Revisiting The True Fear Behind SAW (2004)

[@RyanHollinger]

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[@danielhewitt8275]

First

[@theofficialvernetheturtley338]

Have you ever thought about covering Spoorloos? The original, not the crappy remake.

[@ben.r11567]

paranormal activity and it’s impact on horror

[@axelcordova8262]

Night in the Woods and/or Pink Floyd's The Wall

[@malcolmrodriguez3592]

@@danielhewitt8275 second

[@wstine79]

Jigsaw: "Hello, Ryan. I want to play a game." Ryan: "HOYEVER." Jigsaw: "Well played."

[@christophermorgan5607]

The Northern Irish accent is a beautiful thing

[@tbuckyfilms]

Ryan: "I can't play right nyyoww"

[@grackleboi2523]

I was just about to comment how much I like the way he says however, but you beat me to it.

[@aaronmarko]

"I have a rule about exposing people to my voice for more than 30 minutes at a time" MULTI PART SAW SERIES RETROSPECTIVE CONFIRMED

[@zydratehore]

Yes I need him to do a whole series and breakdown the clues in each movie

[@dinoknightready0164]

But I like his voice

[@abagel3902]

We REALLY need it

[@Shadow-zf5uc]

Lol

[@TheLoamCourierMTB]

666 likes. Now he must do it😂

[@kwiiin_]

Can we just appreciate SAW was starting a blood donation campaign because of their franchise? That's so suiting and awesome pr.

[@aliveindeath7735]

Donate blood and get a ticket for the movie.

[@Horus_the_Wanderer]

I actually forgot that was a thing

[@kwiiin_]

@@Horus_the_Wanderer I saw a dvd box a few weeks ago promoting that! I really really loved this- is is crucial for people to donate blood for others, and a slasher movie to promote this is just great. Besides Wan being so passionate about Saw, this is my favourite part of the franchise. :D

[@jloh3256]

Well, not a free ticket if memory serves. An advanced screening of some minutes of the next movie in association with the Red Cross. Admittedly, more horror movies(or bloody movies, like Mortal Kombat) should do follow this setup

[@sgsummerisle]

I hate this movie, but that's super awesome!

[@teddybearkiller5271]

I do like how the movie just opens with them locked up in the bathroom. No explanation just mystery and it really does put you in the victim's perspective of things.

[@MellowMutant]

right

[@adri7352]

Ryan's "this isn't escapism" cutting immediately to Cary Elwes screaming hysterically while chained to a pipe made me laugh way too hard. Cheeky!

[@canIgetuhhh]

As someone who was a fan of Cary Elwes only knowing him from The Princess Bride and Robin Hood: Men In Tights, which I loved from single digit child age, I was shaken to my foundation when I first saw this movie and realized he was playing Dr. Gordon

[@skylx0812]

He got into activism for a time and backed protests for Native American tribes in the American southwest. He went up to a sacred Indian site atop a mountain that was going to be destroyed to construct a space telescope backed by the Vatican. He and other well known people took part in an Indian ceremony that was probably going to be the last on that mountain peak. If he wasn't doing the activism just for publicity he probably developed a change of perspective later in his career.

[@canIgetuhhh]

@@skylx0812 that's so random. Almost like he was roaming around the forest looking for fights or something.

[@TubbyJ420]

The very last joke of Men In Tights is to 'call the locksmith'. Poor Cary is cursed with locks in his films lol.

[@DistractedGlobeGuy]

@@TubbyJ420 that's the whole reason he accepted the _Saw_ role. He did it for the meme.

[@FusselO]

@@canIgetuhhh He was also always on guard defending the (native) people's rights.

[@gavinj1456]

Saw 6 is SUPER underrated imo. It’s usually disregarded as another bad sequel along with the terrible Saw 5 and the even worse Saw 3D but it’s easily one of the best in the series. The traps are very scary (especially the shotgun carousel) and the critiques of America’s for-profit healthcare system is genuinely interesting to watch. It’s a saw sequel so nobody would claim it’s high art or anything but, by the standards of a saw sequel, it’s very good

[@kimberlygaugh4085]

I think exactly the same. I've only ever really liked 1-3 and 6. Didn't care for the others at all. Really think we lost something special when John and Amanda left.

[@chadgrewal4829]

Saw VI is as good as SAW I and Saw II

[@gavinj1456]

Chad GREWAL I agree

[@PunishedPrince]

HEY! 5 and 6 are both good. Of the original films I’d say only 4 and 7 are duds

[@chadgrewal4829]

@@PunishedPrince Exactly

[@wendychavez5348]

To be fair, Saw started out on a super low budget. They improved as the franchise grew, though the first film was done mainly in one building with minimal effects. I'm impressed with how they pulled it off.

