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Saw
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Photos (see all 45 | slideshow) Videos (see all 3)
Saw (2004) -- With a dead body laying between them, two men (Whannell and Elwes) wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer who's been nicknamed "Jigsaw" by the police because of his unusual calling card.
Saw (2004) -- With a dead body laying between them, two men (Whannell and Elwes) wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer who's been nicknamed "Jigsaw" by the police because of his unusual calling card.
Saw (2004) -- With a dead body laying between them, two men (Whannell and Elwes) wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer who's been nicknamed "Jigsaw" by the police because of his unusual calling card.

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   97,460 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
James Wan
Writers:
Leigh Whannell (written by)
James Wan (story) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Saw on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 October 2004 (USA) more
Tagline:
Death is a shortcut (Denmark) more
Plot:
With a dead body laying between them, two men (Whannell and Elwes) wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer who's been nicknamed "Jigsaw" by the police because of his unusual calling card. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
4 wins & 8 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(321 articles)
A Christmas Carol in 3-D International Movie Poster 2
 (From toxicshock. 8 July 2009, 12:00 AM, PDT)

A Christmas Carol in 3-D International Poster
 (From toxicshock. 6 July 2009, 12:00 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
The best thriller in years more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for strong grisly violence and language. (edited for re-rating; originally NC-17)
Runtime:
103 min
Country:
USA | Australia
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS
Certification:
Taiwan:R-18 | USA:Unrated (uncut DVD version) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:R (Alberta) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) | Canada:18A | Netherlands:16 | Germany:16 (cut version) | Malaysia:18SG | Iceland:16 | Mexico:C | South Korea:18 | France:-16 (with warning) | Italy:VM14 (cinema rating) | India:A (cinema release) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:T | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Philippines:R-13 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | Greece:K-17

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Film's pre-production was only five days; it was shot and cut at the same time in 18 days (all of the bathroom scenes were shot in six days). The actors had absolutely no rehearsals. The rehearsal takes were actual footage for the film. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Dr. Gordon is leaving the hotel, he is seen pinching his nose when the photo is taken; when we see the photo he has covered his eyes completely. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Adam: Help! Someone help me! Is someone there? Hey! Oh shit, I'm probably dead.
more
Movie Connections:
References Stygian (2000) more
Soundtrack:
Bite the Hand That Bleeds more

FAQ

How does the movie end?
What is Zep Hindle's reason for being a victim of Jigsaw's games?
Who is Amanda's 'cell mate'?
more
118 out of 153 people found the following comment useful:-
The best thriller in years, 6 March 2005
8/10
Author: Superunknovvn from Austria, Vienna

Since "Nattevagten" I have not seen a thriller that has kept me on the edge of my seat as well as "Saw". Right from the beginning this original story sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the very end. Thrillers as gripping as this one have become extremely rare in times like these, where people have seen almost everything and can guess any twist during the first half of the movie. With "Saw" James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the creative heads behind this project, set new standards. Think you're hard-boiled? Think again and watch "Saw", a movie that will creep you out and surprise you beyond your expectations.

"Saw" has been advertised as the new "Se7en" and while both movies are definitely in the same tradition, "Saw" does a much better job at actually being creepy. Jigsaw is the most gruesome killer the cinema has seen in a loooong time. Wan and Whannel really came up with a monster that has no peer. Where many movies drift into ridiculousness trying to establish the villain as an almost superhuman evil being, "Saw" does never get anywhere near that trap. Sure, the cops are depicted way too stupid and the killer is unrealistically smart, outshining each and every opponent with his perfect plans, but hey, "Se7en" and "Silence Of The Lambs" didn't care too much about realism, either, did they?

"Saw" does have some flaws. Those sped-up tracking shots have just been used too many times by now, the structure of the script is weird and jumps from one period of time to another, some characters' lines are a bit clichéd. However, considering that this movie was made in only 18 days by two independent filmmakers with literally no budget at all, it's really inappropriate to be petty about technical subtleties, when Wan and Whannel came up with such an original and stirring movie.

I can't remember the last time I've been surprised by a movie's final twist, but "Saw" has an ending that I didn't see coming at all. This thriller is the most original piece of independent film-making since "Cube". I'm really looking forward to seeing how Wan and Whannell's career develops after this fine sleeper.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Saw (2004)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Best in Series? FilmsTV101
Question?.....Dr. Gordon....SPOILER WARNING! marcusmitchell
Your Jigsaw, Make a new game james-king-of-the-forest
Looking for good movies xAxSxHxLxExYx
Why did James Wan not direct the sequels? zerothehero4114
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