I cannot say I’m entirely surprised that Saw did’t produce a big box office draw. Seeing as how most of the target audience either owns or has access to the film on DVD/Blu-Ray/VOD, it almost negates the purpose of seeing it in theaters. If it were a beloved classic from the 1970s or an epic special effects bonanza, I could see the reasoning behind bringing it back to theaters but since it is neither of those, I was having trouble figuring out just why it needed to return to the big screen.
The film placed 20th over the weekend – bringing in just over $650,000 – with Ouija taking the number one spot and the Jake Gyllenhaal thriller Nightcrawler coming in a close second in a photo finish race for the top spot.
Saw marks the horror film debut of powerhouse director James Wan (The Conjuring) and the first feature film collaboration between Wan and Saw co-writer Leigh Whannell.
Saw follows the plight of two men that wake up trapped in an unfamiliar room, restrained by chains – a dead body lies between them. The pair are given a series of specific instructions by which they must abide and tasks they must complete if they are to make it out with their lives intact. Their will to live and resolve will be tested and their survival will ultimately depend on how much they are willing to sacrifice.
