Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Drew On Movies #21: Saw 3D (2010)
Saw 3D (2010)
"Do you want to play a game?"
Ah the Saw franchise, if ever there was an example of sequels for sequels sake, you are it. We have an interesting history you and I- while skimming a horror website many years back I read an article about the second installment of the franchise, and while it unknowingly spoiled the first film for me somewhat, it also intrigued me. Sometime later a friend of my brothers lent me the first two films and I watched them with twisted glee- what can I say, I enjoy a good, albeit sadistic morality tale, and creative death traps are always fun. Suffice to say, while the first was no doubt the best and could easily have remained a stand alone film, the sequel wasn't too shabby.
As we all know there is nothing Hollywood loves more then perceived 'easy' money. Sequels are the cornerstone of this idea, as if it worked once it can work again, and again, and again. Quality doesn't matter as long as money is still being made, and horror flicks tend to be able to survive longer in this system for whatever reason- its why we have six sequels to Nightmare on Elm Street when only two are any good; they all made money.
So it was thus inevitable that yet another Saw would come to pass, and when it hit theatres I went to see Saw 3, and had to admit, while it was not even close to the original, the film's ending had me itching for more. Waited for the DVD release for part four, five and six, and the truth remained- while the quality was not good, elements of the films continued to intrigue me, most importantly the ever growing world of the film. Each movie, while the main plot remained the same, added to the foundation of the first film and answered questions that on first glance we were not aware needed to be asked.
Thus we find ourselves with the final film in the franchise, one that seeks to tie up loose ends and bring the series to a conclusion. Most horror franchises don't get this luxury, either they keep going one way or another or when they do stop making them little if anything is resolved. As the creators were aware this was gonna be the end they had a rare opportunity to finish what they started. Did they succeed? Let's find out as we play one more game- this is Saw 3D
Plot
The film begins as they often do, with a flashback to another film in the series- in this case, we go all the way back to film one, and the fate of Dr. Lawrence Gordon, played by Cary Elwes, who cut off his own foot to escape Jigsaw's trap and who has not been seen since. Dr. Gordon is seen crawling through hallways and using a hot pipe to cauterize his leg. We then cut to what the franchise is known for- a death trap, this time one in public. Two men are chained to band saws with a woman above them, tied to a platform with another saw beneath her. As people watch them through shatterproof glass, Billy the Puppet rides in and explain the rules of the game- the woman has been playing both men and they need to decide who gets to live- both of them, or one of them and the girl. I won't spoil who bites the bullet here but all I can say is it is gory. From here we return to where the last film left off, with Detective Mark Hoffman, Jigsaw's apprentice, escaping the reverse bear trap head trap placed on his head by Jill Tuck, Jigsaw's widow. Hoffman, played by Costas Mandylor, escape the building without finding Jill and begins to set things in motion for the final game. Fearing for her life, Jill, played by Betsy Russell, goes to see Detective Matt Gibson, played by Chad Donella, offering information about Hoffman and Jigsaw's work in exchange for protection. While this is going on we are introduced to Bobby Dagan, played by Sean Patrick Flanery, a self-help guru who has gained fame and fortune by claiming to have survived a Jigsaw trap and how it changed his life. He is filmed meeting with other survivors for a DVD, only to be rebuked by Dr. Gordon, who subtly mocks him and his story. Leaving afterwards, Dagan is kidnapped and awakens in an abandoned insane asylum and informed that he has sixty minutes to save his wife from a trap of her own. He is also informed that it is his lies that brought all of this upon him- he has never been tested and instead was inspired by a real survivor to fake the story and make money. As usual, he must save others along the way by going through various tests and traps, or else leave them to brutal fates. Gibson and his fellow officers attempt to find Dagan and Hoffman, all the while being sent cryptic messages by the latter claiming the game will end when he has Jill. Who will live, who will die, and who is really pulling all the strings?
