SAW: THE FINAL CHAPTER (SAW 3D)

Since 2004, a new Saw film has been released around the Halloween season and has done lucrative business for the people at Lionsgate. However, 2008’s Saw V and 2009’s Saw VI (which many consider to be the series’ best entry) marked severe drop-offs in returns at the box office. Citing that this may have been the first signs of a dying franchise (no pun intended), Lionsgate was rumored to have scrapped its last two planned sequels – Saw VIII and Saw IX in favor of one final, end-all movie to conclude the Saw franchise. To mark the special occasion, they even decided to shoot the film in 3D (hence, the film carried the title Saw 3D in theaters).

Being a HUGE fan of the franchise (and one of the few who prefer the last three films over the first three), I eagerly awaited the “final chapter” of my beloved horror franchise.  With problems during production, an unhappy director (who was contractually forced to direct Saw 3D and removed from helming Paranormal Activity 2), and a script that was quickly rewritten to cram three film’s worth of material into its remarkably short running time, I was still fairly confident that Saw 3D would deliver.

Does it? Absolutely. The Saw franchise ends on a high note; Saw 3D is easily the best, most entertaining installment of the series (with Saw VI running a very close second).

Saw 3D succeeds for many different reasons: 1) it has momentum, 2) it has a ton of what the series is known for – gore, and 3) it does come full circle in a logical, believable manner (well, for this series, anyway). Picking up EXACTLY where the previous installment ended, Saw 3D weaves an intriguing, straightforward “cat and mouse” approach with Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor, who by the way, is my favorite movie villain) up to his old ways and Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell) running for her life. The film moves at a breakneck pace, cramming in story, backstory, intriguing character exposition and an excellent (if not somewhat predictable) ending. While this entry may not be as abstract or “surprising” as other installments, its direct, in-your-face approach and sly humor is a welcome change from the now well-established norm.

While horror buffs and critics alike have vented their displeasure over the lack of screen time by Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw character (who, with the exception of Saw VI, has had an increasingly diminished presence in the series), it is a testament to the strength and quality of the Saw 3D story that keeps this one on track and, for the first time in the series, doesn’t seem to suffer from his absence.

While many franchises seem to change, evolve and take on a whole new feel, the Saw series has remained remarkably the same through all seven movies. All in all, Saw 3D is a fitting stopping point for a series that has, admittedly, become somewhat creatively bankrupt, having repeated the EXACT storyline as the previous installment and painted itself into a corner, so to speak.

Fans of the series fear not, I have little doubt that another installment will be on its way in a few years. Let’s just hope they keep the same formula that made this series the most successful horror franchise in movie history. Game over. For now…  

  

My Rating - 9 out of 10