Hot-buttered opinion on the latest flicks

Saw

Fri., Oct. 29, 2004 12:00 AM PDT

B+

The psycho in this film thinks he's a real cutup. Well, he is actually. This gross-out horror flick is on the tail of a nut job who enjoys putting people in peculiarly complex and deadly situations (and has easy access to a lot of downtown warehouse spaces with poor lighting and plenty of privacy). His latest targets are Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell, who wake up chained to opposite areas of a drab, cold room and are told murder is the only way out. As their circumstances unravel, we learn more about the killer, the victims, the cops and how they're all connected. Point blank: This is a grotesque shield-your-eyes creepshow. And horrible acting aside, it's the kind of Halloween treat that'll have you checking your backseat after leaving the theater. If you have the stomach for it, see Saw.