20 Scariest Horror Movies Of All Time

By Ian Watson /

6. Saw (2004)

It€™s unfair to claim that Saw initiated the trend for so-called €œtorture porn€ €“ that dubious honour rests with Michael Bay€™s equally dubious Texas Chainsaw reboot, which treated us to the sight of Jessica Biel in a wet t-shirt swinging a weapon. In contrast, Saw was a movie for the head, a well thought-out psycho-thriller that didn€™t skimp on character. This first film isn€™t really about the traps or about Jigsaw €“ when it opens, it seems like it€™s going to be another of those boring two-guys-in-a-room indie thrillers. Then Leigh Whannell€™s script whisks us out of the room and straight into the story of a killer who offers his targets a choice €“ confront your worst fears, or die. His preferred method of rehabilitation for drug addicts is the €œreverse bear trap€, which, unlike in the sequels, is never deployed and actually €œhelps€ its target. Give that character a sequel €“ hell, give him 6, including one in 3D.