Saw (2004) - Movie Review
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Let the games begin! Saw kicked off one of the most successful horror franchises in recent years. With a new film on the horizon, it's time to let the blood flow and discuss this series.
Cody J Leach
PO Box 889
Rincon, GA 31326
Want to support my channel and get awesome exclusive content?
/ codyleach
Feel like getting a mystery box full of awesome collectibles for movie/video game/comic book fans every month? Check out Loot Crate and use my discount code to get 10% off!
www.lootcrate....
Discount Code: codyleach
Check out the collection of awesome Cody Leach merchandise!
shop.spreadshi...
Want to own all the Halloween films on bluray for $59.99?
amzn.to/2j3H3jq
Want to own all the Chucky movies on bluray for $44.99?
amzn.to/2ACG8gm
Want to own all the Nightmare on Elm Street films on bluray for $28.99?
amzn.to/2BeJOGo
Movie Rating System:
BUY IT
SEE IT IN THEATERS
SEE IT IN THEATERS AT MATINEE
SEE IT ON NETFLIX
SKIP IT
FUCK THIS MOVIE
Video Game Rating System:
Call Out From Work
All-Nighter
Tell A Friend
Trade In
Rage Quit
Channel Facebook Page: / codyleachchannel
Facebook - / cjllonewolf
Twitter: / cjllonewolf
Instagram: cjllonewolf
Do you like to shop on Amazon? You can greatly support my channel by using this link to access Amazon!
goo.gl/AqPX19
Fair Use Disclaimer: I do not own any pictures/videos contained within this video.
"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."
I was 8 when this came out and I can vividly remember seeing it for the first time and being in shock at the twist at the end, the way the music kicks in and the “game over” still gives me goosebumps
I feel the same way. Like I just watched it after watching this review and damn does that ending save it for me. The movie is still good but it really takes a dip and slows down tremendously. I don’t remember how old I was when it came out but I remember how creeped out I was when he shut the door and you’re watching a black screen while hearing the dude still screaming even as the credits come on. It really scared me as a kid lol. The second movie I kinda like too but I don’t think it’s nearly as impactful as the first movie.
How did jigsaw hold his piss as he laid on the floor I wonder?
I had nightmares when I was little and was to scared to see it.
@@marchionessamoretto6187 you are ultimate in saw 😱😱😮✌✌💪👀👂
I was 6 when this came out and The part when John Kramer just stands up at the end revealing he’s been there the whole time is still one of my favourite twist endings of all time.
I always thought that Leigh Whannell's over the top performance during the "poison" scene was the point. I think they purposely made his acting bad because he was suppose to be "acting" like he was poisoned, which obviously he wasn't poisoned. Then he immediately gets shocked. Maybe I'm wrong? 🤔
I kinda get this but when you look at it though it’s like who the hell’s gonna believe that lol. It was played off as like a comedic moment but when you think about it the scene would have been better had he made it convincing then he gets shocked. That’s just my opinion though
@@TrashTalk878 I thought they made it so unbelievable and over the top on purpose for 2 reasons. The first reason is for comic relief. I saw this movie twice in theaters. And both times, everyone laughed at that scene a lot. The second reason it was so over the top was to show how much of a fuck up that Adam was. Dr. Gordon was already really annoyed at Adam by this point. I think the over the top poison performance was just to annoy Dr. Gordon even more. Remember, Adam gets shocked? And Dr. Gordon is even annoyed at that point?
The whole point of Jigsaw being self righteous about never killing anyone and despising killers is the irony. THAT is why he’s the villain. He’s convinced himself that this is the way it must be done, despite there being far better ways to go about it. Think Thanos with the Snap
People COULD see Jigsaw as the Thanos of the Torture Horror genre, but I dunno.
Thanos was actually right
@@JaceDeanLove no
@@JustPassingThrough98Yes he was. Thanos had a harsh solution to a big problem. It was logical and rational.
Like Grindelwald was right in Fantastic Beasts. Enslave the muggles, stop nazi germany, stop the war, prevent the holocaust, stop the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In both cases you have to decide if the good balances out the bad. You must choose ;)
@@peterludwig4599 you could also choose to create resources instead of destroy. So no, I’m not interested in the Thanos was right argument
I love the dynamic that Jigsaw doesn’t think he’s a killer. Sure it’s an eye roller, but it’s a really cool concept to play with that sense of gray morality. We know he’s evil, but he genuinely believes he’s helping these people. He’s clearly sick, not just physically but mentally. It’s fascinating.
