Saw was made for like, a million bucks. So it's basically the cost of a MINUTE of screen time in, say, "War of the Worlds". Filmed in under a month, a first time director and screen writer, give the guys a break. The serial killer has time, he's dying from a brain tumour, what else should he do with his time but get revenge on random people? It may not be the world's greatest movie, but did you see Godzilla? $120 million down the crapper. This at least was cheap.
Basically, if they'd had the millions Finchers had for Seven, it probably would have been the scariest movie ever made.
And the two guys making it are Aussies. So I'm bound by native law to defend them. And if you watch the commentary on the DVD, they spend the entire time giving their own film, and the acting, shit. That's definitely worth watching.