Benz Eye View: Saw X

It is good to be back in the Saw Marathon again after a couple years ago with Spiral. However, Tobin Bell returns as Jigsaw in an interquel taking place between Saw and Saw II. Will this interquel do well in the Saw franchise that has been lying dormant for quite some time, or will it be a forced reason for Tobin Bell to return when the series has already died out? Let’s find out in this Saw Marathon with the new installment: Saw X.

Pros:

1.) John Kramer a.k.a. Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell) is arguably the only compelling character throughout the Saw series mainly because of his motivation to commit such heinous acts in order to help people. This movie decides to not only make him the main character and explore his beliefs and actions but also make him go through a character arc that makes the audience sympathetic to him despite his horrible deeds, and it makes him go after these next victims more personally than usual. Jigsaw is front and center in this movie, and we get to see his actions more closely than in the previous movies.

2.) While most of the traps are somewhat standard, it is still good to see how effective and bloody they are just as we saw in the previous movies. Only a few traps stand out, but they are effective in what they do despite a few of them being a bit questionable on how effective they are. If you are one of the Saw fans who watch just for the traps, you will get them here, though you will have to wait a while to see most of them in action.

3.) The stand-out performances are between Tobin Bell as Jigsaw and Shawnee Smith as Amanda Young. We got hints of their relationship as pseudo-father and daughter throughout the series (especially Saw III), but this movie actually spends time with them a bit further. Amanda is worried that Jigsaw will die while understandably angry that the scammers tricked Jigsaw into believing that he is going to be cured of cancer. On the other hand, Jigsaw, while angry that he was tricked, still wants to give the scammers a second chance through his games, and he wants Amanda to understand that and the fact that he will die soon. The two worked well together before, and they still do in this latest movie.

Cons:

1.) It is pretty distracting to see Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith being old considering that this movie takes place in between Saw and Saw II. I can see Tobin Bell slightly getting away with this considering that his character is supposed to be a cancer patient, but Shawnee Smith does not have an excuse for her character. I suppose the filmmakers can do the easy route by making them look younger with CG, but considering how cheap the Saw movies are to make, they are only going to save some of that money with the blood and gore. I guess makeup can work, but that has limits. At least the filmmakers compromised with their performances instead.

2.) Jigsaw finds out that the “doctors” are actually scammers, and he quickly formulates a plan and creates traps for them to play his games; that is remarkably quick of him considering the context the movie gives the audience. I know that is a staple for this character, but I had to remember that he does that somehow despite the disadvantages that he has. This is just one of the criticisms that these movies had for a long time, and I am sure that the filmmakers have embraced it at this point…

3.) …Speaking of criticisms, the staple Saw issues are in this movie. From idiotic characters to convenience that might as well be a deus ex machina, this movie still has those flaws. However, one good thing about it is that it is more apparent near the midpoint instead of the whole movie when the scammers get dragged into Jigsaw’s games. As a result, those flaws are not as numerous anymore. I guess in some ways, the filmmakers have learned their lessons slightly.

Overall:

On September 29, 2023, Saw X was released in theaters two years after its predecessor: Spiral. For those who do not know, I am a huge Saw fan because it is my favorite guilty-pleasure movie series of all time. The main reason is that it has a fantastic idea: a man realizes he has cancer, survives a suicidal attempt, and decides that he must help others appreciate their lives by making them go through dangerous games that can get them killed if they do not succeed. It is such an amazing premise that it is a shame that it is not executed to its full potential, but it fixes those flaws with brutal and bloody traps, idiotic characters that deserve to die, and Tobin Bell as Jigsaw. Some of the movies are definitely better than others, but I enjoy this movie series nonetheless. With the latest addition now released, what do I think of it as a film person and as a Saw fan?

Honestly, I think this is the best Saw movie to date. The typical Saw issues are still there, but it is not as strong and numerous as its predecessors. I still cannot recommend this movie to non-Saw fans considering many of the connections to the previous movies, but I highly recommend this movie to Saw fans since it actually makes Jigsaw more compelling than ever. This movie is a game worth playing, and it shows a bloody and compelling good time.

7/10

Benz Eye View: Spiral: From the Book of Saw

Well, well, well. It has been four years since the last movie review of the Saw movies. Here we are once again in the Saw Marathon with a new installment called Spiral: From the Book of Saw. Let us see how the Saw universe goes with triple-A actors on screen. Let us play this game and see if it can still be as fun despite its stupidity.

Pros:

1.) If there is one thing that the movie series does well and still retains in this movie, it is the torture porn. The traps seen here are just as bloody and disturbing as in the other movies. Thanks to the cinematography and fast-paced editing (not to the point where it goes out of control like one of the other movies), it shows the victims of those traps are not only in pain (pointing out the obvious especially on certain traps), but also giving an idea on how they are feeling: panic and despair. The series still got it with its torture porn, whether some people like it or not.

