The main conceit of Saw is a clever one, bringing around a scenario which is both fascinating and terrifying: two complete strangers trapped in opposite corners of a basement room, one having to kill the other within a matter of hours. As would be expected the story begins unfurling the matter of why they might want to kill each other, and who brought them to this place.
The real problem in Saw is the execution. There are some truly woeful directing decisions. Where the film should have kept the detached, cold feel of the opening scenes, we begin getting spinning blipcuts with nu-metal playing over the top. Totally inappropriate and very jarring. This extended into the lighting which, although clearly intended to dehumanise some of the other victims, gave a slightly comical air reminiscent of House Of A Thousand Corpses. Let’s not even get into the hammy acting by Cary Elwes (an actor I previously admired, primarily for his spoof work).
A shame to waste such a good concept.