Saw (2004)

Saw was first screened on January 19, 2004, before being released in North America on October 29, 2004, by Lions Gate Films. The film received generally mixed reviews from critics, who praised its twisted and clever plot, direction and acting, but criticizing its screenplay. Despite this, Saw performed very well at the box office compared to its low budget, grossing more than $100 million worldwide and becoming, at the time, one of the most profitable horror films since Scream (1996). The film was theatrically re-released, to select theaters, on October 31, 2014 to celebrate its tenth anniversary.[4] A sequel, titled Saw II, was released in 2005.

Photographer Adam Stanheight awakens in a bathroom with his ankle chained to a pipe. Across the room is oncologist Dr. Lawrence Gordon. Between them is a corpse holding a revolver and a microcassette recorder. Both men find a tape in their pockets, and Adam retrieves the recorder. Adam’s tape urges him to escape, while Gordon’s tape tells him to kill Adam by six o’clock or his wife Alison and daughter Diana will be killed.