Whether judged by box office revenue, the number of sequels, awards won, or overall influence, Saw is one of the most successful IPs in the horror genre—and indeed, in all of cinematic history.
The first Saw movie, released in 2004, had a production budget of only about $1.2 million and a shooting schedule of a mere 18 days. Yet, it grossed $103 million, achieving a box office return rate that can only be described as mythical.
Unlike the sequels of most horror movies, which easily fall into the pattern of a poor follow-up or repeatedly rehashing the same old tropes, the Saw series relied on interlocking plot foreshadowing and continuously enriching character profiles. The entire series spanned ten films, with a cumulative global box office exceeding $1 billion.
It is absolutely a classic IP with robust vitality.
It was precisely because the script was so classic, and the production cost was dirt cheap—most of the scenes unfolded in a single confined bathroom, requiring no grand scenes or special effects, and the male lead literally lay there for almost the entire movie—that Denji chose to transplant this story directly to Terra. Furthermore, with the professional team provided by Emperor, the filming and release were completed very quickly.
In fact, because Emperor mobilized his connections, the team he assembled for Denji was overly competent, even including prop and special effects artists who mastered relevant Originium Arts. This allowed Denji to incorporate classic games from the later sequels—such as the needle pit, the revolving contraption, and the pound of flesh game—into the first movie to amplify the horror effect.
Of course, what Denji most wanted to achieve was integrating chainsaw elements into the core.
Actually, the translation of Saw isn't entirely accurate in his native tongue (Chainsaw Scare); the protagonist's true alias and the core prop of the first movie should have been "Jigsaw." But through Denji's adaptation, combining the movie's title with the recent deeds of the Chainsaw Killer, Denji had already harvested a sufficient amount of fear.
Aside from bringing fear to the masses, different audiences could find different kinds of entertainment in Saw.
Just like inside the cinema right now:
Young people seeking thrills and the bizarre saw plenty of gore. Even veteran enthusiasts of the genre were given goosebumps by Jigsaw's various mini-games. Compared to traditional ghost and monster horror films, the various prop executions in Saw were far too immersive, enough to induce phantom pain.
The older generation of Yenese, who believed that good is rewarded with good and evil with evil, saw a life philosophy in Jigsaw's vengeance.
"This old man is ruthless. The methods our gang uses to deal with traitors are too crude. We should learn a few tricks when we have time, or maybe recruit a few carpenters and engineers." A few gang members commented while watching with great relish.
Just as their conversation was bringing more intense panic to the surrounding audience than the horror movie itself, a capable blue-haired woman in the front row turned her head with a dignified expression.
"Sorry! Officer, didn't recognize you just now!" The gang members immediately sat up straight, not daring to discuss irrelevant topics anymore, while also feeling somewhat puzzled: Why would the most dedicated Senior Superintendent of the Guard Department have the free time to watch a movie?
Ch'en Hui-chieh continued to stare fixedly at the screen. She had suffered enough from copycat criminals recently.
Although this movie seemed to have massive backing—easily passing censorship even while the Chainsaw Killer was in the limelight—if this film also triggered copycat crimes, then regardless of who the backer behind the scenes was, Officer Ch'en would have to settle the score with the production team.
As for the new generation of corporate wage slaves, who had accumulated massive amounts of workplace stress and were seeking relaxation, the villains designed to be executed by Denji in the plot were the types of people who drew the most hatred in Lungmen: black-hearted bosses, loan sharks, and rule-breaking gang members.
Watching these people struggle to survive in Jigsaw's games allowed most of the audience to feel a sense of vindication and satisfaction.
Hardcore movie fans, who sought out plot and technique, savored the film's exquisite narrative and twists:
The film opened with an intensely oppressive locked-room dilemma: two men chained together, waking up in a bathroom with a corpse, and being told via a videotape that only a few people could survive this game. They needed to saw off their own legs while fully conscious to break free and kill the other person first.
This delivered ample dramatic conflict, before using flashbacks to introduce the background and philosophy of the protagonist, Jigsaw:
Having suffered heavy blows and being diagnosed with a terminal illness, Jigsaw hated those who escaped legal punishment or failed to cherish life. He prepared many mini-games testing life and death for these people, forcing them to realize the preciousness of life through the ordeal, while always leaving a path to survival in every game. Some survivors who passed the tests even corrected their attitudes toward life and became Jigsaw's disciples.
