Saw – Directors Cut

WORK – Let the game begin...

Two men wake up chained to the wall of a bathroom. They don't know where they are and they don't know each other. They just know that one of the two must absolutely kill the other within eight hours, otherwise they'll both be shot. The victims are ready to do anything to escape, but to gather all the pieces of this terrifying puzzle, you will have to play according to the rules that a crime genius imposes on them...

Between Cube and Se7en, this horrific thriller well-damaged which upset the codes when it came out (but also presented the « Big Bad Wolf » Jigsaw) is today an instant classic of the genre. Absolutely diabolical and equipped with a glaucous atmosphere as desired, it is a harsh and malignant cinema experience that keeps stirring the guts. How can we not get into the game?

IMAGE – Get off the masks!

This brand new UHD Dolby Vision transfer marks a huge difference with the previous Blu-ray.

Always too « Dirty », the sordid photograph of the work (a peaty grain) is gratified by a colorimetric palette with increased vibrance. The shades blue (in the present) and green (in the flashbacks) are more prominent where rust (or more generally reds) « blood ») gain in roughness. The HDR technology also makes it possible to drastically refine the brightness of the frame by bringing life (lighted rooms) or death (dark galleries) to the places visited... which seem more realistic (and appropriate to the drowsy atmosphere) thanks to deeper blacks and brighter whites.

The details are also more revealing of the horror that is being played. The image is therefore much more piquéed than in the past (it was too soft in HD) with naturally enhanced textures and more backgrounds « live » (cf. the broad plans of the city).

SON – Scream my pig!

Just fantastic, the soundtrack Dolby Atmos (in VO) will play with your nerves!

Dynamic and frightening (destabilizing sounds are legions), she amuses with adding the verticality of the sound on many occasions (especially the sequences of Paul and Amanda). Equipped with what is more with a totally crazy directivity (the effects swirl regularly from one speaker to the other), it aims to « aggressive » without neglecting the return of dialogues.

Terribly effective also, DTS-HD MA 6.1 (VF) mixing is still not as tetanizing.

CONCLUSION – You really thought it was over?

Essential for any good fan of horror who respects himself, Saw first of the name finds the missing piece of the puzzle in this incredibly good 4K Ultra HD. So you won't have any more excuses for not being the game masters!