shoot for ‘Se7en’ or a Slayer guitar solo.

The faults of the film really can’t be laid on Wan’s shoulders completely, though. It’s clear he has a talent for this kind of genre, and perhaps the success of this film will allow him to garner bigger budgets (‘Saw’ only cost a sparse $1 million), and a more impressive cast (preferably with the same amount of Danny Glover) the next time around. For horror fans, Wan should be a name to watch over the next couple years, despite the shortcomings of his debut offering.

But, then again, your excited friend also recommended ‘The Grudge,’ so what does he know?

Published on October 28, 2004 at 12:00 pm