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Overall Rating : 6/10
Directed By : Darren Lynn Bousman
Tobin Bell (SAW)
Costas Mandylor (SAW III)
Scott Patterson (Gilmore Girls (TV) )
Betsy Russell (Cheerleader Camp)
Supplied By : Lionsgate Films
Film Reviewed By : Rick L. Blalock
Date Reviewed : January. 14, 2007
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| PLOT With Amanda and Jigsaw dead, two seasoned FBI profilers, Agent Strahm and Agent Perez, arrive at the depleted police precinct and help veteran Detective Hoffman sift through the latest grisly game of victims and piece together the puzzle. When SWAT Commander Rigg, the only local officer who has yet to experience Jigsaw’s handiwork, is suddenly abducted, he has just 90 minutes to overcome a diabolical series of interconnected traps...or face the deadly consequences. The genesis of Jigsaw’s evil is revealed, exposing the puppet master’s true intentions and the sinister plan for his past, present and future victims. |
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| THE REVIEW SAW IV, picks up right after the mayhem that occurred in the last installment, with Jigsaw now dead, along with his protégé Amanda. But we would soon find out that John "Jigsaw" Kramer's work is still not complete, not even in the wake of his death. While performing his autopsy, medical examiner recover a tape recorder located in Jigsaw's body cavity. On the tape, the voice of Jigsaw vows that his work would never be done. The Police force dismiss the claims found on the tape, but not Lieutenant Riggs, who believes his partner Eric Matthews may still be alive. Detective Hoffman, the man on the case, sees Riggs' obsession with this case, and believes it is overcoming him and asks him to take some time off. But obviously Riggs does not and continues to delve deeper until he is abducted by an unknown assailant. Upon waking up, he is greeted by that familiar voice, who warns him that he will be tested. He is told that Eric Matthews is alive and is being held captive, and it's not only Matthews, but Hoffman has been captured as well. Riggs is given 90 minutes to save both lives as well as his own, but it won't be easy. He is gradually tested with many vital decisions that could either save or end the lives of others, while is the background, the clock slowly ticks away. Who is responsible for carrying on the grisly legacy of John Kramer and why? - It's all answered in this latest installment of the series. The SAW series is a very popular one, and obviously it will continue on, as long as it is successful Out of the 4 film that have been made, I have to admit that the second film is my favorite, with the original being close. Last year when I reviewed SAW III, I actually thought of it as a step down rather than a progression for the story, and well really disappointed in it, because SAW II had my expectations high. With both Jigsaw and Amanda gone, I had no idea how this would continue - as I thought the character of Amanda would live on to do the dirty work, but she did not. But nonetheless it does carry on with even more gruesome traps and blood shed, making this film more of a mystery for the viewer to solve. In between the mystery of just who the culprit is, we are treated with various flashbacks of John, and in the midst of these, we finally learn how Jigsaw came to be so evil - he was once, actually a kind and caring man, but his Cancer, along with another incident caused him to change his outlook on life, and those who take it all for granted(I won't reveal it here, for the sake of spoilage). I felt that these flashbacks answered a lot of unanswered questions and were necessary, and they also helped the story in SAW IV come together - without them this film would've probably been a jumbled mess. Speaking of jumbled, although SAW IV is a big improvement from the last, it's definitely not as clever as the previous three - although entertaining, I thought that a few of the twists felt a bit thrown together. The biggest twist that I have trouble coming to terms with is that of the film's ending. With all of the previous installments, the endings have been shocking, so with each film I expect yet another shocker. But honestly, when speaking of this film I wasn't nor shocked or excited about it. Though out this film obsession was a key element, whether it be LT. Riggs' or someone else's, so I do understand the ending, but I can't help but as to wonder why they'd want to continue the story this way. None the less, SAW IV's ending leaves us with even more questions than we were faced with after SAW III - I guess this year's SAW V will provide us with even more answers. Overall, SAW IV is entertaining for the most part, and leaves me with hope that a good SAW story can be told. Just when you thought that they had thought up every torture trap imaginable, they throw even more innovative ones at us, which makes the film that much more fun for the gore lover. But it also brings us to question, just how long the filmmakers can keep this gimmick fresh before it becomes just old hat? |
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| GORE
METER 7.5/10 Impalements, bodies pulled apart, skulls crushed and a gruesome autopsy....it's what you'd expect from a SAW film, I thought it was highly creative once again. |
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| MUSICAL
SCORE 7/10 I have always liked the SAW scores and the score for SAW IV doesn't stray from what we are used to. |
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| OVERALL
IMPRESSION OF THE FILM To my surprise, SAW IV actually does improve over the previous film. In my review of SAW III, I mentioned how I also saw the SAW films going down hill from then on, but I was actually entertained by SAW IV. This film was not only a Horror film, but a mystery as well, and along with the flashbacks of Jigsaw and Amanda, and the explanation of back-story it kept everything fresh. but saying this, I still dread thinking of the idea of a SAW film without Tobin Bell in it at all.....how will they do it? Will they do it? I guess we shall see in SAW V which is apparently in preproduction. The DVD will be available January 22, 2008 |
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