I know I’m probably late to the SAW franchise bandwagon, but bear with me. I’ve only seen the first movie from 2004, but I have to say—this is what horror should be about. While the sequels may have gone in different directions (some would say off the rails), the original SAW captured something that many modern horror movies miss: conflict, tension, and just enough resolution to leave you hanging. It blended horror with thriller elements so well that it’s hard to decide which category it fits into. Regardless of the label, SAW stands out as one of the best horror movies I’ve seen, and here's why.
1. Plot Over Cheap Scares
Let’s face it: a lot of horror films today rely too much on jump scares, predictable moments designed to make you flinch but quickly forgotten. SAW, however, was built on a complex plot that demands attention. Two strangers, locked in a dingy bathroom, with no idea how they got there—only to find themselves pawns in a twisted game orchestrated by a psychopath who forces them to make impossible moral choices. The horror here comes not just from the blood and gore but from the tension of the unfolding mystery. Every twist makes you rethink what you thought you knew, and each new revelation sinks you deeper into the nightmare.
2. Conflict and Moral Tension
What SAW does beautifully is create internal and external conflict that sticks with you long after the credits roll. It’s not just about surviving physical traps but also about surviving the emotional and psychological strain Jigsaw (the mastermind behind the whole thing) puts on his victims. The real terror isn’t just the violent acts, but the choices each character is forced to make: “How far are you willing to go to save your life?” It’s a philosophical dilemma wrapped in a horror package. That moral tension makes you question what you would do in a similar situation, adding a layer of dread that stays with you beyond the surface-level fear.
SAW isn't just about grotesque traps designed to shock the audience—although let’s not kid ourselves, the traps are memorable for a reason. But unlike many other films, the violence in SAW serves a purpose. It isn’t gratuitous or random. Jigsaw’s twisted philosophy of life and death is woven into every trap. You can argue about his methods all day, but the film's horror works because it’s grounded in a character with a clear (if demented) motive. Jigsaw’s traps serve as a reflection of the victim's perceived sins or flaws. It’s this focus on purpose and plot that makes the horror meaningful.
From the first frame to the final scene, SAW keeps you in suspense. Director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell know how to stretch out the tension without making it feel repetitive or overdone. Every moment in that filthy, decaying room where the majority of the story takes place feels like it’s crawling with dread. And the final twist—without spoiling it for the one person left in the world who hasn’t seen it—is one of the most satisfying and unexpected I’ve encountered in any horror or thriller. The payoff is worth every second of gut-wrenching tension.
5. A Dangling Resolution Done Right
One of the most polarizing aspects of horror films is the ending. Do you wrap everything up with a neat little bow, or do you leave the audience with questions, hanging on the edge? SAW does the latter, but in a way that feels earned. You’re left shaken but satisfied, the mystery mostly solved but the implications of what’s next still looming. And that’s where SAW thrives—it doesn’t tell you everything, but it tells you just enough. It understands that horror doesn’t need to answer every question to be effective; sometimes, it’s what’s left unsaid that haunts you the most.
Final Thoughts
While many people call SAW a thriller, to me, it’s an incredible horror film at its core. It has all the ingredients: suspense, fear, conflict, and a story that keeps you guessing. Sure, I haven’t seen the sequels (yet), but if the original SAW is anything to go by, it set a standard that many horror movies today could learn from. Horror isn’t just about blood or making the audience jump; it’s about storytelling. And SAW nails that better than most.
This is what a horror movie should be: a story-driven, tension-filled experience that leaves you disturbed but thinking. SAW manages to walk that line beautifully. It’s not just the fear of what’s happening on the screen, but the fear of what it makes you reflect on—about life, choices, and morality. Even if I’m late to the franchise, the first film is a masterclass in how to do horror right.
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