2.) (POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNING)

This may or may not bother you, but I like that the killer is not John Kramer or an apprentice of his anymore; it is an actual Jigsaw copycat killer. This antagonist has no relation to any of the characters from the previous movies, and he has his own set of motivations and actions. I can understand that this is something that fans may not like, but I do appreciate something new like it is someone who looks up to the killer instead one of John’s apprentices like Dr. Gordon or Logan (which I wonder where they are at this point). There are things I wish can be improved on this character (as well as the movie), but I will get to that soon.

(END SPOILER WARNING)

3.) I like the premise of this movie: a cop is hated by his police officers, because he is the only honest cop in that force and the rest of them are corrupt. In fact, his own father is a corrupt retired officer, but despite that, the honest cop named Zeke (played by Chris Rock) still cares for his dad (played by Samuel L. Jackson) and will not go as far as doing any vengeful attacks against the dirty cops (think Commissioner Gordon in the Batman comics). However, the killer is attacking them, and Zeke has to stop the killer. A good idea of a story, and if done well, would make this one of the better Saw movies…

Cons:

1.) …I did say if done well, and since this is a Saw movie, it unfortunately suffers many of the issues that the previous movies had: the killer’s amazing and impossible amount of items and buildings he has on his disposal (especially when you figure out who he is), plenty of ways that the killer could have been caught or at least suspected, the main characters are idiots (to be fair, they are slightly smarter here), suspense of disbelief here and there, and I am pretty sure that there are some plot holes that I did not notice in this movie. Just what I expect from the Saw series.

2.) I mention that the premise is a good idea, but the problem with it is the main characters are not interesting enough to carry that premise. Despite the aforementioned part of them being idiots, Zeke does not really have much interesting in him other than he is an honest cop in a corrupt police force (also, Chris Rock is trying a bit too hard on being a tough cop with his stoic face), and his dad is not in it as much as I hoped (he probably would have brought some levity in this cop-killing situation, because he is played by Samuel L. Jackson). Their motivations are decent, but not enough to carry them with their weak characteristics.

3.) I called it on who the killer is near the end of the first act, because it is pretty obvious who it is. If you are a Saw fan and know the plot points and writing that are used in previous movies, you are likely going to guess who the killer is as well. Even if you did not figure it out, who the killer is kind of a lame and not as interesting as John Kramer or his apprentices. His motivations make sense, but other than the previous cons I mentioned, he does not have the same charm as the Jigsaw killer. The actor playing the killer did his best, but if I have to choose between Kramer, his apprentices, or this killer to come back in the next possible Saw movie, I will stick with Kramer or his apprentices.

Overall:

Spiral: From the Book of Saw was released on May 14, 2021. It was going to be released last year, but a certain pandemic happened, so it was released to this year. I will be honest: despite how much I bring down these movies, I consider the Saw series as one of my biggest guilty pleasures, because it is a movie series that has plenty of potential and a great premise, but executed poorly in my eyes. I was actually excited to see another installment, but I lowered my expectations considering the reputation of these movies. It does not matter that it has the executive producing of Chris Rock, I still do not expect any big things from it.

After watching it, I like this movie…as a guilty pleasure like the other movies. However, if I am being critical with this, I say it is a slight downgrade from its predecessor, Jigsaw. Saw fans may appreciate some new things here and there, but it ultimately will become an average addition to this series as usual. For everyone else, it is not really something worth watching and a game not worth playing.

4/10

Benz Eye View: Jigsaw

Jigsaw

Pros: 

1.) If you have noticed in the trailer, you may be thinking, “How is Jigsaw still alive despite having his neck sliced by Jeff in Saw III?”  The mystery is pretty interesting, especially since this takes place ten years after the events of Saw VII.  He may have survived somehow, or it might be a copycat.  Who knows?  At least the mystery is good enough to keep anyone invested in this movie, especially fans of the Saw series.

2.) Production has greatly improved over the last movie and the series in general.  Better camerawork, set pieces, traps, special effects, etc.  I can tell this has been done by a better crew than the last one, because despite some of the good efforts of the past movies, I can still see some amateur moves from those crew (to be fair, certain technology was not available at that time, and it was done in a fairly cheap budget).  That, or they have gotten better since Saw VII seven years ago.

3.) The acting has gotten much better from the last movies.  There are a few cracks that show their inability to emote, but the acting is bit competent with other actors (other than Tobin Bell, who is still the best actor and character in this movie).  It certainly went a long way after Adam’s fake death in the first Saw.

 

Cons: 

1.) As it is with the staple of any Saw movie, we have some dumb characters in here.  To be fair, some of these characters actually try to do some smart moves only for those moves end up not working, because Jigsaw is apparently the smartest person in the Saw universe.  Still, some of the choices these characters make could have been avoided if they were able to think this through.