[@amaryxxx3738]

Forreal, when I first watched it, I very surprised at the ending and I remember having nightmares because of jigsaw.

[@PixelBush]

If you ask me, Saw should always have been a trilogy. Saw 1-3 tell a perfect story of an incurable man in an incurable world, becoming its greatest monster by attempting and failing to cure it. They had everything they needed to wrap Saw up there and then, but they didn't, which is the greatest indictment of the franchise. Hopefully Spiral is smart enough to move on from Kramer's shadow.

[@Xehanort10]

I like VI but they should really have ended it at 3.

[@koichidignitythief7429]

III was also the last time Wan had any real involvement in the series.

[@regretthebroken]

Spiral will be incredible, mostly because we’ve got Bousman back in the franchise.

[@athannyx6815]

@@Xehanort10 I like all but the very last movie but I agree. Saw 1-3 really are the best of the movies.

[@tareklegrand7747]

SAW III is the one that ruined the franchise for me

[@breadpilled2587]

I watch Saw whenever I'm feeling suicidal. It always makes me feel better in a real way. It makes me feel something, even if it's just discomfort.

[@Joshua__MEGA]

Jesus loves you don’t commit suicide ! Or even entertain those thoughts

[@allthelittleworms]

perhaps you could say... it makes you feel grateful to be alive? (joke)

[@allthelittleworms]

suicidality is unfortunately quite common but I really do hope you make it over the hump for good. life is the only option. life is a gift, even if it's painful and the world is hideous . God bless

[@georgespiggott5615]

That's smart. When I was suicidal I was very much wrapped up in my own issues, but now that I'm doing better I often think of all the ways I COULD be suffering so much worse, and that makes me less likely to fall into old thought patterns and self harming behaviors.

[@Dunmerdog]

All the best homie. Hope youre ok

[@SirMrProfessor]

Us: Ryan: Hiiiiiiyeverrr Us: “WRITE THAT DOWN, WRITE THAT DOWN!”

[@AdmiralSym]

Comments like these still give me a chuckle

[@evanhayes5891]

@@AdmiralSym I'm afraid to ask: why?

[@MrMRCTV]

It's a damn shame that the Saw franchise evolved into torture porn because the first one is legitimately one of the most interesting horror films of the 21st century despite its flaws.

[@Darkdaej]

Indeed. I remember my sheer stupefaction when I saw the "corpse" was the killer all that time...I had never even *considered* the possibility that was anything other than a dead man in the room with the two captives.

[@horysmokes3339]

The original was ass, and they got progressively worse from there. Like DTV worse.

[@karabartley]

I watched the original blind and the revelation was truly baffling, I had to watch it again immediately

[@fd3]

Anyone who knows the series knows this is one of the dumbest, most overused comments I’ve seen about Saw. Torture porn? Just how? If you actually watch the series over again (which I did last Halloween in a marathon), it’s not even a majority at all of torture porn. It’s literally more of a mixture of thriller/crime/mystery/drama.

[@theblackflame4002]

Agreed, the first one was certainly gruesome, but fittingly so if that makes sense, then all the sequels just went over the top more and more gore less and less substance and story, the fate of most franchises.

[@GoreyBits]

And you thought public restrooms were terrifying. 🚽

[@erikt19g5]

Thank you for being the first commentator to address Adam’s fate. It never sat well with me. His death pokes a huge hole in the whole ‘moral message’ Jigsaw is trying to push, and nothing he is guilty of justifies what I feel is the most brutal death in the whole series.

[@HadalStreetlights]

the Saw stories work best when you accept that Kramer and his acolytes are fucking wrong.

[@jameslough6329]

I agree 100% and I think Adam’s fate wouldn’t bother me as much as it does if Gordon didn’t spout off the whole “JiGsAw TeChNiCaLlY IsN’t A MuRdErEr” BS earlier in the movie

[@Morbidly_Sweet]

He doesn’t die in the dark, Amanda later comes in and suffocates him with a plastic bag

[@erikt19g5]

@@Morbidly_Sweet but that wasn’t Jigsaw’s plan. He was all set with Adam just screaming in the darkness until he wasted away.

[@Morbidly_Sweet]

@@erikt19g5 true, that’s fair

[@DrunkenHorseman]

I love how when I was younger I could handle the face melting scene in Indiana Jones Raiders Of The Lost Ark but I couldn't handle gore when I walked in on my parents watching Saw

[@brandonmorel2658]

Me too, I have watched some provocative movies when I was way too young and never felt fear or something like that, but Saw scenes, they are really not my kind of thing.

