Saw

Definitely don't watch the attached documentary to this DVD. It gives virtually no insight into the making of the film, and neither does the "unrated" version of the music video. These are beyond lame and do no credit to the filmmakers. That being said, the film itself is professional enough, while clearly being an independent feature (small budget, tight shooting schedule, mostly small name actors). A grisly, and well-thought-out, premise is what makes it interesting. Two men held captive in a bathroom reminiscent of every wartime prison cell you've ever seen portrayed need to perform unthinkable acts to escape. (One has to wonder whether the filmmakers saw the cult Canadian film Cube and mirrored that premise.) The film doesn't stay in one room, but flashes back to prior similar situations, and the police work done as a result of their discovery. Still, shooting the film like a music video (no chance to breathe), gives it a certain youthful cachet that appeals to a smaller segment of the population than the filmmakers may have desired. I was also befuddled that they used two British actors as the main characters but set this in America. Is that a comment? The ending is decent, but the reasons for it are weak, as they are throughout the film. Which is why it doesn't rate higher than it does. A good thriller, but lacking depth.

year: 2004
length: 102 min.
rating: 2.5
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387564/combined