Saw: He Doesn’t Want to Play Monopoly
Contains spoilers!
Released in 2004, Saw is James Wan’s directorial debut, and it’s an impressive film in more ways than one. This is in large part due to the limited budget ($1.2 million), which limited the number of areas Wan could shoot the film. The film follows Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and Adam (Leigh Whannell, who also co-wrote the film with Wan), who wake up to find themselves in a large, disgusting bathroom. They have been placed there by the Jigsaw Killer (Tobin Bell) and must endure physical pain if they want to survive. In addition, they are shocked to discover an apparent suicide victim lying on the floor between them.
As mentioned, the film’s small budget limited the number of areas Wan could shoot, thereby limiting the number of sets and locations. He uses this to his advantage, as the viewer becomes so engrossed in Adam and Lawrence’s story that one barely notices. Wan and his team had to get creative, and I applaud them.
The Jigsaw Killer’s (whose real name John Kramer) motives stem from his inoperable brain tumor. Kramer takes embraces a new outlook on life and decides play “games” with people: after kidnapping them, he presents them with a dangerous goal they must achieve to escape. In Adam and Lawrence’s case, they are each chained to metal pipes and must cut off one of their feet.
Kramer’s motives are among the most interesting I’ve seen in a horror movie. Some serial killers, such as Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, kill for the thrill of it; others, like Norman Bates, kill due to some mental problems. It’s interesting to watch how Kramer selects his victims and how he sets his “games” to prove his twisted point.
Elwes’ Gordon is both a fun and entertaining character to watch. When he discovers his wife and daughter are being held hostage by Zep Hindle (Michael Emerson), an orderly at his hospital, the stakes are immediately raised for him, and he, naturally, becomes more and more desperate to escape. It’s the type of situation no husband or father ever wants to find themselves in.
Likewise, Adam is a genuinely funny character, which adds comic relief and is a great foil to the more serious Gordon. He is a sleazy guy, but when the chips are down, Adam is willing to go the distance to work with Gordon to survive. He also has one my favorite lines of dialogue in any movie, involving 15 hookers and peanut butter; it makes me laugh every time.
Perhaps the film’s strongest points are its twists. For a good chunk of the film, we’re led to believe that Zep is the Jigsaw Killer. Zep races to kill Adam and Gordon but is killed by the former upon arriving. After searching his body, Adam learns that Zep was, also, a victim of Jigsaw: he was tasked to kill Gordon’s wife and daughter to receive an antidote to a poison.
Also, remember that apparent suicide victim I mentioned earlier? Yeah, that guy isn’t dead. As the film hits its climax, the “dead guy” rises, revealing himself to be Jigsaw, who loves a front row seat to his “games.” He walks out of the room, leaving Adam to die, Gordon having escaped, minus a foot, just moments before. It’s one of the greatest endings to a horror film that leaves one’s jaw on the floor in shock.
The subsequent films of this franchise have since turned into what many would consider torture porn, but this film is a solid, suspenseful ride that keeps one on the edge of their seat since the opening shot. It’s a fantastic example of what you can do with a limited budget and time and will leave you asking yourself: what will I do to survive?
Cast
Cary Elwes as Dr. Lawrence Gordon
Leigh Whannell as Adam
Tobin Bell as John Kramer/Jigsaw
Michael Emerson as Zep