[@skylx0812]

I think the materials used in that PG rated visual effect relayed to your conscious mind that it was wax or a similar thing. Unlike R rated films like Alien and Saw they used more realistic materials. They used real animal guts, bones and blood in Alien.

[@Ayahuasca98]

@@skylx0812 plus, the bad fates are befalling onto the bad guys for the most part in the PG movies

[@ridleysomeliana-lauer5814]

Well yeah. One is pure fantasy while the other could reasonably happen.

[@kd8663]

Also, the 'he's a bottom feeder, just like you' line always reminds me of the original commentary track James, Cary, and Leigh recorded for this movie, where Leigh talks about how he tried to ad lib in the scene. That's a really good commentary track, btw. They just roast the movie and their own performances for the whole runtime.

[@Alex-bw6yd]

James and Leigh are dope but Cary has always struck me as such a down to earth and cool dude who just likes doing fun and interesting stuff. Loved him so much in Psych, I bet he’s a ton of fun to work with.

[@TubbyJ420]

Went to Saw at the theatre, opening night, nobody knew the twist ending. The whole audience yelling, shouting, cheering, clapping at that ending was such a unique experience.

[@coolgreenbug7551]

I don't think any of us would mind hearing your voice for an hour

[@joshuaortiz4886]

agreed

[@jwnj9716]

Its my favourite in the whole franchise. So simple but mystery keeps you invested and of course the great twist at the end, perfect. Its amazing how a simple scene from a Mad Max film gave us this great story.

[@TomMcMorrow]

I agree that the way they chose to end the movie with Adam screaming and a black screen was a stroke of genius. It gives you a special kind of "stop showing me this" willies.

[@garawase4399]

Advertising products that keep you clean before talking about filthy movies is genius marketing.

[@Benjami.n567]

Saw was actually the reason I stopped self harming, it scared me that bad.

[@pinkstyro]

i’m glad you’re doing better now 🖤

[@evanhayes5891]

@@pinkstyro However true we may hope it is, Freak Mel did not say he was doing better.

[@Jay-qh6uv]

As a SHer I’m *dying* for an explanation on this story which I’m sure is totally, 100% true and not at all bullshit.

[@Benjami.n567]

@@evanhayes5891 I'm in fact doing better! been clean since 2007 when I first saw it. I'm still terrified of someone in a pig's head kidnapping me. I also no longer eat pork because of these movies 😅

[@Benjami.n567]

@@pinkstyro thank you! ❤️

[@shanehaney6040]

The SAW movies are a definite guilty pleasure for me - admittedly the first two are the best before they become kinda schlocky, but they’re still decent popcorn movies. I’d honestly take another SAW movie over the found footage we got for the better part of a decade after them.

[@nachgeben]

Have you watched Jigsaw? You really need to see Jigsaw.

[@silascraven]

I always felt that the first three movies were the best, as it manages to finish john Cramer's story quite nicely in my opinion. The others in my opinion are not bad, the acting is still not have bad and john cramer is still great, but I still think that the first three were and still is the best

[@wendychavez5348]

In my view, they kept improving up to Saw VI, but #VII struck me as too much. It still had a lot of good points, but it didn't fit together as a puzzle should. I haven't seen any since then, though it is in the plans.

[@shanehaney6040]

@@silascraven I feel like 3 kinda falls off a bit near the end, and then its ending getting retconned in Saw 4 (or was it 5? The later movies kinda blurred together) didn’t help. It’s close to the first two, but the ending somewhat shitting the bed keeps it just below them for me.

[@Anthonycheesman2024]

The first 3 saw movies are legit good imo and 6 .

[@callumg3330]

I went to a panel for the guy that directed “saw” once, he tried to advertise his new film but had to correct the interviewer because they thought it was a comedy when it wasn’t

[@horysmokes3339]

Aquaman?

[@aydenvavra2153]

James Wan director of Saw, Aquaman, Insidious 1 & 2, Dead Silence, Death Sentence, The Conjuring 1 & 2, and Furious 7. that guy really took off after Saw good for him.

[@whitedragoness23]

@@aydenvavra2153 I’m sure it impressed a lot of companies. Working on a limited budget, having to be creative and mostly using being stuck in a room being tortured is creative

[@insertgenericusernamehere2402]

Berbarian sound studio would be an interesting one. It's view on the deteriorating human psyche is fascinating imo.

[@theofficialvernetheturtley338]

Heck yeah. Love that one. Very underrated.

[@regretthebroken]

Peter Strickland is extremely underrated. In Fabric freaked me out to no end.