2.) Another Saw staple: huge suspensions of disbelief.  There are plenty of questions that any moviegoer will think of when they see this movie, probably more when they start thinking about the events of the movie, and even more if they saw all of the past movies.  I suppose I should be used to it at this point, but it still cannot be ignored in terms of writing and story structure.  I would explain more in terms of Saw lore, but I am going to avoid spoilers for the sake of the people who really want to watch this movie, except…

3.) …There is one thing that really bothers me about this movie that connects to the last Saw movie, so here is your spoiler warning.  (SPOILERS) Since this movie takes place ten years after Jigsaw’s death, where is Dr. Gordon?  I was hoping that he would appear in this movie since he was the current Jigsaw killer.  Instead, we have a new person named Logan who was a Jigsaw victim, but since he was unconscious when his game started, Jigsaw saved his life, and he became his apprentice.  We have two Jigsaw killers in the series now.  I have mixed feelings about this.  While it is interesting that there is ANOTHER Jigsaw apprentice (I hope he does not end up like Amanda or Hoffman), not only will that create more plot holes that might as well be as big as a black hole, but they are clearly sequel-baiting here.  If they are, I hope they learned their lessons from their past mistakes.  Knowing them, they will not.  (END SPOILERS)

 

Overall: 

On October 27, 2017, seven years after Saw VII, Jigsaw was finally released in theaters.  Seven years since the last Saw movie.  Seven.  What do they have for us this time?  Was the wait worth it?  Do they have an interesting movie to show, and actually avoid the flaws that the past movies have made?  To say the least, this is a mixed bag.  If you hated the apparent plot holes, big leaps in logic, and suspensions of disbelief in the series, you will hate this movie.  If you love the Saw series, nothing in the world (not even me) will change your mind.  As a movie on its own, as I said before, it is a mixed bag.  I do not expect average moviegoers will love this movie, especially if they hate torture porn.  If you want something to truly frighten you, probably not this one unless if you are that much of a scaredy cat.  Otherwise, watch it if you want, but the people who will truly enjoy this movie are going to be Saw fans.

5/10

Now, what do I think of the Saw series as a whole?  In a way, I admire it.  I can tell that they want to tell a good story in the series (especially in the first two movies).  However, it is unfortunately bogged down with so many bloody torture porn traps that the average viewer will see it as a mindless bloody movie series.  It does not really help that many elements (i.e. writing, production, acting, etc.) are not really the best that everyone will ever see.  If there is one thing that everyone can probably agree on, the true star of the series is clearly Tobin Bell as John Kramer a.k.a. the Jigsaw killer.  With a compelling background and character, he is the only one carrying this series around despite the character’s death (not really surprising considering other horror series like Halloween, Friday the 13th, or Nightmare on Elm Street).  Will I watch another one?  Sure, but I am hoping that they fix their flaws in the series since I do like the premise of the series.  Do I recommend it to anyone?  Maybe watch the first Saw, and if they like it, let them try the rest of the series.  If they start hating it before they reach Saw III, do not let them watch it anymore.

Congratulations, dear viewers.  

You have survived Benz Eye View’s Saw Marathon.  Most people do not appreciate these movies enough due to their belief that they are just a bunch of torture porn movies.  But not you, not anymore.  You finally see what masterpieces they are.  You know the true meaning of my message: to appreciate your life despite in your most dire moments.  Will you join me in spreading that message to everyone else in the wor-

No.

…Excuse me?  

No.  I mean, I like the concept of the Saw movies, but there is no way that they are masterpieces.  No one in their sane mind will ever think these movies are masterpieces.

But…it gained tons of money and several sequels.  

And that automatically makes them good movies?  The Michael Bay Transformers movies gained plenty money and sequels, and they were not good either.

Oh, come on.  You got at least admit the traps were cool.  

I agree many of them were cool, but do you know what is even cooler?  This.

Now, excuse me.  I am going to prepare for a better marathon of a movie coming out this December.  Oh, and Happy Halloween everyone!

Benz Eye View: Saw 3D/Saw VII

Saw 3D/Saw VII

Since this is the last movie of the series until Jigsaw, spoilers ahead and a huge rant in the last con.  Skip to the overall section if you do not want to be spoiled.  

Pros: 

1.) I can tell that certain production areas have improved since the last movie.  Even though it takes a whole new level of suspension of disbelief, the traps have upgraded to a new level of bloody imagination.  It is creative, disgusting, bloody, and it makes you question how did Jigsaw manage to get all of this stuff without getting caught (probably Lionsgate themselves), but I digress.  This will satisfy the torture-porn fans if you are into that stuff.

2.) One area that has bothered me in the series that I only pointed out in Saw III was the visual filters.  When the scenes take place in the trap areas, the visuals seem to have a somewhat green or brown filter to slightly annoying contrasting levels.  This movie (and some scenes from earlier movies) have little to none of those filters (other than flashbacks).  They presented the scenes as clear as possible, so it is more relaxing in the eyes, and only used those filters if it is necessary.

