Saw 3D
Starring: Cary Elwes, Costas Mandylor, Sean Patrick Flanery, Tobin Bell
Details: US/90mins 18
Sean Patrick Flannery is a self-help guru, who claims to be a past victim of Jigsaw; he's been doing the TV rounds, and flogging his new book 'Survive', even leading a group of those who have managed not to buy the farm at the hands of the Bruce Wayne of serial killers (seriously, where does he get the money from?) Anyhow, Detective Hoffman is still carrying on his legacy, and killing folk who have made questionable moral decisions in their lives. Had an affair? You're screwed? Racist Nazi sort? Equally as screwed.
It's obvious that the crappy budget here has once again gone on the set design and very little else. All of the core cast are acting like they're in some type of horrible day time American soap, but the dialogue is so teeth-grindingly cheesy, and the plot so utterly nonsensical, Daniel Day Lewis would look like he's destined for a career doing Fair City. One guy in particular was obviously cast because of a resemblance to Ryan Gosling, but is left stranded by a director who looks like he couldn't give a shit.
In fairness, said director Kevin Greutert was essentially forced to take the film after he initially became attached to helm Paranormal Activity 2, when producers took advantage of a clause in his contract. There is no atmosphere, the 3D is pointless, the traps now completely scrapping the bottom of the barrel, and the whole thing looks like it was produced for a day's catering on a normal Hollywood production.
If you're a hardcore Saw fan then you like seeing people horribly murdered in an innovative manner. This has people being torn to shreds and I actually yawned during one of the sequences. About as scary as a 9 year old girl threatening you with a plastic golfclub.
Review by Mike Sheridan
Your Comments
chell3
(28th) !! I think this is the end of all saws??? can't wait too see this :)
Posted 25/10/2010 00:28:55
Paul
Going to see it this evening, can't wait to see it, i love the Saw franchise. I think what the haters don't understand is that it's not a series of sequels as such, it's one story, all the movies fit together and form the whole story. Chell3, this is supposed to be the last one, but i reckon it'll make so much money that Lionsgate will make more, or maybe spinoffs, here's hoping :)
Posted 28/10/2010 15:22:18
Paul
Seriously awesome movie, loved it, wild, exciting, disgusting and very clever, the perfect ending to, what is in my opinion, the best horror movie series ever created. And the 3D, not over the top, but very effective when needed. I loved it very much, excellent stuff. Didn't let me down one little bit :)
Posted 28/10/2010 21:43:13
Paul
Half a star, Mike? Can a half a star even be given? As for being a hardcore Saw fan, i'm such a fan, but not just for the reason you mentioned. I like it for the genius way each movie folds together and throws up something new everytime, i like it for the mix of characters, i like seeing old favourites come back into the fray, and i love not knowing what will happen next. Not being smart Mike, but i watched it in a room full of people, people of all ages, and everyone had a massive time, while i like most of your reviews, i do think you need to start reviewing a movie on it's own merits and stop expecting Citizen Kane everytime you walk through a cinema door. I don't know anyone who yawns through a Saw movie.
Posted 29/10/2010 14:45:56
Paul
PS - As anyone by now knows, the lead villian here is no longer Jigsaw. There are 3 events in this movie, 2 games, one is Jigsaw's, the other belongs to the lead villian (Who i won't mention so as not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't yet seen the last couple of movies), the lead villian's game however is a diversion for his 'real' plan, which is game 3. So 3 games, 2 villians, one diversion. So it isn't exactly the same thing over and over...
Posted 29/10/2010 14:54:19
KickedArse
Wow Paul, that doesn't sound overly complicated at all! I've seen these up to 5, and they are epically s**te movies. I feel bad for anyone forced to s**t through them. Giving your taste and your endorcement of this film, I will take it as a clear indication of just how brutal it is
Posted 29/10/2010 16:45:28
xxkitlzxx
lmao @ KickedArse... how do you "s**t" through a movie? seriously?! and what is a "s**te"? I think that if someone buys a ticket to a movie... I'd hope that they would be there willingly.. just sayin roflmao
Posted 29/10/2010 21:50:24
xxkitlzxx
I am really looking forward to this movie. I love how all the Saw movies intermingle and I can't wait to see how this all ends! *bought tickets to see it tonight!!*
Posted 29/10/2010 21:54:35
Paul
KickedArse, seriously, the insults don't work on me. I'd only reply, then you'd cry saying i'm picking on you and won't let you have your opinion and then i'd get banned, so let's agree to disagree, ok?