[@kevinwillems8720]

Oh that one's fucking amazing. My school's chapter of the ASA organized two simultaneous showings of that movie in our theatre audio room and our echoic chamber. It was fucking fantastic

[@insertgenericusernamehere2402]

@@kevinwillems8720 you'll have to educate me. What's the "asa"

[@kevinwillems8720]

@@insertgenericusernamehere2402 The Acoustical society of America

[@karinagreen6878]

It's possibly worth noting, throughout the 7 films, of the survivors, particularly the ones who attended the group in Saw 3D. The vast, vast majority of them survived either by killing someone else (Brad, Ryan, Sidney, Tara, Amanda - although not at the group , or being saved by someone else (e.g. Addy, Emily) and they were the ones who said they believed in the teachings of Jigsaw and that it had helped them. Those who had to inflict pain upon themselves were much less likely to survive in the first place and if they did survive, didn't find it a positive experience (Simone). Lawrence Gordon is an exception, possibly because he lost his family as a result (Alison divorced him due to his unstable nature, canon from Saw 3d directors commentary) and turned to Jigsaw to try and make sense of what had happened to him. Basically what I'm trying to say is that those who found Jigsaws teachings beneficial were those who lost the least personally. If their test was to leave a bad relationship they gained something (Brad, Ryan, Simone, Morgan, Amanda) even if that meant killing their partner (drug dealer in Amanda's case) . If they had to kill someone who harmed them they gained something (Tara killing William who had wronged her husband). If they were saved by someone else's sacrifice they gained something (Addy and Emily) but if they actually had to cause themself injury they either died or did not find it beneficial to themselves in any way.

[@MagnuM2980]

I ALWAYS wondered why you've never made a video on Saw. not only is the series the most famous/infamous horror franchise of all time. The original film is a really good crime thriller and the gore takes up a minimal percentage of screen time.

[@sunnyquinn3888]

Whatever you think about the Saw franchise and Ryan's take on it, "Stay away from dilapidated bathrooms" is always solid advice.

[@MellowMutant]

true

[@ttcghost6977]

I always saw Jigsaw as a weird Joker story. That whole "one bad day from going crazy" kind of vibe. That's why I always felt the directors were trying to go for even if it didnt really hit that mark

[@elijahbrink4596]

He's much more compelling in the original than he was in the sequels imo. How mysterious and enigmatic he was yet he was also still conniving and sadistic.

[@donsforever93]

I saw this at the cinema and it left me shook. I left the cinema almost breathless and the ending is one of the very few I never saw coming. The sequels never recaptured the feel of the first movie for me but the original...classic.

[@Alex-bw6yd]

The sequels really did become torture porn and that just wasn’t it for me. The original Saw is one of my favorite movies ever simply because of its slow pace, creativity, and absolute disturbing execution. And yeah the twist and the end were just mouth agape kinda shit. I love it so much.

[@TheOcean0]

"The paranoia of one day waking up in a torture trap" - every morning before work 😭

[@jjcoola998]

facts right here bro

[@whitedragoness23]

Your boss is jigsaw he enjoys torturing people because they aren’t grateful for being tortured at work :/

[@corndog7813]

RH uploads me: i am the speed

[@Rileyw239]

My mind is blown over the fact the Cary Elwes is in the first saw. I’ve gone my whole life not realizing that was him until now.

[@PulpandArt]

The Saw-Franchise has always been a guilty-pleasure for me (Except Saw 3D and Jigsaw). All the films had this weird surreal feeling with the green lighting and all indoors-scenes and the structure of a "Lost" episode.

[@MattCrawley_Music]

Jigsaw was great!

[@devil_pls]

The first one is still my favorite of them all by far! Nothing beats the suspense and mystery of the first one. Evnetho every single one of the movies has their flaws this one is has a special place in my heart.

[@MellowMutant]

can't go wrong with the original

[@wstine79]

I met Toby Bell at Mad Monster Party 2015 in Charlotte, NC. Very nice guy. He even signed my SAW Jigsaw puzzle.

[@felipemachado5085]

I'm here for my weekly hoyevers

[@musicbysof]

never been this early!! haven’t gotten through a full minute of the video but i already know i love it. thanks for fulfilling my horror movie cravings, ryan!

[@claytonrios1]

I have always been a big fan of the Saw films. At least the first 2 and I always saw it as my first experience with James Wan and Leigh Whannell. Two filmmakers I highly respect to this day.

[@MellowMutant]

same

[@jeffs4996]

Fun fact: according to saw 3’s deleted scenes, Adam and Amanda lived in the same apartment building... which might explain her killing Adam as a sort of merciful act (as opposed to him just slowly dying of starvation, etc in a pitch-black room). I have several suggestions: the X-Files (preferably about Home, Little Green Men, Via Negativa, Irresistible, or some other great episode, but it’s your show so do what you want), Firefly/Serenity, Nocturnal Animals, Memento, Sharp Objects, Hellraiser, We Are Still Here, and/or some of Mickey Keating’s movies (Pod, Darling, Carnage Park). Keep up the great work!