3.) I enjoy that Jill’s attempt to murder Hoffman in the last movie failed spectacularly, and Hoffman wants to kill her.  A good ole cat and mouse chase throughout the movie as Jill hides from Hoffman due to her failed attempt to carry out her ex-husband’s wishes.  This makes Hoffman decide to screw Jigsaw’s philosophy, and kill Jill himself and anyone that stands in his way…

 

Cons: 

1.) …Unfortunately, the movie spends more time with two different main characters, Bobby Dagen, a con-artist who claims that he survived Jigsaw’s game until he actually participates in one, and Matt Gibson, a detective who is protecting Jill Tuck and investigating Hoffman.  Both of these characters are bland and dull, especially with their dry performances.  None of these two characters give any characteristics that make them stand out nor are they compelling.  They are both given their own plot of the movie, and to put it simply, they both failed.  Bobby has to save his workers and his wife’s lives, but fails.  Gibson tries to find where Hoffman is and attempts to protect Jill, but he gets killed along with Jill.  They both suck.  They are not as bad as Officer Rigg in Saw IV since the characters are not complete morons, but they are still flat characters that are not worth noticing.

2.) The typical things wrong with the Saw movies like plot holes, idiotic characters, huge leaps of suspensions of disbelief, excuses to have Tobin Bell to be in the movie, you get the idea.  Saying the same things over and over again does annoy both of us, doesn’t it?  However, there is one thing that does need to be mentioned…

3.) …The ultimate twist in this movie and the entire series (until Jigsaw) is that Dr. James Gordon from the first Saw is the true Jigsaw that will fulfill John Kramer’s legacy after his death.  Two things wrong with that.  First, the movie’s intro shows Dr. Gordon crawling away to get help after leaving the bathroom, and they showed him again in Bobby’s Jigsaw survival meeting, so the twist is ruined especially when he was acting suspiciously.  Second, this does not make sense.  Why would Dr. Gordon suddenly take Jigsaw’s side after all this time?  There were hints that he was around throughout the entire series after the first Saw, but they never really answer so many questions that will pop in so many people’s heads.  Isn’t Gordon worried about his wife and daughter?  Why did he leave Adam to die despite crawling away to get help?  How did Jigsaw convince Gordon to take his side?  Why?  Why?!  WHY?!  There are so many questions that do not get answered, and I hope it does in Jigsaw, otherwise I am going to lose my already insane mind!

 

Overall: 

Saw VII or Saw 3D was released on October 29, 2010, and it was intended to be the final chapter of the series (until Jigsaw).  For the supposed final chapter of the series, it leaves more questions than answers.  While the movie does have good production areas, the writing is absolutely flawed, and that says plenty about the series.  It feels like they just wanted to get this over with, because the confrontation between Hoffman and Jill takes a backseat with the most forgettable characters in the series so far (which is pushing it when you think about the majority of the other characters in the series).  I am kind of glad that it is over (slightly, because I do admit that the Saw series has a deranged charm to it), but I would not go that far yet.  There is one more Saw movie that is out right now, and I am going to see if this movie overcomes its predecessors.  Time to let that game begin, but for now, Saw VII is not a good way to supposedly end a series.

3/10

By the way, the 3D is absolutely pointless.  They are only used in certain traps, but they are not well-utilized, so stick to the regular 2D instead.

Benz Eye View: Saw VI

Saw VI

Pros: 

1.) I slightly like how Hoffman decides to follow his own ways instead of Jigsaw’s, moving away from giving people a chance to just doing whatever he wants.  (SPOILERS) Hoffman goes as far as killing other people who are close to discovering that he is Jigsaw despite Kramer’s protest against “killing.”  (END SPOILERS)  I kind of wished the movie spends more time with this, but it goes to show that Jigsaw’s method of teaching his apprentices does not exactly work.

2.) This is my favorite set of traps I have ever seen.  Ignoring the usual absurdities about them, not only are some of the creative (my favorite trap in the series so far is the carousel trap), there is a somewhat emotional investment for the main character of the game, William Easton.  He has to make many difficult choices to sacrifice one or the other people that he knew.  I can go on how the carousel trap is the best example of this, but explaining its strengths (and faults) might take up the entire review.  Clever traps that are not only inventive, but also fitting for William.  It would have been helpful if I knew these people more, but still inventive nonetheless.

3.) Once again, the movie uses flashbacks to show more of Jigsaw’s backstory, and it is slightly interesting.  John Kramer apparently tried to have some health insurance in order to cure himself of his cancer despite the low chances, but William (his healthcare insurance executive) believes that is not going to work and does not help him.  The conversations between the two characters have some intriguing moments; William probably could have prevented the creation of Jigsaw, but he ultimately did not.  Also, Jigsaw’s conversations with his ex-wife, Jill is slightly touching if not a little imbecilic in a few points.

 

Cons: 

1.) Jigsaw’s planning is super convenient and ridiculous.  You mean to tell me that Jigsaw planned to have these people be part of his “games” even after his death?  Maybe if it was Hoffman planning them, I can slightly understand, but how big of a mastermind is John Kramer?  He is just a guy with a background of civil engineering (and does not strike me as a rich man) and has cancer, not some satanic force who can magically make all of this happen.  How has he not been caught yet (excluding Saw II when he escaped)?  I know it is pointless to complain about the same thing, but if the movie is not going bother explaining this, I will keep bringing it up.

