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| Rated: 5.00/5 | Votes: 1 | Views: 244 |Submitted: 10/26/09 |
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SAW VI
Saw VI is the latest chapter in a story that should have ended three movies in. The series began with a brain, but that made it hurt doubly so as it descended into redundancy. But in its defense, Saw VI has more in mind than existing for its own sake. In connecting its central themes to one of today's most hot-button issues, the film brings more relevance to the franchise than it's seen in ages. It may not be the saga's salvation, but it's the first Saw movie in years that didn't leave me going, "Ugh..." at the end. We last left Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) as he secured the staus of heir to the late John Kramer (Tobin Bell), alias Jigsaw. After dispatching the final witness to his madness, Hoffman is free to continue Jigsaw's legacy with the most devious and personal game yet. The primary figure this time is William (Peter Outerbridge), a health care rep notorious for intensely scrutinizing claims. But after years of indirectly choosing who dies and who lives, William is about to taste his own medicine via a series of gruesome trials, a la Jigsaw. However, Hoffman isn't out of the woods yet, for the authorities are onto his deadly double life, forcing to cover his tracks long enough to see the latest game through. Any horror film that tries enforcing a lesson has its work cut out for it. I understand those skeptical of flicks that attempt this as some poor slob carves himself up like a turkey, but done right, the experience feels a little more rounded. Saw VI's undertones are a thin beef, a rejiggered take on the standard Jigsaw philosophy. But just enough is tinkered with so as to perk things up for those who've followed the madman's tangled web since day one. Choice has always been a big part of the franchise, though the idea resonates well with someone like William in the spotlight. Being someone who decides the fates of others for a living, it's interesting to see the traps mirror this, as he's often faced with being able to spare only one's life over another's. This lays the groundwork for the film's two cents in regards to the current health care kafuffle, providing a wry and fairly effective nugget of commentary. But most viewers won't come to see Saw VI whip out ye olde soapbox, which is why it comes with plenty of grue to spare. The change in villain comes with even more twisted logic; it's not so much a matter of if someone dies but who, as someone's guaranteed to bite the big one no matter what. It's not as suspenseful, sure, but the film makes up for it with challenges that earn their shocks without being overly complex. The traps are mighty nasty, including one meant to leave its victims breathless in more ways than one. Jigsaw may be gone and relegated to flashbacks, but Tobin Bell keeps his mystique alive with a performance that provides a bit more insight into how he became one of horror's heaviest hitters. I dare not speak of other figures who drift in and out of the picture for fear of spoilers, except to say there's enough commitment to story and character so as not to feel self-indulgent (or not as much compared to the last two films). Do I miss the modesty of the inaugural Saw movies? As ironic as the notion sounds, I do. I miss the rush I felt seeing the original for the first time, as I now dread how the series will try to extend its expiration date. It's a hesistant recommendation, but I must say that Saw VI was a fulfilling enough excursion back to the franchise's roots, one that, as brief as it was, gave me hope that Jigsaw would soon receive a long-overdue burial. MY RATING: *** (out of ****) Reviewer: A.J. Hakari |
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