[@cozykami2177]

When it comes to endings of a movie, the first Saw movie takes the spot as one of the most terrifying yet amazing plot twist endings. My heart was beating heavily when I seen it the first time.

[@henryglennon3864]

"It was a present for my adult Bar Mitzvah. I'm the most intriguing character the McElroy Brothers have ever conceived."

[@videonmode8649]

I was a young teen when I first watched this film and admittedly not a perceptive youth, but even then everything about the film was brilliant in a way beyond the traps that were featured.

[@aengusk3313]

you need to make a video about the French horror film 'RAW' please

[@theirishpotato6588]

I love that movie.

[@rateater1857]

yess!! i definitely love it and the whole genre of like. young girls getting murderous/cannibalistic urges in lieu of growing up. RAW, incision, all that good stuff.

[@jloh3256]

i... really wanted to like raw. Would be very curious on some others' opinions tht liked it more

[@Rion1tv]

Ryan saying ‘The Town That Dreaded Sundown’ was like getting a million ‘However’s all at once

[@Chelsss703]

i was never that concerned with the Saw movies until I watched a documentary about how they made them. The traps, the set design, the creativity. It was utterly fascinating to see how much time and effort went into them. It gave me a huge respect for the franchise, trashy rep aside.

[@nightfeather9409]

Possible thought: Perhaps the reason Jigsaw placed the photographer in there was to force him to work with the person he was spying on (the logic being "you live by working against the interests of others, so to live you must demonstrate your ability to work with them). Or I'm extending ideas where the writing wasn't. Either way, great post lad!

[@anastasx_]

Saw movies are a guilty pleasure and even the bad ones can be a lot of "fun". Honestly I think the first two for the most part are really solid! Great to finally see you cover this classic.

[@MellowMutant]

very true

[@mattjeffers4375]

Great vid as always! However, I'm a bit confused by your rant from around 18 to 18:25 regarding Zep. Not sure what you "Googled the answer to" as I've seen every Saw film multiple times and as far as I can recall, Zep is not explored further in the sequels. And while this argument is a slippery slope, the film does give you enough to infer from as to why Zep is being tested. He's the film's red herring, which is why we get his POV for some scenes and get to see him being sinister to throw the audience off. But if you think about his scenes from the context of knowing the twist at the end, then you realize Zep has something wrong with his head. For most of the movie he is relishing being in the position that he's in, even going far enough to essentially emotionally torture Allison and Diana by putting a stethoscope to their chests and listening to their heartbeats quicken as he puts a gun to Allison's head. Zep is on a power trip through most of the movie while still technically being a victim; that says enough of why he's being tested. I don't need the movie to add in an extra line of forced exposition of "Zep, your delusions of grandeur and craving for power over the lives of others if why I am testing you", because I can piece that together by just watching the move. Love that you finally covered Saw though; one of my favorite movies.

[@oliviav.3565]

The original is great, one of my favorite movies, and the best surprise ending ever in my humble opinion. I just re-watched all 8 Saw movies. The only one that I didn't really like was part 7.

[@1992WLK]

That is the correct answer. VII is utter trash. Jigsaw was smart enough to distance itself from most of the franchise.

[@HadalStreetlights]

Jigsaw and Spiral both slap. im loving this trend of following in the wake of copycats and acolytes with their own takes on Kramer's flawed philosophy. it actually kinda stands as a metatextual commentary on the impact of Saw on horror as a genre. i could see The Collector being seen as a Jigsaw Acolyte or just a fan. i love this. it makes the narrative feel uncontrolled and expansive and it reminds me of the best bits of The Following. this idea of a serial killer starting a decentralized cult is terrifying and deeply compelling.

[@IknowIamkindagreat]

I will say this about the sequels: That "used syringe pit" scene was skin crawling. I left the theater with hepatitis.

[@wrenkennedy]

Just ran out of Deo today and remembered you were sponsored, just placed my order, this is the first sponsorship I've taken a KZbinr up on, thanks Ryan!

[@dejaalston8672]

Saw is one of the greatest psychological horror movies of all time. The concept and tone was brilliant and clever as it was just constructed perfectly. It was something new, fresh, unique, inventive, stylish, cool, edgy, hip, and updated such as the themes and elements. It really identifies and analyzes the boundaries between life and death and it makes the audience appreciate life more. To this day the twist ending still gives me chills and goosebumps 😰😱 as it was just so dark and heart-wrenching. It was decent. To this day I still watch it and I consider it a classic. It never gets old. 😍👍😎💯

[@Lazrael32]

I remember having to have arguments with people that Jigsaw is NOT a goodguy. Just a murderer who uses a loose and inconsistent frame of "morality" to justify watching people be tortured to death.