2.) Even though I like Hoffman’s divergence with Jigsaw, his plot in this movie is idiotic.  The FBI is suspicious that he might be a Jigsaw accomplice, but they bring him along the investigation, because they believe that he is one of the few people that they trust.  Predictably, this does not end well.  If the FBI is just as bad as the police in catching Jigsaw or Hoffman (especially when he is right alongside them), they deserve to die.

3.) Even though it is great to see Tobin Bell as Jigsaw, they are just making excuses to keep bringing that guy back through flashbacks.  (SPOILERS) It was probably not a smart move to have him killed off in Saw III, especially when they have to keep resorting to this tactic.  (END SPOILERS)  Desperate times comes desperate measures I suppose, but it is still a noticeable flaw nonetheless.

 

Overall: 

On October 23, 2009, Saw VI was released into theaters (we are almost there, people).  Nothing much to say here other than this is a step down from the last movie, but there are a few good things I actually like (they still know how to make some good traps just to please the torture-crazed fans).  It gets bogged down by cons that they still have not resolved, and areas that becomes more noticeably flawed as each movie is made.  I guess they were running out of ideas, because this is the second to last of the Saw movies until the upcoming Jigsaw movie.  Let’s hope Saw 3D/VII makes the series go out with a bang until Jigsaw.

4/10

Benz Eye View: Saw V

Saw V

There are spoilers in this review.  Skip to the overall section if you do not want to be spoiled.  

Pros: 

1.) The confrontation between Hoffman and Jigsaw is what I expect with these movies: a battle of wills.  Jigsaw believes he saving these people through his “games” will truly help them while Hoffman does not see it that way.  In fact, their first meeting is probably my favorite scene in the movie (if not the entire series).  Even though I can pick apart some areas that is wrong with it (Why can’t Hoffman just kill Jigsaw right there?  I am pretty sure he is bluffing with his threat.), I do like the character interactions between the two.

2.) I do like the investigation into Hoffman’s origins.  I am going to be clear: this is separate from his meeting with Jigsaw, because it actually fixes some of the plot holes from the previous movies especially Saw IV (despite how implausible they may be).  His descent from being a good cop into Jigsaw’s apprentice is probably one of the few things that is interesting in the Saw series.

3.) There are five people who are now participating in Jigsaw’s new game (Get it?  Five people.  Saw V.), and the second half of the game has a somewhat interesting twist.  Throughout the game, each person goes down one-by-one through each trap thanks to the individual members.  It is not until the last trap that the remaining two realize it would have been better if all the members are alive, because the last trap consists of cutting their arms in order to have their blood fill in a bottle in order to finally get out.  If all the members were alive, they would suffer little loss, but since only two are alive, they have to suffer so much to get out.  That is pretty clever; the group must work together, but they unfortunately do not, and the remaining two have to suffer greatly for it…

 

Cons: 

1.) …That being said, the first half of the game is not great, because these characters are not really people.  I understand that they are bad people, but they still do not talk like everyday people.  They keep referencing things like “This is game,” or “Follow the rules,” or “Understand,” so the dialogue is not exactly refined here.  It took time for me to get comfortable with these people, but it does not really help that movie spends more time with Hoffman and Peter Strahm’s investigation…

2.) …Speaking of Strahm’s investigation, the only way that the audience gets to see Hoffman’s origin is through Strahm’s investigating many areas of Jigsaw’s and Hoffman’s work.  Apparently, Strahm manages to know exactly what happened in those flashback moments.  I understand that in small areas, but in big ones like how Hoffman and Jigsaw met, Strahm does not strike me as that smart of an investigator (especially how he goes out by the end of the movie).  Once again, the series is really pushing the suspension of disbelief here…

3.) …And once again, we have some idiotic characters at work here.  I am just as tired of typing this out as you are reading the obvious, but I might as well state it here…again.  Here are some examples: Head Agent Erickson tells Agent Strahm not to go alone despite by the end of the movie, Erickson goes alone.  Strahm goes alone in a mission, and he ends up getting killed.  One of the people in the game decides to turn against everyone, because he says it is the survival of the fittest despite a completely change of personality.  There are some more, but I am not going to bother; you get the point.

 

Overall: 

On October 24, 2008, Saw V was released into theaters despite the last movie’s slightly poor performance in the box office.  This movie was supposed to fill in some gaps and answer some questions that the fans clearly wanted answered from the last movie.  To their credit, they did manage to answer some of those questions while giving a somewhat interesting narrative (it is still a mess in a few areas).  They have learned their lessons from the last movie, but not the series in general like compelling characters (not just the antagonists) or better writing.  I hope they continue that in the last two movies (or rather, three), because I admit that my patience is slightly wearing off, but has gotten better with this installment.  This game is not over, but there is more to come…unfortunately.

