The (Final?) Saw

John Kramer attacks from beyond the grave...for the third time.

Saw VI

starring Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Shawnee Smith

directed by Kevin Greutert

Ah, the Saw movie series. Its just not Halloween unless you go and see Saw. The original was genius, and I believe it to be one of the best of the new brand of slasher Horror films. However, as with all sagas if you’re not careful, the sequels just get progressively worse and more diluted. I consider myself a fan, but I will go as far to say that none of the sequels have managed to capture the creativeness of the original Saw. I will go farther and say that you could skip all the ‘even’ numbered Saw films. Three and Five were greatly superior to Two and Four. Saw VI managed to break that cycle, but the series as a whole still leaves much to be desired.

It picks up moments after the shocking end of part five; Detective Hoffman (Mandylor), who is the last surviving accomplice of John Kramer (Bell), retrieves the detacted hand of Strahm and uses the fingerprints to frame him in the Jigsaw murders. Thus far he is still in the clear, and makes to move forward with the last of the dying John’s wishes. These targets are in six sealed envelopes that John left his former wife, Jill (Russell), in his will. The main player of the latest ‘game’ is the vice president of Umbrella Insurance where John was previously rejected coverage for his cancer treatments. As in all the Saw films, the characters are put in the face of death and tested to see if they have what it takes to survive. Only, Hoffman has never been tested. As the gears of the plot slowly turn, will it finally be his turn to see if he has what it takes?

Increasingly, the Saw films have gotten more and more complicated. I personally feel Saw III was the logical stopping point, but the producers have done everything in their power to keep the dead ghost of John Kramer alive in IV, V, and now VI. Its hard to believe that Kramer would think so far ahead as to video tape his ‘game’ proposals to the newest set of victims, or to even out think his accomplice this far ahead in the game, after his death. A major mistake that the creators made in this new film, as well as the last two, is going back and adding new behind the scenes details that only serve to further corrupt and complicate the ongoing plot. It becomes a murky conundrum that can only vaguely be understood by the avid Saw fan; the new comers are left wondering just what the hell is going on. By narrowing the audience so, it really leaves a slim chance of success and becomes very bland. At what point does the events of Saw one stop effecting the present, and we just move forward?

The acting is decent and nothing special. The directing could have been done by anyone, but it wasn’t bad. The plot was more simplified than previous sequels, but still obvious and repetitive. The only thing VI had going for it was the interesting new ways in which people die. Skin boiling steam, skin melting acid, the sacrifice of pounds of flesh…Saw is the place to go for good, old fashioned gruesomeness. The creative situational deaths are as fun as always, and are perhaps the sole reason for anyone except die hard fans to get out and see the film. The special effects department of this film deserves credit for realistic, awesomely disturbed gore.

I truly hope the Saw franchise is done. As much fun as they can be, the further they go on from here can only further taint the original. I would suggest to the writers and producers; take your obvious talent for a slasher flick, and apply it to a new story. Leave Saw be. Its done; overcooked, even. Saw fans, go see it to get some closure. Gore fans, go see it to see some horrific and bloody scenes. Everyone else, just skip it. Not worth it, really.