Posted 29/10/2010 22:20:01
Paul
xxkitlzxx, you're gonna love how this ends, i was very shocked :-)
Posted 29/10/2010 22:20:45
Paul
OK, KickedArse, on second thought, i'll bite for a second, seeing as i've time to kill... Who forces anyone to sit through a movie? Fair enough, if Mike doesn't like it and wouldn't want to watch it, then he was forced to watch it. Then again, Mike gets paid to sit through movies he doesn't like, i'd sit through any muck for free once my ticket's paid for, makes no never mind to me, i get to watch free movies, why would i want paying? But to say you've watched 5 movies from a series of 7 and claim that you feel sorry for people who are forced to... s**t?... their way through them, why watch 5 of them? As for the whole 'Paul's taste sucks, so this movie will suck' thing, the movie's gonna make mega bucks, you know why? Because people want to watch it. Because people like the movies, or maybe someone just saw the trailer and said to themselves "You know what? I've never seen any of these, maybe i'll give this one a go". Don't suppose you happened to be in HMV last night by any chance? Late night Thursday, spotted quite a few people eyeing up the new Saw DVD collection, i can only presume that they had just left the cinema like myself and had an interest in the rest of the movies... So perhaps there are more people out there who like it, huh? And not just me? Or will you just follow whatever your friends tell you?
Posted 29/10/2010 22:50:10
KickedArse
I work in a cinema, Paul. I see everything because I'm a projectionist. These movies are designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and I genuinely believe there's something wrong with watching people being horribly tortured and murdered for entertainment. Not how I get my kicks. As far as I'm concerned it isn't horror, it's fictionalised snuff - and poorly made at that.
Posted 29/10/2010 22:57:28
Paul
So you're calling me the lowest common denominator now? Hmmm, so i take it you're not a fan of Friday The 13th? Or Halloween? Or Nightmare On Elm St? Or Scream? How about Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Or perhaps Robocop even? Maybe a Schwarzenegger film? Oh, i know, Predator? Right? You gotta like Predator, right? Now correct me if i'm wrong (Which i'm not, so save your energy), but don't all of those movies have people being horribly murdered? Or are they just candy floss? Lovely big family movies about adorable fluffy bunnies?
Posted 29/10/2010 23:24:22
KickedArse
No, I like a lot of those movies, but for the most part there's a skill involved, and the aforementioned films aren't about people just being tortured and killed. It's about the tension, the innovativeness, the pacing, an iconic villain. The Saw franchise is the antithesis of all of that and it makes me sick to my stomach. It's unabashedly primal and designed to evoke what exactly? Fear? Not really; its recoil in disgust cinema and it turns my stomach. You happen to have completely different taste to mine, which is fine, but whatever way you dress it up, people don't watch Saw for the “smart” plot, they watch it for the traps. Guys like John Carpenter, Wes Craven , George Romero and Sam Raimi even managed a social commentary in some of their productions – it was never just someone being slashed to death for the sake of it. Saw isn't near their league. Never mind the “”greatest film series, or whatever the hell you called it
Posted 29/10/2010 23:44:39
Paul
KickedArse... Where do i start? OK, well first, where's the skill in Halloween? A guy with no history, no reason, no nothing, just walks around killing people for no good reason... Hmmm... Scream, bunch of clowns killing people for fun, using many reasons for killing, but at the end of the day, no real need... John Carpenter, i've mentioned Halloween, did i mention the stupidity of The Fog? Prince Of Darkness? Even The Thing to an extent, although i enjoy that movie a lot. As for an iconic villian, you don't consider Jigsaw to be iconic? You don't think he's impressive? You don't think he has an important story behind him? He's dying of cancer, his wife loses their baby, he attempts suicide off a huge cliff in a car and survives... You wouldn't consider any of that more interesting than a guy butchering people for no reason? And no fear? A man pulling a key from a woman's stomach whilst a decible counter keeps track of her screams as the player tries to keep her mouth closed and retrieve the key? I farted during that scene and almost passed out thinking it would register on that counter. So please, the fear is there, for everyone. So is 'the smart plot', take 6 for example, Jigsaw sets a game for a man who screws people over with their medical insurance, looking for loopholes to let people die instead of covering their medical treatment bills? And the fact that he was in part responsible for John/ Jigsaw's death by cancer? And then that he must decide between many different groups of people who lives or dies? Incredible plot and story, if you didn't fully grasp it, that's your problem. And yes, all those horror movies have people slashed to death for no reason. And believe me, a woman getting a hatchet in the face as opposed to a woman being chained to the ground, having a car suspended above her head and then BOOM!, which is more realistic? Because i tell you, a hatchet to the face has happened a million times or more in this world... And that's what a movie like Friday The 13th shows you. Saw's deaths? Most wouldn't and couldn't happen.