[@tonyawwwno3364]

Yeah exactly. I find it weird that people have to have things so.... Black and white. People see a bad person doing something that in some lights could be seen as good or just and people seem to pretend this makes them good. Seeing really awful people expose even worse people for doing really bad shit doesn't make the initial person NOT bad too, you know?

[@jaguarenduda]

I occasionally dream of being in a jigsaw trap, or in similar situations... these are horrifying nightmares that keep me uneasy for hours, sometimes even days, after I wake up. Despite all its flaws, this is the only horror movie/franchise that truly caused a deep impact on my psyche and subconscious. The cruelness of humanity scares me more than any ghost or demon ever could.

[@ariellakahan-harth8831]

Having only seen the first film, I quite love it. I often find myself latching on the relationships between people in horror films and other dark genres, and the evolution of Lawrence and Adam's relationship really kept me hooked. And the ending is just about one of the scariest I've ever seen.

[@consonantsandvowels1]

7:35 This is how I discovered Chris Rock and SLJ star in a 2021 Saw movie. This timeline is wild.

[@Gaz_3]

I honestly always enjoyed the SAW films because they preyed on fears I had growing up of being taken away and waking up in a place I didn't recognize with no one to help me. Fear of abduction and being "lost" in a sense, to put it simply. Describing it as feeling trapped and stuck in time and space gives description to it perfectly, I could not have put it any better.

[@asbestosfish_]

Saw, one of those horror films that leaves the pop-cultural zeitgeist spewing decades worth of “what if” scenarios, which are then snatched up by the sequels. The often very, very dumb sequels. Until the reboot where they screw the writers’ brains back on at which point it all becomes good again.

[@eylonavraham8921]

there's a reboot?

[@HadalStreetlights]

Spiral is great. i actually like some of the later Saw movies, including Jigsaw. They may be a bit self-indulgent, but they set up for Spiral very nicely.

[@campaigner8549]

5:35 Damn, Ryan even criticizing his own vernacular. Much love to you, Ryan! My favorite youtube content for months now :)

[@sleepy_turt]

I’m not someone who actively seeks out horror media bc I am a baby but I ended up watching Saw w someone and I had the idea it was going to be a gross gore fest but I was absolutely astounded by how much I genuinely liked it? It was far more grounded than I expected? The ending had me shook and tbh it’s not really something I’ll forget

[@mjj1017]

i would enjoy even +90 minute videos about ANY movie you choose to analyze. i like your voice and especially your accent... and you talk in a good volume range (in case somebody falls asleep to it), but still have alot of tonal variation which is really entertaining in combination with your analytical nature.

[@AdmiralSym]

Your ads are always entertaining enough to watch all the way through

[@duvan.deschain]

I watched this film when I was 14 or 15, me and my brother rented the DVD because the summary given to us was "2 men wake up in a dungeon, they're chained by their feet and there's one Saw that they could to cut their feet and scape". That premise seemed so ridiculous yet extremely interesting that we had to watch it. We did alongside 2 of our sisters and by the end we didn't wonder so much about Jigsaw"s head but about the creator's head. I remember saying "how does someone come up with this idea?". I was hooked and I've been a fan of the creators ever since. I have watched the sequels and I do admit I enjoy 2 and 4, but I respect the first film, the ending and that pig mask had me terrified for days and "Game over" over Adam's screams is just such a staple in my opinion. You covered this in a perfect way, thank you!

[@ArchangelKo]

I used to have a burning hatred for the Saw franchise when I was younger. I've always loved horror movies that invest in atmosphere and thrilling storytelling. And when I'd express my love for horror, people would chime in saying they loved Saw. I'd feel so upset and draw a firm line between "gross out horror" and "real horror". I considered it cheap and over-reliant on cringing, instead of thinking and feeling. ... Yeah I've grown up since then. I'm still not a fan of Saw and torture horror, but I'm not a rude gatekeeper about it anymore. Horror/thriller movies have so many varying themes and techniques, and anyone is free to enjoy any combination of them~

[@HadalStreetlights]

there's an irony here because the first Saw is incredibly atmospheric and is a very human and emotional horror movie. despite the later movies degenerating into a lot of visual gore fx (which tbh i still like), the first still stands up as a shining example of pacing and suspense, and really does do a good job at it. if you still havent seen it, now that youve matured, id check it out. dont rush on the sequels though. gore is like spicy food. gotta build a taste for it.

[@juggalochef2399]

I have to say, it's your distinctive voice that is as distinctive as your breakdowns & I find it to be soothing & eloquent!