Agreed… we all know he’s a killer and the law would agree. But in his mind… dude is a savior. A twisted one
cant say i "Saw" this coming
Go to the corner.
'saw' what you did there
Ah, terrible.
I don’t get it... lol
Of Course yes, He is negative most of the time.
Didn't think the acting was THAT bad.
The actings not even bad, people like to exaggerate that shit like if they can do better
@@erich1595 what a dumb comment
@@creativeperson5858 what a dumb name
@@erich1595 another dumb comment
@@creativeperson5858 but yet you're still replying? Okay. Fuck out of here with your "creative " ass .
My saw trap for Cody. Watch Freddy’s dead or get killed by the reverse bear trap. Your choice.
He’d rather get killed by a reverse bear trap. So would I tbh
that movie is terrible but at least it's fun :)
Yeah he rather die because we all know the amount of hate he has for that movie 🤣
Freddy's dead is better then dream child. FACTS.
dave schall OPINIONS. lol
The cigarette scene was that way because the character Adam is supposed to be a bad actor/ lier. Leigh isn't, a few moments later he got electrocuted, it was way more believable
That ending was so epic. The music playing, Jigsaw telling him about the key to the chains & Adam trying to shoot Jigsaw only to get zapped again. Game over... 8/10
I actually loved Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannel's performances.
I love the joke/ theory that John Kramer is just Kevin McAllister from Home Alone all grown up.
That would make no sense
creative person that’s because it’s a joke like he said lol
There's also a jokey theory that Kevin is The Collector from The Collector films.
The intro alone earned a like here lol
I was literally thinking this the other day “why doesn’t Cody leach review the saw series”
One of my all time favourites! Ending is brilliant
definitely a classic. the 1st really had you puzzled as hell because the concept was fresh. very creative writing.
LOWBLOW CHAMP Indeed!
Cody's intro skits get me everytime😂😂
Watching Saw at 10 years old really messed me up.
I've been arguing this for years! There are several traps where at least person HAS to die. How is that not "Murder"? and yeah, I always thought the business with the key was dumb too.
Anyone remember that “reality competition” called Scream Queens where all these girls were competing to win a role in this series?? I really liked it wish they had made more seasons
Yesssss the girl who sawed her arm off for the pound of flesh trap was the winner! I was so stoked when I saw her come back in Saw The Final Chapter at the support group. Nobody ever knows what I'm talking about when I point her out!!
"Reality competition"? The Scream Queens show that I know was NOTHING like that.
@@EntertainmentFan11there was a reality competition and a TV series with the same name.
Imagine Tommy Wiseau in this movie.
On Playing A Game.
"your tearing me apart".
On Meeting Adam.
"Oh hi Mark".
On Meeting Jigsaw.
"Hi Jigsaw hows your sex life".
Would be better than the actual actors in this movie
This whole series is guilty pleasure for me...and I love it for that, I’ve been watching for all 3 years and I’m glad you’re finally doing saw, keep putting out bangers bro!!
I wasn’t a fan until I bought the 9 dvd collection for $10 at Walmart. Became a fan!
I've come back and watched these Saw reviews a few times over the last couple of years!
Jigsaw: Cody, you have to see the movie Freddy's Dead or you have to saw your right foot off. Live or die ...
3 seconds later
Cody: I won!
I think he'd sacrifice a foot than endure watching Freddys Dead again lol.
I kinda got burned out on both Saw & Hostel. But there was a time when I loved both franchises.
I thought Cary was great. His facial acting made me feel the pain he was going through.
Sorry man, he was absolutely horrible imo. Amateur level in some scenes. Still a good movie though, not great.
He was great.
As bad as Leigh can get in the movie with his acting, he has one really good section of acting. And he doesn't say a word. He just screams at the top of his lungs when Jigsaw finally shuts the door. Not to mention, the decision to roll credits over Adam's screaming was pure genius. But, I think one of the bigger negatives that you never mentioned was the weird editing style. Never really liked the flashes and quick cuts combined with the sped up footage. It looks dated even for 2004. But, overall I love the first Saw. It was my gateway into horror at the ripe old age of fucking 8 so I hold the series in high regard for kickstarting my love for the genre.