Posted 30/10/2010 00:02:11
KickedArse
I gave up reading after you said Halloween didn't have any skill and The Thing was stupid. Once again porved my point! Thank you!
Posted 30/10/2010 00:08:45
Paul
Prove me wrong, tell me the skill of Halloween? You claim you're the oracle of movies, you even work at a cinema. Explain to me the fine skill of the original Halloween movie, tell me what's great about it. I watch it, i like it very much, i've no problem with it, but i want you to tell me what makes that a great movie, but yet you deem Saw unwatchable? As for The Thing, you know it's a dumb movie, i adore it, i've said that, but don't tell me it's not dumb, it is. If it wasn't, it would happen.
Posted 30/10/2010 00:16:14
Paul
Once again, you've proved MY point, thank you! Another point to me i believe.
Posted 30/10/2010 00:38:39
KickedArse
Nah, I just realised arguing with you is like bouncing my head repeatedly off of a very thick wall and gave up.
Posted 30/10/2010 16:02:32
Paul
KickedArse, it was a very simple question, say what you like about Halloween. How difficult is that to do? I'll do it for you, watch... The theme tune, the scene with Michael Myers being insulted and stopping the car for a moment, the scene with the girl being killed in a car, the finale with Jamie Lee Curtis in the closet... Was that difficult? And how many times must i say it? This is not an argument! Why must i always have to teach you? I think when you're backed into a corner, you just bow out with the same "Bang my head off a wall, you know nothing blah blah blah" crap. You constantly come along, insult me out of nowhere, but then refuse to back up your comments. In future, either offer your reasoning, or stay quiet. Liam, name a reason you like Halloween, if you've seen it. That's what you gotta say.
Posted 30/10/2010 16:19:24
Liam
All the classic moment plus when Micheal* sits up out of focus and when his 'dead' body disappears. Simple but timeless. one thing i dont like were the tedious sequels, 3 and onwards.
Posted 30/10/2010 16:24:55
Paul
Brilliant moments Liam, especially the out of focus shot. Now see, KickedArse? Liam just arrives here, i ask him to name his favourite scenes, and he does it, no bother to him at all. Liam, one more thing, how difficult was it to think of a scene from that movie? Fairly simple, wasn't it? I agree about the sequels too, although i like some of them, i do think they stretched the series too far, but Halloween II (The original II) is my favourite of the series.
Posted 30/10/2010 16:35:57
dubchef
Im going to see Saw 3D tonight, I love the saw films there is always a good twist in the story line. They are also nice and gruesome. Have any of you guys seen it and is it as good as the rest of them?
Posted 01/11/2010 11:59:49
Paul
I've seen it, dubchef, i loved it loads, easily as good and better than most of the others, and this being the finale, they've upped the anti on everything, you'll love it.
Posted 01/11/2010 12:12:06
JohnBalfe
Paul, I think Halloween is the greatest horror film ever made. You ask what's good about it? I wrote about this movie and studied it in depth in college, my end of year dissertation was about it. Halloween was a groundbreaking film, both conceptually and also in how it was made. It was the first film to popularise POV shots to represent a killer, it was the first film to use a system called "handi-cam" which would would further be developed into a system called "Steadi-cam" which is used in almost every film made these days. Carpenter's direction is far superior to anything, literally anything, that takes place in any frame of any Saw movie in the franchise. It's reminiscent of early DePalma and Hitchcock, especially his use of light and dark, and how he presents the audience with an overwhelming feeling of dread and tension and actually makes you afraid of things that are out of frame, or out of focus - something lacking from Saw. I saw Saw 3D last week because I had to review it for the radio. I despised it. Now, I'm perfectly capable of enjoying movies like this. I thought the first Saw was pretty good, I kinda liked the Hostel films too but this movie was so poorly made and littered with flaws and wasted scenes. I sat through Saw 3D and I wasn't scared, I wasn't 'grossed out', I wasn't intrigued by the supposedly clever ways to murder people, I was bored. The film was a boring, paint-by-numbers, mess. There wasn't one sympathetic characters in the entire film, which means the audience doesn't give a crap about what happens to anyone in it. The acting was so poor, especially that lead cop who thought "acting" means "touching your hair and/or face to imply emotion". The 3D was woefully underutilised, ineffective and shoddy. There is no comparing the Saw franchise (especially Saw 3D) to the FIRST Halloween movie. It's apples and oranges. A delicious, juicy apple and a rotten, disgusting orange. There, I said it.
