Saw 2
Lions Gate Films
Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Shawnee Smith and Tobin Bell
The Verdict: Jigsaw’s return to the silver screen is surprisingly engaging and equally disturbing, thanks to a higher body count.
31/2- 4stars
Much to the dismay of a growing collection of the morally wayward, and much to the somewhat sick delight of myself and my fellow fans of his original film, the serial killer/self-proclaimed philanthropist Jigsaw is back and, rather shockingly, even better than before.
Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and every other mindless, sharp object wielding, seemingly immortal villain that’s ever rampaged across the screen has not only scared the pants off moviegoers, but has also insulted their intelligence. Therefore, the first time I popped the original “Saw” into my DVD player I was very much expecting to experience terror, perhaps nausea and little else. I was proven drastically wrong and met with a very smart, fast paced psychological thriller.
The concept of a villain who doesn’t end your life himself, but causes you to snuff out your own candle while he watches from a dark corner was chillingly new, and the whole moral spin on things, the idea that this seemingly evil entity actually wanted his captors to pass his twisted test so that they could go on living with a newfound appreciation for their life, can certainly tinker with the viewer’s mind a bit and even cause them to sympathize with this tortured individual.
Until, at least, they’re presented with the thought of sawing off their own leg. Then sympathy quickly fades into what the film set out to inspire: fear. Not a juvenile jump, scream and laugh sort of fear that the traditional monster movie causes, but a much deeper fear that causes one to examine their own moral life as they lie down the night after their first viewing of the film to wonder, just for a moment, who might be watching from the shadows, and where or in what condition they might wake up.
Despite that, when I heard of an impending “Saw” sequel, I was quite skeptical. The original’s plot, from its confusing beginning to its mind-blowing end, would be seemingly difficult to one up. With a tagline like “Oh yes, there will be blood,” I half expected “Saw 2” to smear the name of the original by being nothing but a boring montage of gore and torture. I was once again proven drastically wrong.
“Saw 2” revolves around a group of people who awaken in an abandoned house with no memory of when or how they got there. They soon, however, stumble upon a tape recorder which reveals that they have fallen prey to the legendary Jigsaw, a psychopath who kidnaps those who he feels are not living their life as they should and places them in a sick and twisted game of his own invention.
The small percentage of people that win are changed forever. The majority of players, however, die spectacularly gruesome deaths for the audience’s viewing amusement.
Like its predecessor, the overall feel of the film is remarkable. Jigsaw’s lair and the abandoned house both appear so deliciously gritty and dark that the viewer actually feels a little dirty looking at them. The torture devices and booby traps that director Darren Lynn Bousman devised will cause viewers to question the man’s sanity and accept his genius. And, of course, that darn tricycle-riding, maniacally-laughing clown puppet is back to spread the heebie jeebies once more.
Other than Tobin Bell’s portrayal of Jigsaw, the acting is subpar. This really takes little from the movie experience, however, and is certainly to be expected in the genre.
In actuality, when pitted against that of your usual horror flick, “Saw 2″‘s cast seems like Vivien Leigh and Orson Welles. Another somewhat negative note is that “Saw 2” has many more characters than the original, which of course means less character development. I scarcely felt that I was adequately introduced to several of the prisoners in the abandoned house. I suppose, however, that this makes it much more enjoyable to the average audience member when they meet their untimely demise.
“Saw 2” has an intriguing plot shrouded in mystery and a finale that will make jaws drop for fans of the psychological thriller. It certainly has its share of terrifying moments and a very substantial body count for fans of pure horror.