"No matter how you look at it, it's glorifying that criminal. A murderer is a murderer!" Officer Ch'en, brimming with a sense of justice, mercilessly slapped the label of "twisted values" onto this film.
In reality, while Jigsaw wasn't a good person, he wasn't a hypocrite either; he was willing to make his own life part of the game.
As the classic execution theme played, the film's greatest suspense was revealed:
Just when the two game participants thought they had used a fake death ploy to deceive and counter-kill Jigsaw, they discovered that the man who broke in was merely another contestant. At the same time, the real Jigsaw, who had been lying on the floor disguised as a corpse the entire time, stood up and pronounced that classic line: "Game over!"
"Excellent design!"
Fans in the audience were already applauding this explosive and awe-inspiring ending.
"Although not quite up to par with my own works, there are indeed things worth learning from," a beautiful white-haired girl with fully tattooed arms, exuding the vibe of a street delinquent, muttered while earnestly taking notes in her seat.
Even Old Tree, who had initially come to find clues about the Chainsaw Devil, had unknowingly become engrossed at some point and begun contemplating his own life. If given a choice, he would rather challenge Jigsaw's games than become the devil's puppet like he was now.
"Super cool music!" Emperor, infected by the execution theme, danced in his cinema seat.
Penguin Logistics happened to have a day off today, so Denji invited Emperor and his crew to watch the work he invested in.
Of course, given Denji's pursuits, aside from satisfying Emperor, his financial backer, he also harbored some clever little thoughts about watching a horror movie with young girls. Denji had already decided: aside from saving his sacred "first time" for Reze, he would use other forms of close contact to alleviate his frustration.
Again: if it were anyone else, this might seem very scummy, but for Denji, this was already an extreme display of self-restraint.
Having booked the seats in advance, Denji had Croissant on his left and Exusiai on his right.
As for Texas and Sora? When Sora learned they were going to watch a horror movie, she booked the seat next to Texas even earlier. And Texas naturally sat between Exusiai and Sora—Denji always felt the need to consult this Lupo girl and ask for advice on how to attract women.
When the movie reached its bloody, terrifying scenes—
"Wah! So scary—" Sora swiftly hid in Texas's arms, while the latter patted the little idol's back with overflowing boyfriend energy.
Denji's heart also leaped with joy: In this kind of atmosphere, physical contact is secondary, but this sense of anticipation is what young men and women truly enjoy.
Immediately, a warm, petite body also burrowed into his arms.
Just as Denji thought he had succeeded and inwardly cheered 'Just according to keikaku', a cow horn stabbed straight into his carotid artery.
"Sorry, sorry, Boss! Let me stop the bleeding!" Croissant frantically searched her pockets for an emergency bandage.
Denji, however, wearing an expression that said he had lost all will to live, indicated he was fine: with the physical toughness and regenerative power his body had tempered through countless battles, he wouldn't just drop dead on the spot from a hug segment he had meticulously designed.
However, this minor hiccup had destroyed the majority of Denji's enthusiasm.
That was, until he saw Exusiai on his right, flashing him a knowing smile.
"Your thoughts are still so easily written all over your face, Boss!"
Exusiai was always one to speak her mind directly. She also liked to be frank with people, and interacting with Denji felt just like hanging out with a good bro.
Even with Denji's thick skin, being seen through by Exusiai like this still made his face flush slightly. He coughed lightly and shifted the topic back to the plot.
"Do you guys want to know the inspiration behind the design of this part..."
But Exusiai gently leaned in and whispered, "Boss, do you remember what I still owe you from the first time we met?"
Denji's heartbeat immediately accelerated: Could it be?
The next moment, Exusiai hooked her arm around Denji's neck, giving him a massive bro-hug.
"Thanks for taking us to see such an amazing movie! Thanks for the investment, Boss! Thanks to... the screenwriter's creativity!"
Exusiai kept her promise, pressing closely against Denji, laughing heartily amidst the applause.
Denji didn't want to draw too much attention to himself, so the group hadn't exposed his identity as the screenwriter.
Even though it was an arm-around-the-neck hug treating him like a bro, this close contact with Exusiai still left Denji immensely satisfied. Infected by this optimistic, innocent girl, he decided to temporarily forget about his lower half and have a party among friends after the movie ended.
However, Old Tree, seated not far from Denji's group, narrowed his eyes sharply.
"That girl might have clues about the screenwriter. If I overdraw a bit of my credit limit temporarily, I should be able to take her down!"
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