Posted 01/11/2010 17:59:37
Paul
LOL :D Now THIS is how it's done :D Anyway, John, there's plenty good about Halloween, i think it's a great movie, i was asking KickedArse to explain the skill of it and what's great about it to me, seeing as he skirted the whole issue. I wanted from him what you and Liam gave, an explanation. Not insults. But to be completely honest, i agree with all you say about it's style and John Carpenter's genius direction, he did a bang up job on it. But if we were to take away the great directing, the fantastic camera work, the genius shots etc... What are we left with? A bunch of s**tty girls talking about sex, a guy going around killing for no particular reason other than that he's 'evil', the silly things like him being able to drive, like him following that boy when he had no way of knowing that Laurie babysits him, and the fact that he hunts Laurie through the whole movie, but yet it's never explained why, not in the first movie. And then there's Dr. Loomis, good character, but seriously, he's a bit much, isn't he? A bit blah blah blah? And how dumb are the cops? They've a skilled doctor telling them there's a killer on the loose in their tiny town and they doubt him? To cut this shorter, there's a lot of stupidity playing out in the movie, that, despite all the brilliant directing, puts me off the movie a great deal. Even the violence, it's so fake. To take a small knife, and magically nail a guy straight through a door with it? The fella's wider than the knife. And not a drop of blood? At all? He got gutted, but yet his shirt is Daz white. Honestly, i watched it for the first time 10 years ago and i remember being very let down, it didn't live up to the hype for me. It felt like every other serial killer movie i'd seen, other than the smart directing. At least with the Saw movies, there's no attempt to wrap it's silliness up in great packaging, they do what it says on the tin. And the difference with them is that when i watched the first Saw for the first time, it lived up to the hype for me, i really loved it, and to be fair, while the other films would never touch the first for me, i still enjoy them very much. And with Saw 3D, i really thought it was scary, i mean, i have to be careful with what i say so as not to spoil it, but some of those traps were pretty gruesome, i know the effects and gore are dodgy, but they always have been with these films, they're not realistic in any way. And the plot, again, it has to be thought of as a part of the full story, 2 up to 6 all happen within minutes of each other, and then 7 starts of shortly after too, it all intertwines, each one builds, well, a piece of the jigsaw really. And as for sympathetic characters, how about the lead guy's wife? She was a nice person, she wasn't in on anything, but yet she suffered, all because of his lies. But anyway, wrapping up this crazy comment (I apologise for this, but there are no short answers in the world, lol), Halloween is a mediocre movie that is extremely well made, the Saw movies are big, crazy, silly movies made on a shoestring budget by a low budget studio, but in terms of screened entertainment, they deliver much more than Halloween does. Now if you were to say Halloween II, that would possibly be a different story.
Posted 02/11/2010 00:35:03
Paul
OMG! That's your fault, John! LOL
Posted 02/11/2010 00:35:57
Paul
There's still stuff there i didn't touch on, lol, i kinda agree about the 3D, it wasn't what i hoped for or what the trailers promised. But i did find it worked a bit better with being more random. And the lead cop, no one really cares about him. The main characters to me were Hoffman and Jill (For your amusment, John, a lot of the Saw team are on Facebook, James Waan, David Hackl, Betsy Russell, Shawnee Smith etc... You should add them, they're cool people ), followed by the main player (Sean Patrick Flanery, i forgot his character name). But you know, for all my ranting? James Waan, who directed Saw 1, actually directed Death Sentence with Kevin Bacon, and Death Sentence kills every Saw movie with it's hands tied behind it's back. Along with the Halloween movies. You ever seen it? You'll see wonderful directing along with realistic gore (No guys nailed to doors blood-free), fantastic characters and belting excitment.
