20 Horror Movies From The 21st Century That Didn't Actually Suck

15. Saw (2004)

This film, along with the wildly more violent and poorly made Hostel, heralded in the era of 'torture porn' horror. What many people forget, however, is that the original entry in the Saw series was a tightly made shocker with strong performances and a cracking twist. When two men, a photographer and a doctor, wake in a disused bathroom, they quickly realise that they've not only been kidnapped by the notorious Jigsaw killer but also that they must make a series of decisions which will impact on each other's lives.

For the photographer, he must simply escape. The doctor, however, must kill his opposite or else his family will be murdered. Both have hacksaws which are not meant for the chains tying them to the walls but for their feet. Meanwhile, two detectives try and piece the whole case together and stop Jigsaw. It's all too easy to simply remember Saw as a seven film series which deteriorated as quickly as the plot snaked back in on itself, but this film clearly investigates what humans will do to either escape or protect their own.

Although reviews were mixed, the film, from a $1million budget, grossed over $100million and launched the careers of James Wan and Leigh Whannell. It also helps that actors such as Cary Elwes deliver emotionally wrought performances and the violence, although quite grim, is actually kept to a minimum when looking at other 'torture porn' entries. All in all, a strong film in a weak series.