5/10

Benz Eye View: Saw IV

Saw IV

Pros: 

1.) While this has been around for the past two movies, I found the scene transitions to be kind of cool.  They transition by having the characters move into one area, and it suddenly changes into another area with other characters and a completely different set.  One example is when Officer Rigg throws a woman at a mirror, she crashes through it, which the camera moves through the mirror, and it now takes place in a police station.  I am not sure if I explained this well, so here is all of the transitions for this movie.

2.) This movie gives a bigger view on Jigsaw’s origin, and it is particularly interesting to see what John Kramer was like before he became Jigsaw, and how it leads him to that road.  In fact, I am becoming more aware that he is possibly the only thing that is interesting in the series other than the traps (kind of dumb of me now that I think about it).  There is another reason for that statement…

 

Cons: 

1.) …And that is because of the dumbest characters in the series.  However, in this movie, Officer Rigg is by far the biggest idiot in the entire series so far.  Say what you want about the other main characters, at least there are some better qualities about them despite being dumb as bricks.  On the other hand, Rigg must have turned off his brain when he participates Jigsaw’s game, because he cannot think his way through so many things that can get him out of it whereas I can think of several like call his police friends since he works for them.  The worst thing about him is that it is not visibly known if he really learned anything on what he went through.  (SPOILERS) At least the other main characters learned something in their respective movies before they either die or were never seen again.  (END SPOILERS)  The movie does not give the character time to reflect his actions, resulting with a character that nobody can really root for due to his idiocy.

2.) The editing is completely out of control here.  So many cuts and flashes can be disorienting and sickening, and they barely give room for the audience to breathe.  Once again, I understand it sometimes supposed to represent how the characters are feeling internally, but the previous movies had some restraint and know how to use those cuts a little better than this.  Maybe they were high and thought this was fun; I think they probably saw the final cut with a clear head, and realize the mess they were in.  Too late now.  We got one disorienting movie.

3.) (SPOILERS) The twist that they attempted in this movie is that it takes place alongside Saw III.  While there are signs, the story structure is such a mess.  There are several plot lines that has to be followed (some of them get more time than others), and only one is slightly interesting.  Not only that, they try to fill in the plot holes (some of those answers are not good), but they end up adding new ones that are very likely going to be explained in the other movies.  This is going to push many tolerant people’s patience, because it certainly is pushing mine.  (END SPOILERS)

 

Overall: 

On October 26, 2007, Saw IV was released in theaters.  Due to the success of the last movie, it was inevitable that they were going to make another sequel (especially since there are still questions from the last movie that was never explained).  Of course, they have to push in another one, and I can see the desperation on how rushed this was made, because it is awful.  I know that it is saying much considering the series, but this is by far the worst one of the bunch.  None of these characters (other than Jigsaw) I really care for, the writing is such a mess even the dumbest of moviegoers will question what is happening, and clear sequel-baiting so that the studio can keep milking this until it does not produce them money anymore.  The worst part about this is that there are still three more to go (four if you include the upcoming Jigsaw movie).  I am not sure if I can take this, but in the spirit of Halloween, I have to do this.  That, and Jigsaw himself has threatened me to review them…Crap.

2/10

Benz Eye View: Saw III

Saw III

Be warned.  I will be spoiling these movies from here on out, because the twists in the first two movies play a part from this point forward.  If you do not want to be spoiled, avoid these reviews, or skip to the overall segments.  I will point out when I will be spoiling certain moments in the movies, so here is your second to final spoiler warning.  

Pros: 

1.) (SPOILERS) I like the relationship and conflict between Jigsaw and Amanda.  Their relationship consists as a father and a daughter, and they genuinely care for each other despite the fact that they are both psychopaths, or rather Jigsaw is a psychopath and Amanda is a murderer.  That is what makes their relationship conflicting: Jigsaw gives his victims a chance to win his “games,” but Amanda rigs them so that the victims have no chance of winning; she intends to kill them.  That makes interesting drama and battle of beliefs.  (END SPOILERS)

2.) The movie tries to give more emotional context like the first movie, and it works to an extent.  One of the main victims of this movie, Jeff has an emotional turmoil in his game since he lost his son in a car accident, and he is not satisfied with the guilty party’s result in trial.  He is in charge of other persons’ fates in their “games,” but each person has to do with his son’s death, and he struggles to decide if he wants them to live or not.  While it does get a little annoying that he takes his time on his decisions since he predictably does not want to save them at first, I do like the eternal struggle he is having.  None of these people are monsters, but he does not feel like justice has been served.  Not a bad emotional conflict for Jeff as well the other characters.

3.) I have not really brought this up in the past Saw movie reviews, but I do like some of the traps in the movies.  How Jigsaw manage to make these is beyond me (and I will get to that), but I found these traps to be clever and brutal.  Say what you want about the torture porn aspect of the series, at least the traps are kind of clever.

 

Cons: 

1.) With this sequel, the series is REALLY pushing the suspension of disbelief.  The one question that will pass in everyone’s mind: how in the world has the police not catch Jigsaw?  I have a theory, but I will answer that in the next movie review.  There are so many ways that this killer could have been caught (and they were close in the last movie), but he somehow manages to get away with all of this.  They are answered as the series progresses, but they are questionable at best and insulting at worst.

