SAW (2004)

Director: James Wan
Starring: Leigh Whannell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Ken Leung

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I submit here an email to my friend Reva as my official review for Saw. I also include her email to me to give some context. I think she got more than she bargained for with my response:

Hey Reva--

For what SAW was--a very small budget thriller--I was pretty impressed. I read the NY Times review before I saw it, however, and it gave me false expectations. The review promised disgusting gore, including and unbroken shot of one of the characters sawing through his own foot. Needless to say I was expecting a lot of blood and a lot of guts. Having seen the movie you know that there's some blood but very little guts. The claim about an unbroken shot of someone sawing through their foot is, frankly, just a lie.

I know you were hoping for something a little more intellectual on the subject than, "It woulda been cool if someone's chest exploded." I'll see what I can do about that in this next paragraph.

I would argue that SAW was never going to be about the gore, despite the way it was marketed. It was always going to be more of a psychological thriller than a slasher film. The very premise of the film dictates it: two men, both chained, stuck in a room with clues littered around as to why they are there and how to escape.

The concept is absolutely fantastic. The execution...well, not so much. The pacing was just flat out wrong, and I just found it impossible to empathize with the characters. There's no arguing that the production design is superb. There's never any doubt that these guys are in some dank, disgusting and possibly subterranean place. In fact, the place is more real than the characters in many ways. I never doubted the place, but I found the characters a little hard to swallow.

I think my primary problem with these guys is that they were just poorly acted. Cary Elwes does the best job of all of them, especially during the foot-chopping scene. The other guy in the room is just flat-out poorly acted. Perhaps that's because the guy is actually the co-writer of the film and only a writer. Perhaps he's just better at his writing job than he is at his acting job (and writes himself parts because no one will give him one). I don't know. Danny Glover...I'm just not really sure why he was even in the film. I WILL say that, as far as acting is concerned, the banter he had with his partner was the best acting of the film.

The characters themselves are also not the most sympathetic characters simply by the nature of who they are. How does one connect with an adulterous doctor who's cold toward his family and an annoying fucking photographer? There just wasn't a strong anchor in the film for me. I didn't care what happened to these guys because they were types first (the doctor with no time for his family, the fuck-you-save-my-own-ass photographer) and fleshed out characters never.

I wish I could say as much about the pacing of the film as I did about the characters/actors. I will say this: the pacing was way too fast throughout the film. Save that pace for the end of the film. This is a thriller. Take your time. Immerse the people in the mystery. ESPECIALLY immerse them in the characters. Intrigue them. Make them care. Lure them in slowly, then jerk the line so their necks snap. I don't think there was any doubt that James Wan directed music videos before doing this feature. That being said, I simply did not understand why the "rock 'n' roll" interludes were necessary with the time elapse photography. Why break the narrative with heavy metal and a time elapse shot of the camera looking at a person screaming?

Thing is, I enjoyed the film a lot while I was watching it. I had all the same complaints, too. Somehow the material overcomes poor characterization, frenzied pacing and--to my mind--a rather lack-luster resolution to the mystery who these guys are (just a doctor and just a photographer), which funnels straight into why they are there. They perpetrated some minor wrong-doings (the adulterous doctor and the photographer that benefits on others' misery). As Elvis Costello says: "Well there's-a no such thing as an original sin." At least the writers could have TRIED to make it a little more interesting.

Like I said, though, I really enjoyed the film while I was watching it. It's shot the way it should be shot (dirty), and the concept is such a great one. I just think it could have been an awesome movie instead of just an entertaining one.

What about the ending did you not like?

D


On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 11:20:57 -0800 (PST), Reva Friedel wrote:
> Hey Drew-
> I got your e-mail address of Regan's forward....it has
> been WAY too long since we talked but I have to know
> what you thought of SAW. It scared the shit out of me
> and I didn't like the ending...but I want a film guy's
> opinion. Hope all is well in LA and you're doing
> well!
>
> Reva

October 30
Mann Theaters, afternoon

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D

The Incredibles (2004)

Director: Brad Bird

Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson

Wow. Home-run for Pixar. I don't have a lot to say about this film.

This may be the best Superhero movie of all time. I kid not. The action is deftly handled, the script is witty and clever, and the characters are well rounded and believable. There are touches of The Watchmen and old DC JSA. Mr. Incredible is powerful like Superman but without the Godlike quality. This lends credibility to when Danger strikes. The tone was slightly dark but not so inappropriate that you couldn't take 6 or 7 year olds too it. The action may be a bit too intense for anyone younger.

Kudos to Craig T. Nelson. His vocals really added depth to Mr I. His performance anchors and carries this film. The same for Holly Hunter. They have terrific chemistry as the Parrs. They bicker and fight in the heat of battle. Reminiscent of.. Oh just about everyone's parents. Which is what makes this feature something special. If you are married well... You might very well be the Parrs. Or you might have been the hyper activity son or the wallflower daughter. Or the cool as ice Frozone. Man but Sammy J had the best lines.

This film comes Highly recommended. Like I said, not much to add. You should just see it now.

-N