[@maxderrat]

This video outlined everything I wanted to say about Saw. Thank you, Ryan. There is a way to do a movie like Saw well... but the focus of the people making these movies is in all the wrong places. Jigsaw could be a truly fascinating villain, struggling with his own psychology and projecting it onto the world around him. Unfortunately, the script writers never really take the existential and philosophical questions that Jigsaw invokes seriously. They, like you said, try to make Jigsaw seem like he's right in some very flimsy, ethereal way... which isn't wrong. Then when you try to bring attention to the flimsiness, the writers just throw blood, guts and ass your way in order to try and distract you.

[@alexaviercuadrado]

Whoa! A rare Max Derrat comment!!! 🤩

[@toxicsugarart2103]

Me: litters once Jigsaw: *I want to play a game*

[@MonsterOfFear]

there is nothing wrong with liking them, you dont need to have a "oh this is so deep" filter for everything you watch

[@thekidkrow]

There's also nothing wrong with trying to understand and dissect why the films people enjoy or find interesting or compelling, even ones that might be called "trashy". I'd argue that it's actually pretty important to do so and there's no reason to give someone a hard time about it.

[@MonsterOfFear]

i don't know if you are implying that im looking down on his analysis or something, what i actually mean to say is that there is no need to feel bad for liking something "trashy"

[@agstinacueva1673]

@@thekidkrow people are allowed to like "trash", objectively of course and with conscience

[@G59ABBY]

11:03 bro when i first got into the saw franchise i was paranoid as hell over everything cuz i realized how everyone always has their guard down😭

[@Snow-ob8kg]

I hope you're having a great day, Ryan!

[@PixelGameSquad]

Ay bro! Just wanna say I really dig yah and been binge watching a lot! I am a fellow creator (retro gaming collector) and really appreciate your work and craft 🙌

[@tristancarroccia9900]

ok the first one is honestly pretty good for what it is. like with the budget its pretty impressive and exciting. i had a great time

[@mindseyemusicreview]

I always appreciate your movie reviews. It's helped me to discover some really great films I've never seen (Lake Mungo, Cube, Midsommar, and many others). Watching Possum now, based on another recommendations from a fan of yours on reddit. Thanks again for the great work

[@kimeakins4633]

The Saw series is my favourite set of movies. I've always been very attracted to its story telling and character development. Not that I care for John Kramer's - it doesn't matter what they reveal about him next, everybody still hates the bastard.

[@Rikrobat]

I actually find the “humanizing Jigsaw” elements kind of fascinating when viewing the series as a whole. Jigsaw takes a stance that he’s not killing anyone, merely putting them in a situation to survive or die and if they want to live, they’ll figure it out. And when you see the events that lead him to this philosophy, it can be easy to get wrapped up in the “yes, he’s got a good message” idea. However, it doesn’t actually overwrite the reality that this guy is indeed a murderer and it benefits him when people are charmed by his ideals. Movie 7 features one of the survivors actually calling out his methodology as crap. Yes, she “survived” but only by killing her business partner and hacking off half of her arm. She isn’t enlightened nor does she change her “ways”; she’s unapologetic and pissed off that people keep praising these traps as life changers. And I think that’s a salient point to keep in mind while critically thinking about the series. How easily can we get swept up in the curious ideology of a man who lost a child to violence of outsiders and survived a severe car crash, losing focus on the fact that he creates ways for people to die if they don’t irreparably harm themselves. I think it’s also interesting to compare Jigsaw’s murder traps against that of his disciples, where he maintains that his traps can be survived versus the others being ways to kill someone with more obvious intention. I might be in the minority in thinking that the sympathetic backstory actually improves the discussion because it does a good job of seducing other people onto his side; unless you’re willing to challenge him and any empathetic impulses, you’re fuelling the character to keep killing.

[@jillianbotting6500]

Legitimately one of my favourite guilty pleasure horror movies! Im so happy you ended up covering it. Great job as usual!

[@Cree_Empire]

When I was younger these movies gave me the, irrational, fear of going to bed and just waking up in a trap.

[@freyjabeattie3895]

SAME!

[@phemyda94]

Saw reminds me enormously of the largely-forgotten and underrated thriller Phone Booth (2002), in which Colin Farrell's character is also trapped in a small space by a twisted, unseen killer who threatens his loved ones and forces him through a harrowing moral awakening and redemption -- definitely one to check out for this channel!

[@stevenbrown1225]

Still knocking it outta the park (yank expression) blending the sponsor with the video!