2.) The story structure is too unfocused here.  For the first third of the movie, we spend time with the police, but for the rest of the movie, we spend time with Jigsaw, Amanda, Jeff, and Lynn.  The story with the police will not be picked up until the next two movies, so there is very little point to them.  Also, while flashbacks are prominent in the series, I felt that they used it too much to the point of over-relying on them.  Some of those flashbacks does not get explained until the rest of the series.  It reminds me too much of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice when they keep foreshadowing future movies in the DC Extended Universe.  If it were up to me, I would not do that, and let the movie stand for itself instead of foreshadowing future movies.

3.) The visual filters are really annoying to me.  The entire movie consists of a dark, yet bright green filter that really stands out when the characters are in the warehouse, and it kind of hurts my eyes.  The previous movies were not as strong, so this one bothers me more.  Unless if this took place in the Matrix, tone down the filter a bit, and show the audience a clearer visual.

 

Overall: 

On October 27, 2006, Saw III was released as what was supposed to be the last movie of the series (…it sure was).  They were planning for this movie to be a combination of the previous two Saw movies.  They made a movie that had an emotional investment as the first installment while adding the violent gore-fest like the second installment.  It does succeed in certain areas.  It does give some emotional investment and blood-spewing moments, but that does not guarantee a good movie.  In fact, Saw III is not as good as its previous installments.  They push the suspension of disbelief through the roof (and it gets worse from there), they are clearly foreshadowing for the next movies, and these “main” characters are so dumb that it makes me want to support the antagonist instead (I know that it is slightly the point in horror movies, but I believe the best horror movies are the ones where you support the protagonists more than the antagonists).  I was hoping it would get better, but it seems that they got worse from the last movie.  I cannot wait what they are going to show me in Saw IV.

3/10

Benz Eye View: Saw II

Saw II

Pros: 

1.) As I said in the last Saw review, I found the premise quite interesting, and in this movie, they reinforce my statement with an interesting antagonist.  John Kramer a.k.a. the Jigsaw Killer has a compelling backstory on his origins and why he sets these “games” up for these people.  We get snippets of it in the last movie, but in this sequel, they give a full-blown explanation on his motivation.  He is an utter psychopath who believes he is helping people realize that they should not take things they have for granted.  That is a compelling antagonist if I have ever seen one.  How he does it on the other hand…I will get to that eventually.

2.) There are two sequences that occur in the second act of the movie: the confrontation between Jigsaw and Eric, and the house trap sequence.  In my eyes, the confrontation is the best one.  While the house trap sequence is everyone trying to survive the traps and to escape the place, the confrontation is a battle of wills, and I enjoy that more than a bunch of people attempting to escape the house.  Jigsaw is toying with Eric’s mind, and Eric (being a completely flawed man) keeps falling for it.  Goes to show not every horror icon has to be a silenced masked zombie with a machete.

3.) The movie has definitely improved in production value from the last movie.  While there are still signs of cheap production (i.e. a shot of a SWAT van passing by, and you can see the reflection of the cameramen), at least I can tell that set pieces, acting, and certain cinematography has improved over the last movie thanks to the production limitations no longer being an issue.  I am glad that the studio gives them more time and money to have a little bit more creative freedom to make their movie.

 

Cons: 

1.) The editing is questionable to me, because there so many cuts (especially in fright scenes) that are supposed to reflect how the characters are feeling (or to be nice, show the numerous amount of characters’ reactions), and it works in certain areas, but it can be a bit nauseating.  I do not like to see that many flash cuts, because I might end up having a seizure.  The editing team needs to tone down the cuts, and show what needs to be shown.

2.) When it comes to the house sequence, I do not think some of these characters are necessary.  Out of eight people in that house, I can pinpoint three of them that are not needed: Gus, Addison, and Laura.  Gus gets immediately killed off as soon as he is introduced, so the movie could have done something similar in the first one like having a corpse in the middle of the house as an example for the characters to take their “game” seriously.  Addison barely does a thing except spout exposition.  Laura just stands there laying her back on the wall since she is clearly dying.  You may argue that they may have a role in the movie, but their roles can easily be replaced by any of the characters in the house.  Long story short, some of these characters are not needed.

3.) Just like the last movie (and horror movies in general), many of the characters are complete idiots.  I know some of these people are supposed to be flawed, but there is a fine line of characters making dumb decisions and being complete morons.  I am willing to suspend that disbelief in some cases, but it does not really help when some plot points do not really add up like how did Jigsaw manage to do some of these things?  They are answered in the sequels (some of the answers are bad), but on this movie’s terms, it is really pushing the suspense of disbelief.