12:55 No, the door was closed, he would still be trapped. That's what John had in mind i think, that's why he tells Adam that the key is in the bathtub
How the hell did i miss these earlier saw reviews. The newest saw review brought me here. Love the intro
Adam was supposed to use the key to remove the chain and be able to walk around the bathroom but he would not have been able to leave until Zep unlocks the door at 6pm and also it was Amanda's game x
When I was Rewatching The Punisher 2004 I saw old trailers for most of the Saw movies and.... it was pretty freaky and gave me chills.
It’s funny because even with franchises I’m not a fan of such as saw, I still get super excited to hear about them when it’s one of your reviews. You the man Cody
If he (Adam) got the key to the chain in the beginning it would have just changed the dynamic of the game. The door was most likely locked so Adam would have still been in the bathroom
Even with the negatives the Saw franchise I love and own them!
I think this film is a masterpiece. Still think it should’ve been a standalone film.
Actually Billy The Puppet was always intended to be in the film. However he wasn't intended to be in one scene and that scene was the one with Adam in his apartment with his camera. The producers said they wanted Billy to be in more of the film so James and Leigh put him in that scene and it was a great idea too because that's probably the scariest scene in the film.
The Saw Trilogy (1-3) gave us many new and creative concepts in a pretty good way.
Saw IV and V kinda felt like it was lacking the form of cleverness it had compared to the first two.
Saw VI fixed that as the traps got more and more creative and the story opens up clearly.
Saw 3D had the creative trap aspect as well, but with poor writing, a flat look to it and not enough explanations, it put expectations low.
The eighth film; Jigsaw, injected new life into the series as it had the mystery aspect and creativity brought to a new high. It genuinely felt like a breath of fresh air.
Can’t wait to see your output for the rest of the series, Cody! Have a good one! 👍🏻👍🏻
I enjoyed the Saw series; however, I always considered it a crime thriller more than a horror movie; like Seven.
GREAT REVIEW!!!!
What is your definition of "horror" lmao?
@@smudge7057 something that is horrifying
I agree. I mean there are horror elements but they really do feel like episodes of CSI 😂
It’s all 3
i used to hate saw because i thought the sfx were too much, too unrealistic, and stupid quite honestly. but, i fell into a rabbit hole, watched every single movie in order and realized so much more. john karmer depicts a character who is evil, but he also is in these movies, sick, which made me have some sympathy. i’ve realized what he means through his perspective that he is quite frankly not a murderer, in fact, he hates murderers. he gives his victims a chance to live through a game which he has them figure out. most of them are at fault for not completing the puzzle successfully, which doesn’t make him a murderer. he is all about the good, he punishes those who aren’t appreciative. and the “why” to his actions presents such a deep meaning which is crazy. if you watch all of them, his relationship with his late wife is so significant. that’s when you really grow the sympathy. hell, lawrence gordon survives and becomes his apprentice. now, the difference between lawrence grodon and amanda young (as well as mark hoffmann) is gordon makes the traps escapable. meanwhile, amanda made her bear trap inescapable, so did mark when he killed jill (kramer’s wife). this might sound wrong, but jill being killed was such a good element in the movie because she has been through a lot, which we all experienced with her while watching. we didn’t want her to die, she was a badass. but she did and that is one of the reasons, as well as kramer’s mistaken diagnosis, kramer does what he does. and he punished the man who stabbed jills pregnant stomach. good for kramer. it is very common to root for the villains. there would be no micheal myers if we all wanted him dead. but kramer, i hope they make another movie. he is dead now but i love kramer. he takes things to the extreme but he teaches a lesson. a very hardcore and bloody lesson which again, he does not kill. he gives choices. the movie is so deep, that’s why i love it
I stopped watching this franchise after the cop became jigsaw. I don't even remember which movie it is but as far as the first it's a good movie. The ending is what made the movie.Saw also has one of the best horror scores.
Best trap Jigsaw could put Cody in is force him to watch Freddy's Dead or cut off his leg
I think Cody would rather cut his leg off than watch Freddy's Dead.
14:40 needs to be a gif
Jigsaw is flawed like most villains
In the original Saw, Jigsaw was just a sadist, they didn't go into the motive until the sequel.. Honestly I like that better
14:22 I’m a little late in pointing this out obviously but that’s the entire point. That’s not Leigh being a bad actor, that’s Adam being a bad actor.
One other thing, they both see jigsaw laying in the middle of the floor. Why did they ever try to play his tape. They both got tapes, it's only logically that the guy in the middle of the room had a tape also.
Remember the one with Carly Elwes? How did Jigsaw hold his bladder for so long as he laid on the floor for hours.