Posted 02/11/2010 00:52:45
JBF
Paul. Your problem with Halloween is that you only saw it ten years ago. You expect it to be right up there with the newer films you mention. As is outlined by others it was one of the first of it's kind, THAT is what was so good. You sat it's like other serial killer films? No, they are like it. Saw was good, the others were increasingly bad and to be honest just silly. They should have left it as a one off like seven.
Posted 02/11/2010 09:16:25
sr
I only went to see it as I was promised a very nice reward when we got home. It would be an insult to the value I put on time to waste it telling you in any great detail how this movie brings crap to a new lower level.... 0/10. Stay at home and iron the wrinkles on the soles of your feet, you'll enjoy that more and save money.
Posted 02/11/2010 09:29:15
shadow4798
If you're forced into seeing this movie, whether because of occupation, or peer pressure, then the odds are you won't like this. However most people who go to see the 7th movie of a series will have seen most if not all of the other 6, and if they're going to see the 7th, the odds are that they liked the movies. For those people, you will really like this 7th movie. The half a star rating here is meaningless, and goes to show how many things are subjective in life. I mean PA2 gets 4 stars, and I enjoyed that a little less than Saw3d. *shrugs*
Posted 02/11/2010 10:44:26
Paul
JBF, you said it exactly, that is 'what' was so good. While i agree with John and yourself that it was made in a very genius way, if you actually look past the fantastic directing, you're left with a bog standard, run of the mill slasher movie, but still decent enough to watch. For example, Liam mentioned the out of shot focus with Meyers sitting up on the floor. Now while the out of shot effect gives it an edge and a touch of clever moviemaking, if you took away that out of focus effect, what are you left with? Meyers sitting up on the floor. Hardly wonderful, is it? I guess the same theory applies to other movies, how about Alien 3? I know it's getting tired that i use that movie as an example, but it's hard not to. That movie is incredibly made, it looks stunning, David Fincher did a top class job directing it, the amount of fantastic shots there is staggering. But look past all of that and you're left with an awful piece of crap movie. Not that i'm saying Halloween is crap, i most certainly am not saying that. But do i think it deserves to be put on a pedestal and used to bash movies made 40 years later? Not a chance.
Posted 02/11/2010 15:05:56
Paul
sr, just as i was about to ask the question, i realised the answer. But whatever makes people go see it, i don't think the creators care. Once you don't partake in said reward at the cinema...
Posted 02/11/2010 15:14:27
Paul
Spot on, shadow4798, well said :)
Posted 02/11/2010 15:14:57
Paul
Ah thank you, Andie :D <3
Posted 02/11/2010 15:15:18
Keith
You can't say SAW was a bad movie. It single handidly changed horror films in the 00's. It re-defined the horror genre completely. Every horror folm after that got more and more gruesome. The multitude of sequel were not nearly as good, but the first will live on for generations...
Posted 03/11/2010 18:46:02
chell3
OMG............ this is like social network page. comment after comment and abuse!! The film is good or its not, i seen this in London the weekend, and was 5 rows away from the screen (you get better effects the closer you are) and i thought the movie was CLASS, i loved it,, great all the way threw. Few comical bits i dont even think was supposed to be funny but was.. But very gross more gross than all the rest, i hope they don't just end it like that.. there was a ''saw7'' teaser on youtube BEFORE saw7 was even thought of, and the new killer was mentioned!! an i couldnt believe it was true,, genius PUZZLE completed !! :) Defo recommended and a Must see !! Saw fans should love this one! ( one bad point tho...the detective in this new one i think he was in final destination 1?? his acting wasn't that good, he could have being better or possibly got someone a bit better)
Posted 04/11/2010 00:51:54
HBarca
The first saw film was fairly innovative and did influence many subsequent films of the genre but it's impact has been dulled by the relentless and voracious milking of the original concept leaving only a withered husk where once a fresh idea lived. The Thing is a seminal Sci-Fi horror film as is the original Halloween for the reasons so adequately outlined aboved, in fact Halloween followed a similar pattern as the Saw movies, spawning ever inferior sequels. Even perhaps the greatest horror film ever committed to celluloid, The Exoricist, suffers from sequelitis.
Posted 04/11/2010 01:51:18
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