Thoughts
As stated, I've stuck with this series despite it's gradual dips in quality for one simple reason- every film added more to the entire story, and wanted to know how it was all going to come together in the end. Suffice to say, I was not disappointed. While there are still some questions I've trying to work out, that might take a full Saw marathon just to see everything in one shot. Regardless, the ending to the film and the franchise is done quite will in my opinion, and provided a satisfying conclusion.
Before I continued let's talk about the film on it's own, or rather, the traps. Let's be honest, most people who are watching the Saw movies are doing so for the traps and the violence they bring, and this film keeps the train rolling with some truly twisted little numbers. The main ones that Dagan deals with involve the every classic "see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil" motif, and how the characters involved in each did just that. The opening trap deserves some mention because not only was in the first time we've seen one done publicly, it was one of the few I can remember that was not just about survival- yes as always that is the main point but this one involved a situation in which the characters really had to be involved and enact a definite change. The final outcome of the trap was not only be their survival but their lives. Something was going to be different because of what they did. Regardless, all the traps have their own twisted logic and when they do their jobs there is blood and guts aplenty, and really, that's what most people came to see. Forget the moral lesson entailed in each one, people want violence and they get it.
For the actual fans, we get a continuation of the plot we've been following for the last few movies, with the surviving characters of Det. Hoffman and Jill each continuing their game with one another and the grander scheme of the deceased John Kramer- who appears in a number of flashbacks as well as new scenes and still played to perfection by the great Tobin Bell. If there is one thing I really dislike about the franchise is that as a character John dies too early- yes he still has his hand in things but I would've liked to see him just a bit more, if only because he is a great character who truly believes in what he is doing, unlike those who follow after him.
As with all the movies the bodycount is pretty high and most of the victims are only known to us through the recordings played prior to their deaths. We never really get to know them but at this stage in the game that should be expected- they are their to die, nothing more. The characters we are meant to follow have been there for some time so our focus is rightly on them- we know it is highly unlikely anyone introduced now is going to be of much importance outside of the main game.
While the overreaching story continued and concluded, which is a plus, it also reminds me of the series biggest flaws- while they can be watched on their own for the games, the main story is lost if the films are not all watched. Likewise, while you can watch them all to get the entire story, to do so you need to deal with these one film only games. Of course this isn't always true- the game in the original movie is important as it's what sets everything in motion, and the one from the third film begins to tie things up, those from the fifth, sixth and final films really are filler- the players in each one don't serve much of a purpose as they are only central to their own stories and not the main one.
Still, given that there actually is an overreaching story that goes across the films I can't really complain- few other horror franchises can claim this, as most have sequels that are only loosely tied together or not tied together at all. So really I can't really fault the franchise or the film for doing what they had to for everything to fall into place.
I have no real complaints about the film itself- it's a Saw movie, you know exactly what you are getting into and if you go in with that knowledge you can't really complain because you seen it all before.
Conclusion
If you are going into this movie expecting something new, you are an idiot. After seven movies the franchise has no reason to change it's formula and to expect such is foolish. However if you go in knowing the movies and thus knowing what to expect you should be fine. I doubt anyone is going to watch this movie without having seen the others, if for no other reason then it'd be a really weird thing to do. This movie exists both to be another trap filled Saw movie and to finish the franchise up in a manner that will satisfy those who have stuck by it this far. Repeat viewings of the films may be a wise choice after this one ends, and I will likely do so just so I can put all the pieces together, joke notwithstanding. Basically, as a fan of the series I can recommend it to other fans if for no other reason then to get closure and answers to the questions we've found over time. For non fans, let's be honest, if you haven't watched a Saw movie yet a review of the final one won't get you started. If you want to see how it all ends, watch it. If you didn't have an interest before, doubt you will now. After seven movies, it's time for everyone to say it. Game over.
3 Creepy Pig Masks out of 5
That's all of me, until next time, I'm the Drew, and I Be Awesome.
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