Maybe that was a dummy they used in Tobin Bell's likeness for when the body's just laying there most of the film, and it's Bell himself in the ending when he gets up and walks out of the room.
dying at this intro
I feel like this franchise could have been epic if the violence was tones down a bit and it focused more on character development and the story. But even as it is. Its good enough to warrant watching more than once.
The Main focus of the series is the characters especially in regards to John Kramer.
Saw 3 and 6 are my favorites. I don't have anything else to add, you pretty much addressed my likes and problems with this film.
How about the reverse bear trap in the first one. It's literally not possible for both people to survive that situation. Jigsaw is a killer no doubt
Yeah I assume the guy on the ground failed his test somewhere like Wahlbergs place in Saw IV
Your intros are always the best. I’ve been wanting to watch the saw franchise again recently
Love these opening scenes you do Cody Leach! Keep up the awesome work brother
This and hellraiser which I'm still waiting patiently for.
Hold on....LEE? LOL
I didn't know the Billy doll was a last minute idea that was the main reason why I wanted to watch the movie.
Saw 1 & 2 are with out a doubt in my mind the best two. One film focuses on the game at the fact there is a Killer out there while the other does the opposite with perfect execution having the main focus being the Killer while there is a game taking place out there.
Saw 3 would have been the best place to end the franchise as they could have written off the other cops and have the film end with the series leaving no open ends but I still love this film for the story arc of John Kramer in this film and him trying to make a worthy apprentice the best he can even tho he couldn't.
Saw 4 & 5 is where the series started the wash and repeat formula with how the games played and with another apprentice being out there and having their story being told but I gotta say the Cops were probably the best thing to focus on with these films as everything else fell a bit stale but the story of Jigsaw continued with new light which I appreciate.
Saw 6 is where the series kinda got back into it. Sure it was a wash and repeat like 4 & 5 but I personally felt that the story not only did a good job with describing John's cancer but it also speaked to the audience with real world issues about the corrupt Health Departments and especially around that time when there was a crisis with health care. Honestly another good place where the series should have ended.
Saw 3D is definitely the weakest as nothing was appealing about it and it showed that the series had run out of gas and the only thing left to do was to kill people in cool ways like the series had always been portrayed as but never really lived up to until this film. 3D Horror films never do good and this one had way poorer acting then Leigh and Cary in Saw 1 by far.
Jigsaw brought the series back by starting at a fresh point rather than being linear like the rest of the films but it honestly was unnecessary as all it did was wash and repeat with the type of game of and the apprentice reveal. It was a breath of fresh air tho as instead of worrying about everything that's come before you only had to have seen the first three films to watch this one and get a sense of what was going on.
I really hope Spiral and it's concept of a person inspired by John's work (rather than being a new apprentice) with the motive of targeting specifically cops has a new thing to offer within the franchise that will give it new light.
One thing that has stayed consistent that I have to compliment for each Saw film is Charlie Clouser score. His soundtrack for the franchise is absolutely amazing. I'm excited to hear what scores he'll make for Spiral.
I can't wait for your ranking on this series Cody, I'm interested in seeing which films you preferred over others.
This is my ranking of the series:
1st - Saw II
2nd - Saw
3rd - Saw III
4th - Saw VI
5th - Saw IV
6th - Jigsaw/Saw VIII
7th - Saw V
8th - Saw 3D/Saw VII
Hold up... Lee! ...What a great intro man!
31 on 31 predictions. Saw (9), Final Destination (5), Wrong Turn (6), Hills Have Eyes (5 if you include Mind Ripper), Sleepaway Camp (5). That leaves out 1 I believe so it can't be accurate. Plus they'd probably not include Sleepaway Camp IV the Survivor or Mind Ripper.
The constant flashing back the the car park annoyed me, I don’t mind a couple of flashbacks but don’t rely on that to try and make your twist work, especially in later saws with the flashback within a flashback
I like this one probably the best. It's not the one that reaches the most, and it's not gory just for the sake of gore.
I wouldn't put it passed Lee he's got those Doctor Gordon eyes. 🤣
The Exorcist Review would be an interesting one to get from you!
Six Paths Uchiha omg yes I want to see that.
Hell yeah cody
Please The Exorcist review .
It's one of my favorite horror movies as well as John Carpenters
I also believe that the scene with Leigh pretending to be poisoned was quite possibly intended to be comical. I know several people in the initial audience with me chuckled, so I do wonder if that was intentional.