[@AcolytesOfHorror]

"I really wanna like it, but the more I look into it, it just sort of falls apart and I'm just trying to piece it together as much as I can" Almost like.... a JIGSAW puzzle??? :-O

[@grosezero8834]

The true fear behind saw is that the room fills with GAS when GAS enters the room

[@caioferreira117]

I'm with you, Ryan: the screams at the end were the first time in my life that I got genuinely shocked and disturbed by a movie.

[@MikefromTexas1]

*When are you doing 8mm???* So are you excited or hesitant of "Spiral"?

[@outlast_the_night7727]

i have to say, as much as i don't really enjoy the rest of the franchise, 'saw' is still one of my favourite horror movies. it feels so much more like a thriller with psychological elements rather than just torture porn, and i like how the film felt like a puzzle that was becoming more completed as runtime went on, evolving with every clue the audience and the characters got, ending with that chilling, amazing twist in the end. also, 'hello zepp' is one of my favourite pieces of film music as it is so haunting and memorable. i don't really care for the movies of the franchise past part 3, and as i got older i found 2 and 3 increasingly harder to stomach, but the plot, twists and turns of the first movie are really where it's at in my opinion, and what makes me come back to rewatch it every once in a while. thank you so much for another great video essay, always a pleasure watching your videos!!

[@noot6230]

I’m on liberty at my navy base, on my lunch and this pops up. It’s a good day today.

[@becky200125]

I’m so happy native are sponsoring you bc I LOVE their stuff

[@native_cos]

💙💙💙

[@jasonchaos236]

I have always thought this movie was very good, not a masterpiece, but still very good and jigsaw seemed like a sort of villain who kind of made sense in a strange way.

[@snoopywg]

The climax of the first film with the music is just so intense. I love it.

[@BrandonBRich]

I just watched saw II last night. This was meant to be!

[@pizzatime2001]

I literally just watched Saw 3D this morning, and this video pops up. Perfect timing.

[@jocelynmanuel1524]

I lovee this guys voice it just pulls you in. has one of the bes reviews channels on this site. I would kill for an an hour long deep dive!

[@austins.2495]

Don't give in to the "Saw films are trash" narrative. The series has a pretty good story that continues through all of the movies, but all people pay attention to is the "torture porn" aspect of it. That's shallow

[@DemonicRemption]

@Austin S. In observing entertainment and people's perception of it, I've learned aesthetics is everything in media. If people find the aesthetics off putting they're going to ignore everything else about a piece of media. And for Saw's detractors, it's the traps. Hell I used to be one such person before I saw a retrospective from a Saw fan. Though sadly part of my changed perception is that in order to improve my writing skills I observe writing tricks, traits, and tropes. Though given a situation I find myself in, I feel like I wasted 16 years of my life(I'm 33).

[@TheMissileHappy]

I will always have a soft spot for this movie. It takes me back to my middle school days, when you had to watch this movie if you wanted to be cool xD Everyone was taking about it and making fun of people who were afraid to watch it...I don't miss that kind of teenage peer pressure, but it was still a great time.

[@ArgyleDinosaur]

OH MY GOD I'm way too excited for this video considering how much I'm NOT a fan of the SAW series.

[@ArgyleDinosaur]

Being real honest I'm just an unapologetic fanboy of James Wan and Leigh Whannell so whenever any of their projects get talked about I get real stoked.

[@paytonjohnson7263]

Ryan, I've been watching you for a while now and I just want to tell you that I love the work you do. You've enhanced my appreciation for cinema tenfold.

[@anonymous6705]

Torture porn grosses me out too much to ever watch the Saw franchise, but I love it's art design and hearing people talk about it.

[@sugarbaby1974]

Same, and I love seeing scenes out of context. It's a mind trip trying to figure out how a particular scenario figures into it all!

[@Megan-db3ql]

From a psychological standpoint the Saw franchise is interesting, but the thought of actually watching other people being tortured seems wrong. I know it is fake, but I don't like the idea of watching someone suffer.

[@liammullen2144]

This is one of the reasons why the first one is widely regarded as the best, it mostly obscures or implies a lot of the gore and violence. There is a couple really shocking scenes but it's probably not as bad as you're imagining. The sequels get into uncomfortable territory where you're just watching people be brutally tortured and the camera lingers on the graphic violence for extended periods of time and it's not left to imagination.

[@HadalStreetlights]

@@liammullen2144 i wish people who think Saw is just mindless torture porn would just actually watch the first movie.

[@tiniichan]

I've waited so long for you to cover Saw this is exciting!

[@jonathanjoestar4337]

PLEASE watch Antrum you I'll love it I swear

[@jushill08]

My partner and I had started watching these since I had never seen them, they had, and we were both very excited for Spiral. We're close to finished but the first remains my favorite, it is the best movie wise and i enjoyed your video about it.