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"New Faces, Same
Game" |
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Directed by Darren Lynn
Bousman - Written by
Patrick Melton, Marcus
Dunstan
Starring Tobin Bell,
Betsy Russell, Costas
Mandylor, Lyriq Bent
Distributed by Lionsgate -
2007 - 95mins - Rated R |
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Richard Propes'
Review
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The killer is dead...someone please kill
the series! |
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There's
something to be admired when a horror film series manages to knock
off its killer and, yet, somehow the series continues on without the
killer.
When James Wan directed the first "Saw," a new terrifying persona
was created in the annals of horror named Jigsaw (Tobin Bell). At
the end of "Saw III," however, Jigsaw died and, had Hollywood greed
not prevailed, so too would have ended the Halloween tradition of a
"Saw" opening.
Yet, here we are again approaching Halloween 2007 and "Saw IV,"
minus both James Wan and original screenplay writer Leigh Wannell,
and a relatively Jigsaw-free "Saw IV" sees us reliving the same
horror games all over again.
"Saw IV" begins with Jigsaw's autopsy and, avoiding the lunacy of
madmen coming back to life (ala "Halloween" or "Friday the 13th"),
we nonetheless experience Jigsaw's presence throughout the film via
a series of pre-recorded videos in which we finally learn much of
what created Jigsaw.
Two "Saw" veterans are back in the persons of Hoffman (Costas
Mandylor) and Rigg (Lyriq Bent). The two are joined by a couple of
federal agents (Scott Patterson and Athena Karkanis) and, of course,
even with Jigsaw dead the games continue. We are also introduced,
through retrospection, to Dr. Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell) and her role
in the development of Jigsaw.
Despite my overall resistance to horror films, I was actually a fan
of the original "Saw," an inventive and intelligent film despite the
over-the-top graphic violence. Since the original, however, the
series has become nothing more than an excuse to invent newer,
sicker, more graphic and more cruel means to torture, humiliate and
kill the victims.
If I were to rate "Saw IV" solely on the basis of my personal
enjoyment, it would undoubtedly be a massive failure. By this, the
fourth installment, the series has lost its uniqueness,
intelligence, twisted morals and, well, even its ability to be
horrifying. "Saw IV" isn't particularly scary, suspenseful or
horrifying...it's simply graphic to the point of nonsensical
violence. Fans of horror-porn, "Hostel" and hardcore violence will
be practically orgasmic...everyone else will simply shrug their
shoulders and go "So what?"
To comment on the performances or virtually any aspect of "Saw IV"
is pointless..."Saw IV" isn't about the performances, there are only
so many ways you can act terrified or dying, but the "Saw" series
has become almost solely about the "game" itself. Having directed
the last two "Saw" films, director Darren Lynn Bousman offers
nothing new in the way of action, pacing or photography and new
screenwriters Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan basically do a more
convoluted version of the previous two films.
While the door is left open for a "Saw V," it is unclear if there
exists plans for a fifth film. It is fairly certain, however, that
2008 will bring a break in what has been a Halloween tradition the
past four years.
After three years of tricks, Halloween 2008's treat may very well be
an end to this once promising series that should have died along
with Jigsaw. |
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© Written by Richard Propes -
Email Me! |
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How We Rated This Film
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TC Candler -
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| Richard Propes
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Jacob Hall
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TC Candler's Comment
n/a
Jacob Hall's
Comment
n/a
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