I don't get why Jigsaw says "the key to that chain is in the bath tub?" What was the point of having the key in there?
where else could he have put it?
I was really hoping you would do this review one day man.
I don't really consider it horror but more of a thriller movie.
saw is my fav franchise so i’m nervous but excited to see you review it. 💞
Might be my favorite intro ever! You keep on topping yourself. Great review. I agree with basically everything you said, as usual.
To be fair they were in a time crunch to film this whole movie in like 18 days so they didn't have time for rehearsals. Everything was done in 1 or 2 takes.
*This movie was pretty good for 2 guys fresh out of university. shooting the entire thing in 18 days and on a tiny Million $ budget*
Lol, you sampled V/H/S 2 I believe in that intro with the television turning on. That scream will always be remembered.
The ending of Saw (original) to me is the best twist ever!
I agree with the key thing.
But I don't think the acting was bad, I think the poison was intentionally bad acting so it wouldn't work and it was supposed to be funny due the fact Gordon was starting to get annoyed.
Also yes he is clearly killing people, but I don't think they are trying to justify his actions, more so just showing how in his head he is a hero, like Thanos, he wanted to solve world problems by snapping half of the population.
I love this franchise a lot i’am so glad that you finally got around to start these review series
I love the Saw series and this one is definitely my favourite. I agree with the majority of your points but I don't think the acting is that bad. It's not great in places but I think Leigh did a pretty good job, the scene where he is smashing Zepp's head in and the ending scene are all really well acted in my opinion, especially those screams at the end (he killed it). Also I think his acting was supposed to be bad when Adam gets "poisoned" because Adam is not a good actor, so it's supposed to be like that (if that made any sense). Anyways, really glad you're doing the Saw series, can't wait for more reviews.
Just saw Saw for the first time. Thought it was a bit overcooked, but still a pretty fascinating film. Looking forward to seeing them all alongside these reviews!
Your opens are always so good! Great review, we definitely see eye to eye with on a lot of things.
I love this series because it's a different take on the horror franchise. It's not just a guy with a machete cutting off people's heads.
The first 3 were the best to me, after that, the story was dead and it was torture porn.
Side note: SAW was a drama, lol. Wan had to add more gore to make it horror. Like me, he'a also scared of dolls, I love Dead Silence as my favorite Wan movie. It's your opinions, we all like and hate something in the horror world, there's no reason for people to get butt hurt about it.
So I have only seen this movie once a few years ago but I really enjoyed it flaws and all.
I just picked all of these up individually rather than a set. Their box art/slicases have always stuck out to me growing up seeing them on shelves and just had to get them this way
I don't think the movie as a whole is trying to portray Jigsaw as "not really a killer", it's just what Jigsaw and his followers believe. everyone else calls him a killer, so think that is the takeaway from them. not that, if you don't kill them yourself you're not a killer
Haha awesome intro! 👏😂
I Have Saw 2 And 3
I Love Saw 2
Not me I do not like none of those
I'm one of those die hard fans of this franchisee. But I can still admit its flaws. Looking forward to the rest of the reviews.
The problem I always found with Saw is that this movie isn't nearly as good if you go into it knowing the big twist. Like this movie is basically a whodunnit for the most part, and when you take away the mystery to it, what's left?
Lmao yes that's your best intro to date. It was just so perfect some people are so ungrateful to be on yourube was so perfect. I also busted out laughing at the last line of the intro and had a feeling it was coming hahah. I'm also so glad you are reviewing these I love the first 3 and 6 but other than that pretty bad cant wait yo hear what you think.
Honestly, I love the first movie to death and it's one of my favorites of all time. And I even like some of the more terrible sequels too. But, your analysis of this was pretty damn good and I definitely agree with your criticisms. Well said.
Cody was hacked off with all the requests to review the Saw franchise Cody finally decided to play a game (groans).
Great balanced review Cody I agree the acting a bit dodgy in places but this movie creeped me out when I first seen it especially the twist at the end, Tobin Bells voice alone oozes creepiness, the eerie music score adds tension & while this isn't as gory as future sequels I thought the games were cleverly done.
I look forward to your reviews on the franchise especially Saw 3 which is my personal favourite.
I did watch the 3 first movies (Saw 3 not that long ago), but the gore in that third chapter made me sick so I have no idea when I will be watching the fourth chapter.
Its funny how I talked about this movie yesterday and now your reviewing it lol.
I love the intro and should do more intros like that.
