Saw

The 2004 American horror film, directed by James Wan in his feature directorial debut, with a screenplay by Leigh Whannell based on a story co-created by Wan and Whannell, introduces the serial killer known as the "Jigsaw Killer," who tests his victims' will to live by subjecting them to deadly traps where they must inflict physical pain upon themselves to survive. The nonlinear narrative centers around two men, Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes), who awaken chained in a dilapidated bathroom. Between them lies a corpse holding a gun and a tape recorder. Each finds a cassette tape instructing that Dr. Gordon must kill Adam by six o'clock, or his family will die, while Adam must survive. Concurrently, Detective David Tapp (Danny Glover) investigates the "Jigsaw" case and suspects Dr. Gordon. As the plot unfolds, it is revealed that the "Jigsaw Killer" is John Kramer (Tobin Bell), a terminally ill patient seeking to teach people to appreciate their lives through brutal tests. The film is renowned for its unexpected twists and tense atmosphere, establishing it as a cult classic in the horror genre and spawning a successful franchise.