Saw III

Saw III – 2006

I often find myself affronted when giving an entire series of films positive reviews, chiefly such when those series are sequels from an intended stand-alone film. This can be most notably illustrated from my reviews of the resident evil trilogy, which garnered hateful reviews across the board, and yet I enjoyed. Not being a fan of the game series, and being aware of their campiness and clichéd storylines, I am often displeased but yet cannot, myself, find the strength to change my review. But I am complacent to have no such feelings about the third instalment in the Saw franchise, as it is a solid film as well as a noteworthy addition to the, now trilogy. I have noted in reviews of its successors, that the series does not compose so much as sequels, but of a direct continuation of a large-scale apologue. Each entry, in my view at least, does not stand alone nearly as effectively, but must be seen in context with the others.

I would like to begin, first with an illustrious endorsement to Tobin Bell, John Kramer a.k.a. Jigsaw for his continued standout performance. This will be going out on a limb, but I believe he gives (for the series as a whole) the most chilling and sinister portrayal of a killer since Anthony Hopkins in the Silence of the Lambs. A relative unknown before Saw, he had work in Goodfellas and In the Line of Fire, but it was the first film in this franchise which made him an icon in the horror community. He gives such an aura of malice and raw passion, that it is often listening to him deliver his lines, that is more chilling then some of the torture scenes. He is the one constant that we can always rely on.

Saw III picks up where II left off, now with Amanda continuing Jigsaw’s work, while in his weakened state. Now, a man named Jeff (Angus MacFadyen) who is wretched by the death of his son at the hands of a drunk driver, and becomes obsessed with revenge, must go through a series of tests involving those who caused him such damage and pain during the events of the trial and the accident. At the same time, a doctor, has been kidnapped by Kramer to keep him alive while Jeff completes his task. Yet, outside of this test, victims of Jigsaw are involving innocents, and are forced through tests that cannot be solved. Forensic Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) is investigating this un-jigsaw like behaviour, as Jigsaw does some mending of his own at this outrage.

While a proficient movie, it is the most flawed of the 4 films, but it can not be all to blame, as this is mostly a bridge movie to the sucker punch that is Saw IV. It is to the Saw franchise as The Two Towers was to the Lord of the Rings; thrilling but not too much new subject matter, or elements resolved. Not much is explained at the end of the film and has by far the most confusing ending, although still satisfying and bound to have you thinking. Saw III also opts to raise the body count and complexity levels of the tasks, which become more reminiscent of the original.

So as a single film, it is mediocre, but thrilling. But as a segment in the story it is essential and breathtaking and continues the most thrilling horror saga of the decade.