Actually, I saw this movie quite a while ago, but since I get asked about it so much, I figured I'd include it in my update...
When I first saw the trailer for Saw, I knew I had to see it. It sounded like it was going to be along the lines of Se7en -- original and disturbing. Unfortunately it turned out to be a bit if a let down. To be fair though, I saw it with a friend that had a bit of a negative attitude that night, so perhaps that contributed to the experience as well.
I gotta say that I found the premise of the story particularly twisted. So much so that I have grave concerns about the mental health of the writers James Wan and Leigh Whannell. These guys should consider therapy. Seriously.
Overall the movie was more than compelling enough... It had enough twists, turns, and misdirection to keep my head spinning. Consider this, the guy responsible for the terror inflicted in the victims can't even technically be called a killer. He never actually kills anyone. He simply puts his victims in a position to ultimately choose their fate -- usually resulting their gruesome death. The twist at the end caused both physical and audible reactions from the audience. Kudos on the writing.
Despite the great thrill ride, the movie disappointed me for some reason. I can't pin down one particular reason for that, but there were a few minor things that bothered me, the biggest being that it was clearly written with a sequel in mind. Sure enough Saw 2 is on the horizon.
So, how much did it disappoint me you ask? So much so that I bought the DVD last week. If you really like scary movies, you'll really like Saw. I have yet to meet anyone that successfully figured out the real killer's identity before it was revealed at the end.
Rotten Tomatoes: 46%