I personally like it and the ending a lot, but can see where it is not everyones cup of tea. Good review and thanks for all that you do
LOL "OR Your Subcount will be Depleted"
I am going to make a bold statement and say that I don't really see saw as a horror movie but rather its more of a grindhouse movie that's meant to grouse you out more then scare you.
As much as I love John Kramer, I totally agree, the logic With him is flat out ridiculous
This franchise is summed up in one phrase.
"The good, the bad, and the ugly"
1-3 the good
4-6 the bad
Jigsaw the ugly
Hope the new one brings something new
Saw 6 is decent, it’s better than 4&5
I sort of think that for this first movie they didn't fully have jigsaws motivation planned out. Maybe they were setting him up to where he is just Crazy and his morality is really twisted(remember they weren't originally planning to make sequels to saw). I think that later in the franchise they needed the audience to sympathise with him so they created this whole backstory where he is sort of justified.
I love the car chase scene and the scene where Adam pretends to be poisoned, both were hilarious!
i was 14 years old when i watched the saw trilogy through a magazine. it still my favourite horror franchise
lovely content
I do remember me and my dad watched Saw, I liked the movie and it is essential and a classic movie because of the creative ways of the movie with the story and the twist and turns in it and it may not be an Oscar winner but it doesn't take anything away from how good it is.
Hey Cody. I am a big fan. I was not a huge horror movie fan until I saw some of your reviews of classic films that sparked my interest in famous franchises like elm street and chucky etc. You are an awesome movie reviewer dude. I remember watching this and remember liking it especially the twist. The only thing that really bothered me was wondering what did adam do to deserve to be there. He was paid to take pictures by jigsaw if my memories serve me correct. He did nothing to show he was ungrateful of his life. Really bothered considering his victim pool was suppose to be people who were ungrateful of living. Not to mention how the hell does jigsaw know all this shit about his victims but that is problem throughout the franchise. Keep making awesome review dude.
This is the only film in this series I’ve ever watched (about 2-3 years after it came out), and it didn’t leave me with any desire to see the sequels, so I very much sympathize with your reluctance to go over these movies!
James Wan is a very talented fellow, but the only film of his that I’ve really loved was the original Conjuring, which I think is one of the very best horror films of the last decade or so. It took me a while to warm to him, though, or even to see many of his movies, largely because of how I felt about Saw.
While the killing methods are creative, the villain never did much for me; certainly Seven is a good comparison, with a killer who has very elaborate methods as well as motives designed to reflect the victims’ own sins (and, by extension, society’s as a whole) back at them. For me, villains like that have always seemed more than a little affected and unconvincing - almost as if the filmmakers are trying to give their movie a serious veneer so they can feel better about putting the more grisly aspects into it. The stress that this film puts, as you say, on him ‘not really being a killer’ just feeds into that conceit, and makes the whole thing seem even more pretentious (not to mention that putting someone in a situation where there’s a good chance that they will die can still get you on the hook for murder in some jurisdictions), and pretension is not a feeling that you want to get from a horror film, especially one like this.
The ending, while it’s undeniably surprising, doesn’t really hold up to more than a moment’s thought: could he really convincingly pretend to be dead for that long, especially with a doctor in the room? Maybe, especially how movie-dumb the two main characters are, but I doubt it. Of course the premises of most horror films aren’t very plausible, and Saw defenders might just say I’m being picky, but given how seriously the filmmakers seem to want us to take all this - the discussions of Jigsaw’s moral culpability, etc. - they can’t really then expect to put things in that don’t stand up at all to scrutiny and expect to get away with them. That he’s able to rig up all these traps (and cameras!), kidnap people and do everything else, all while in the state of health he’s in, is a little much to take as well. (That he has a helper was included in later films, of course, but there’s no hint of it here.)
As for Elwes and Whannell, I’m halfway with you: there are (too many) moments where they’re too over-the-top, especially in the latter half, but they work for me more often than not. Both of them struggle with their American accents - not just here, but in other films - which doesn’t help matters.
With all of those problems, Wan still handles the suspense sequences well enough that it’s probably worth watching once. Even though your and my objections are a little different (admittedly, it’s more a question of what we emphasize than of what our problems actually are), we ultimately come down about the same on it.
Hopefully reviewing the rest of the series won’t be as dull or unpleasant as maybe you feared it might be; looking forward to your opinions on them. Perhaps the Saw fanaticism has died down a little over the years, and you won’t get too much splenetic juice vented on you by the fans!