Hollywood's not know for sticking to reality, but I really enjoy their portrayals of
serial killers. They all have: unlimited budgets, an incredible array of skills, and fantastic technology that allows EVERYTHING to become remote controlled.

"Saw" is another of the endless "horror" movies targetted toward the college and MTV audiences. The movie opens with a fairly nifty premise: two guys wake up in a Tool video. Actually, they wake up in a nasty garage/bathroom, chained at opposite ends and with a dead body in the middle of the room. Sounds interesting, but then little things like "plot" and "acting" appear.

The captive situation is a rip-off from the famous climax of Mad Max. You're chained at the ankle..if ya' wanna' escape, here's a hacksaw! The serial killer tries to evoke connections to "Seven", as flashback sequences show a series of gimmicked deathtraps. While frightening, the deathtraps seem unreasonable. The killer is able to control WAY too many items with hidden cameras, switches, remote control, tripwires and electricity. He also must have an unlimited budget, since he sets up ENTIRE buildings to house his deathtraps.

The acting is the biggest flaw. Cary Elwes is plain terrible. He slips into an English accent a few times. At the movies' climactic "emotional scene", the entire audience was LAUGHING at Elwes's supposedly emotive cries. Pretty sure that's NOT something the director was hoping for. Danny Glover is equally terrible as a police detective homing in on the "jigsaw" killer.

The movie has a few scary scenes. A photographer wanders around a dark apartment, using only his flashbulb to see around. With each flash, we see split-second shots of the apartment. You just KNOW that we'll eventually see something spooky in an upcoming flash. An animated stage dummy (seen in the previews) is quite unsettling, although a good portion of the audience laughed at it.

This movie seems like a drawn-out version of HBO's old "Tales from The Crypt" episodes. It could have used some of the humor of that series. Plot holes emerge, but this movie might keep the squeemish nustled up in their seat. If you're creeped out by Tool's "Sober" and "Stinkfist" videos, then you'll probably pee your pants.

Five beer movie. Would have been the WORST movie I've seen this week... but I saw "Gangland" on the Action Channel last night.