 

Overall: 

In October 28, 2005, Saw II was released into theaters in America after the success of the first Saw.  Its predecessor did so well in the box office (the budget was $1.2 million and the box office was $103.9 million), the studio behind the movie, Lionsgate saw a chance for a franchise, and green-lit a sequel.  Here we are; a sequel to the one of the most polarizing movies ever made, and it gets more polarizing as it progresses, but I digress.  How does Saw II hold up?  The movie has made some improvements over its predecessor, but not by much.  It gives us an interesting antagonist with a compelling backstory, but his methods on dragging others into his “games” are absurd.  Production value has improved, but it does not excuse some of the writing’s flaws and plot holes.  Acting did get better, but some of these characters are not needed.  If you loved the first movie, you will definitely love this one.  Otherwise, people who were not interested in the previous movie will not find any interest in this as well.  Huh…not a bad improvement, but there is room for more.  Maybe the series is not as bad as everyone says…I hope.

5/10

Benz Eye View: Saw

Hello, viewers.

I want to play a game.  Right now, you are seeing that this reviewer is planning a Saw Marathon in a similar vein to the Star Wars Marathon in preparation of the upcoming Jigsaw movie.  Throughout its past seven-movie run, the series has earned its love and hate by many people for six years, and will reemerge in its eighth installment in Oct. 27.  This reviewer will be watching all seven Saw movies whether he likes to or not.  Will you be reading his reviews and take on his own perspective on how these movies succeed or fail, or will you ignore him and choose a safer option?  Read or ignore, dear viewers.  Make your choice.  

Saw

Pros: 

1.) Here we go.  Where do I begin?  First off, I do find the premise of the movie very interesting.  Two people stuck in a bathroom, and they are told to play a little “game” by a serial killer that does not really kill people, they just end up failing at his “games.”  That premise alone intrigues me.  It sounds like a great idea for a film, but…well, I will get to that in the cons.

2.) There are some creepy and suspenseful (or in a few cases, funny) moments throughout the movie.  There are some good shots of dark areas, moments where that are uncomfortably quiet, and tone that are a mixture of dread and anxiety.  While there are areas that are predictable jump scares, it was used effectively at least by somewhat foreshadowing it through tension and slow moments.

3.) The twist in the end is downright awesome.  There are small signs of this twist, so it is not completely out of nowhere.  I will not spoil it for people who are curious to see this movie (if you REALLY are curious), but I have a feeling if there is at least one thing that an average moviegoer will at least like, it will be the twist moment.

 

Cons: 

1.) There are so many moments that are forced, convenient, or just does not make any sense (I know some of them are answered in the sequels, but I am reviewing the movie on its own and not on the sequels yet).  It does not really help that some characters have to be idiots in certain moments in order for some plot points to happen.  Then again, this is a horror movie, so having idiotic characters is part of the norm.

2.) It is clear that the movie has limited production.  From what I have heard, they only had time for two takes (three if they are lucky) of every line during an 18-day shoot.  It is clear with various shots like one car chase (or filming a car with an actor inside in front of a black wall with the video sped up), sets that are clearly in warehouses despite it meant to be in a different setting like a house, and editing that many people can consider to be reflective on how the characters are feeling in certain moments, but I can understand if others see as nauseating.  I grant it to the filmmakers that they managed to get things done despite those limitations, but they are obvious.

3.) The performances are not really top-notched, especially with great actors like Cary Elwes and Danny Glover.  Considering they had only two to three takes to give their best performance, that gives them a disadvantage.  As a result, some of the bad performances can range from hammy to outright hilarious.  Moments that are meant to be serious end up hilarious due to their poor one-take performances.  I know these actors can do better than what they have on-screen, and I understand the limitations, but it does not excuse what ends up in the big screen by the time the movie is finished.

 

Overall: 

In October 29, 2004, the first Saw movie was released in the United States, and it was the start of the torture porn craze in movies (whether you like it or not).  The series revolutionized the horror genre; whether or not it was for the better is up for debate.  You may be wondering: why on Earth would I review this franchise now?  Two reasons: curiosity and inspiration.  The reason for both of those is one of my favorite reviewers named Welshy, who is a big fan of the Saw series despite its flaws.  Because of him, I decided to review these movies myself, and see if I agree with him or not.

Welshy was a big inspiration for me to watch the Saw movies.  I wish you still review movies, because they were great.  If you want to see his videos about Saw, they are on YouTube under “Welshy: Saw Retrospective.”  Just know that it only goes up to Saw V (or rather Saw IV due to license restrictions).  

Another reason is that Jigsaw is about to be released this Friday, so I thought, “Why not review the entire movie series?”  Well, I might as well brace myself for this series.  From the first movie alone, how does it hold up?  I can see some great ideas for this movie: an interesting premise, a thoughtful mystery, a suspenseful tone, and a horrific twist.  All of those could make a great horror thriller movie.  However, there are some areas that they desperately needed to improve.  Better production, improved writing, and finer acting could make the movie much better.  If you love a good horror movie, this will satisfy you.  If you want a well-written horror movie, look elsewhere, because this is clearly not it.  Then again, it might get better in the sequels, right?  Right?!

4/10