I’m happy to report that the SAW films are getting better, but they’re not good enough to outright recommend. By episode V, we might have a four-star horror film.
The set-up is nice — Jigsaw (Tobin Bell, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD) is a killer who kidnaps people and sets them about gory challenges in an effort to make them realize their sins. Eric Mathews (Donnie Wahlberg, DIAMOND MEN) is a hot-tempered cop who will do anything to get his man. His relationship with his son Daniel (Erik Knudsen, THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFIANCE, OHIO), who gets in trouble with the law from time to time, is strained. Then his worst nightmare comes true — Jigsaw kidnaps his son and places him in a sealed off house with a group of people given tasks to carry out in search of an antidote to the poison gas that is filling the rooms.
Amanda (Shawnee Smith, THE STAND) knows the most about Jigsaw because she survived his games before. Xavier (Franky G, MANITO) is a tough drug dealer who only has his own interests in mind. Jonas (Glenn Plummer, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW) is a peacemaker who tries to bring together the hostages as a group. Addison (Emmanuelle Vaugier, SECONDHAND LIONS) is a beautiful tough girl who doesn’t take crap. Laura (Beverley Mitchell, TV’s 7TH HEAVEN) is a scared preppy 20-something who seems totally out of her element. Obi (Tim Burd, MURDER ONE) is a shady man, who lurks off in the corners. Eric finds Jigsaw, but the killer just plays more games with the cop as time ticks down on his son’s life.
Unlike the first film, the sequel relies on a lot less contrivances with the character’s memories. The story presents some interesting challenges for the characters to deal with and builds some nice tension with its plot secrets. The challenge with the pit of needles is a brilliant metaphor for drug pushers. If a future SAW film is made up of moments like that one, it will be a horror classic.
Where the film begins to unravel is with its central character and use of foreshadowing. Wahlberg’s character is cliché much like Danny Glover’s character in the first film. Because he never feels like a real person, you never care about his struggle for a moment. In its foreshadowing, the film gives away too many secrets. Any audience member who has seen only a few films like this will be able to telegraph the twists too far ahead of their reveal. This lessens the tension instead of increasing it. The core premise of the franchise is a wonderful launching point, but with a sequel coming each year will the series burn out too quickly? There’s potential for a really great horror film with this series, it’s just not quite there yet.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
