Ten years later, “Saw” still frightens

By Eddie King
Staff Writer

James Wan’s 2004 hit, “Saw,” revitalized the horror genre with its demented sadism, starting a successful long running franchise. Ten years later, the film that started it all still holds up against its modern competition and has become an undoubtable classic horror film.

Being rereleased for the Halloween season, “Saw” still proves to be as scary as when it was first released. The film’s sadistic tone, coupled with its suspenseful and unexpected plot twists, results in a film that stands as one of the genre’s bests.

The film opens with the two main characters, Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and photographer Adam Stanheight (Leigh Wannel), chained at the ankle in a bathroom. A micro-cassette player found in the room lists a series of instructions for the two of them to follow in order to escape, forcing the characters to complete a series of violent actions. Lawrence is instructed to kill Adam, while Adam must escape from his chains and imprisonment before it is too late.

From the opening scene to the last cut, “Saw” is filled with mystery and suspense. The eerie nature of its conflict helps the film pull viewers into the story, as they try to decipher the many nuances themselves. For how convoluted the story comes off as at a first glance, every loose end is satisfyingly tied up by the close, leaving a strong central narrative.

Unlike other cliché horror movies that overuse use cheap jump scares and helpless characters to create tension, “Saw” is unique in that the events remain in the realm of possibility. The torture and psychotic disposition of the killer are psychologically damaging and traumatizing, an example being when one of his victims is pushed to desperation and cuts his own foot off to free himself. Such brutality is ever-present in the film, creating a constantly pulse-pounding atmosphere.

Overall, “Saw” exemplifies the qualities of a true horror film. Its well thought-out plot still competes with the best films made since its 2004 debut, and its sadistic, frightening tone still scares audiences more than many recent horror blockbusters. If time is the true test of a film’s quality, it becomes easy to rank “Saw” as one of the best horror films of all time.

“Saw” is rated R, and Nov 7 was the final day of its rerelease.