Saw (2004)

How such a cruelly empty and infantile movie got made is mystery enough. More puzzling is why Cary Elwes, Danny Glover and Monica Potter would sign on as co-stars.

Though dumber than a box of rocks, Saw forges ahead with the kind of conviction and energy that will keep bad-cinema junkies sitting bolt upright.

[Its] sadism is topped only by its absurdity.

Why see Saw? Because it has teeth and it cuts to the bone.

Saw has art-house ambitions, but it's nothing but a glorified snuff film. I despised this movie.

So over the top that even the recruited audience of non-critics at my screening began to howl.

The horror flick Saw started a chain-Saw of sequels and that is now one of the most successful of the chop-and-slash variety. It's not a bad way to spend a Halloween evening.

James Wan's horror film Saw is full of demented twists and guilty-looking actors, but the scenario is cruel enough to make you squirm.

Saw is a sub-Se7en B-movie serial killer chiller with more high concepts stuffed into its 100 minutes than it can handle.

[A] contrived, unlovable gore-fest with a high-concept premise.

It is all, of course, total nonsense. But for horror fans it's good nonsense, in the way that a creepy urban legend told by flashlight in a tent at 2 a.m. can be fine and dandy nonsense.

There's something impressively loathsome and extravagantly twisted about this horror-thriller from first-timer James Wan.