The Saw franchise hops aboard the 3D train with the seventh installment for the series' supposed final chapter.
Picking up right after last year's Saw VI, Detective Hoffman escapes his jaw trap and pursues Jigsaw's widow Jill to avenge the thwarted attempt on his life. Meanwhile, one of Jigsaw's survivors details his story in a S.U.R.V.I.V.E. self-help book to rake in some cash. Unfortunately for him, he lied about the whole experience and now has to play one of Jigsaw's game to prove that he can truly practice what he preaches.
No this is not one of the launch scenes from the Buck Rogers series
Once again Jigsaw tackles a real life villain in our society. In VI, Jigsaw used the game to target the health insurance companies, while this year's focus turns to shady life coach gurus. These are scam artists who prey on the desperate for their hard-earned cash in returns for books and "systems" that offer an empty promise of healing and life improvement.
At this point, what is there left to say? The lying self-help novelist Bobby Dagen, played by Boondocks Saints' Sean Patrick Flannery, does the rinse-wash-repeat sequence that every other sequel has executed. Dagen must now complete tasks in order to save his publicity team who are accomplices aware of his scam as well as his poor wife, played by Gina Holden of Harper's Island, who truly believes Dagen faux survival tale.
Then we follow the continuing the "John/Detective Hoffman/Jill" plot line, which leads me to believe that Costas Mandylor, returning once again as Hoffman, has either truly sold his soul to the devil or is sleeping with one of the executive producers. These could be the only reasons that the underwhelming has-been actor is free to run around for yet another sequel in such a dominant role.
How and why is he STILL around?!
We are also treated to the return of Dr. Lawrence Gordon with Cary Elwes reprising his role. His cameo seems to spawn from fans' persistence pleas to the producers to bring him back due to the fact that we never saw his dead body after the conclusion of the original. Gordon is involved with Dagen's therapy group consisting of Jigsaw survivors that he also uses to generate more revenue from his S.U.R.V.I.V.E. scam system.
I would not say that I didn't like it because it is what it is, a Saw sequel in 3D. Didn't love it and didn't hate it. It just seems a little tired at this point. Sure there are the Saw film's unique traps, twists and gore, but don't expect anything Earth-shattering or truly shocking.
I just hope 3D truly is the end because at this point, the sequels just seem to be the same film with a different underlying storyline. Even though it is a fun film that should be seen at the cinema to take advantage of the 3D, the formula is stale.
Is this truly the end? Are they being serious this time?
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9 comments:
Wait 'til the franchise takes advantage of Sprint's 4G technology. Then the series will really have new life to it. Good for Cary for getting some work. I always liked him.
So do you think they'll give it 1 year or 2 before the reboot?
Gosh I hope this isn't the end! YEs, Mandylor is awful, but that's part of the film's charm, as is the terrible terrible southern FBI agent. And what's with the sudden attacks against celebrity life coaches? Dexter's digging in too, I kind of love it. And I seriously loved Saw 3D. Sure, it's a retread, sure, it's ridiculous, but c'mon: "The only good thing about what happened to me is that I get handicapped parking at the goddamned mall!"
Yup. I loved it.
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I have seen all the Saw movies and will assuredly see this one. I too hope it is over after this. Or they will have to throw in some zombies to freshen things up...hummm, something Jigsaw CAN'T kill, now there's a movie plot!
Copyboy - please don't give them any ideas. But Cary is awesome. This is true.
TS - I;m sure we'll get part 8 next year. Book it!
Emily - I am just sick of seeing Mandylor. I mean who did this guy blow to revive his career? He looks like an overweight Michael Pare. No I didn't hate it, but I didn't really like it either. It was OK. Just stale. Maybe if they took the film in the direction of what happened at the end, now that would be interesting...just not for another 2-3 more sequels. Oh and that line was great!
Anonymous - You people must be passive aggressively requesting that I bring back the SPAM MAIL FAILS.
Chuck - I'd probably pay to see a Jigsaw versus zombie flick. Why not at this point?
Geof, I love the new look site, but just find the type a little hard to read. Grey against dark is too dark.
Besides that, the head caption is pretty cool.
Gotta say, I'm proud of the Aussie boys who started this entire series. Leigh Whannell's dad used to be my boss, and I met Leigh a couple of times when he was just an annoying little wanker... hang on, I don't think he's changed much... but i'll hand it to him for his persistence.. and the first one was good...
Personally I thought it was getting stale by No.3 ... and that's when I stopped watching..
Mandylor is Aussie too... perhaps that's why? I'd say he was probably cheap.
I thought it was better than what I had expected. I was disappointed in the amount of 3D that there was. There wasn't a 2D version playing where I live otherwise I wouldn't of chose 3D.
It was between this and PA2 yesterday.. I went with what I thought would be the lesser of two evils.. Well..
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