Saw
[Warning: contains some spoilers]
I've seen some horror movies in my time, but I always thought that the Saw movies were slasher flicks. And I guess they are, but the first one is not at all what I expected. The killer is an absolute psycho - there's no denying that! Yet I was surprised by how cheesy, freaky, and unpredictable this movie was. There is not a ton of suspense, which I suppose makes the movie less frightening, but I think that suspense can be the best element to use in making a horror film if it is done right. But what Saw lacks in suspense it makes up for in violence.
Jigsaw is a serial killer who traps people in situations that are impossible to escape. He always provides a potential escape, usually in the form of a puzzle or a physical obstacle, but attempts to escape inevitably hasten the victim's death. I feel like the victims are a little stupid in these situations, though. Rather than attempt a risky escape, why do they not try to bide their time in hopes that the police will find out that they are missing and come looking for them? Starving to death takes longer, and it probably isn't any more painful than burning or bleeding to death. And if they really want to escape, couldn't they try to outsmart Jigsaw? I was glad to see that the two main characters, Adam and Dr. Gordon, were able to do such a thing.
This movie clearly makes more sense as a stand-alone than the first in a long series. True, the killer gets away, so there is a possibility of further killings. However, Adam and Gordon prove to be more directly connected to Jigsaw than any of the other victims and so their murder should logically be the end-game. Perhaps the men being able to (mostly) outsmart Jigsaw is what inspires him to carry on with his mission? By the way, the man is absolutely nuts, but I think that he actually has a point. He wants people to be grateful for the fact that they are alive...something we could all learn to be. The insane part is that he forces people to either learn this lesson in a most painful and frightening way, or they will die as punishment for their lack of gratitude. Surely there's a nicer way to teach people to appreciate life? Pointing a gun at them - even firing an empty gun - would probably prove just as effective. Of course that would make a horrible horror movie.
I've seen some horror movies in my time, but I always thought that the Saw movies were slasher flicks. And I guess they are, but the first one is not at all what I expected. The killer is an absolute psycho - there's no denying that! Yet I was surprised by how cheesy, freaky, and unpredictable this movie was. There is not a ton of suspense, which I suppose makes the movie less frightening, but I think that suspense can be the best element to use in making a horror film if it is done right. But what Saw lacks in suspense it makes up for in violence.
Jigsaw is a serial killer who traps people in situations that are impossible to escape. He always provides a potential escape, usually in the form of a puzzle or a physical obstacle, but attempts to escape inevitably hasten the victim's death. I feel like the victims are a little stupid in these situations, though. Rather than attempt a risky escape, why do they not try to bide their time in hopes that the police will find out that they are missing and come looking for them? Starving to death takes longer, and it probably isn't any more painful than burning or bleeding to death. And if they really want to escape, couldn't they try to outsmart Jigsaw? I was glad to see that the two main characters, Adam and Dr. Gordon, were able to do such a thing.
This movie clearly makes more sense as a stand-alone than the first in a long series. True, the killer gets away, so there is a possibility of further killings. However, Adam and Gordon prove to be more directly connected to Jigsaw than any of the other victims and so their murder should logically be the end-game. Perhaps the men being able to (mostly) outsmart Jigsaw is what inspires him to carry on with his mission? By the way, the man is absolutely nuts, but I think that he actually has a point. He wants people to be grateful for the fact that they are alive...something we could all learn to be. The insane part is that he forces people to either learn this lesson in a most painful and frightening way, or they will die as punishment for their lack of gratitude. Surely there's a nicer way to teach people to appreciate life? Pointing a gun at them - even firing an empty gun - would probably prove just as effective. Of course that would make a horrible horror movie.
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