I have been a fan of the Saw franchise since its conception and whilst I enjoy these movies to an extent, I will be the first to admit that it is riddled with problems. I expected little from Saw VI. At this stage in the game Jason Voorhees had been resurrected by a bolt of lightening and Freddy Kruger had gone 3D. But even Saw’s most vicious critics (and there are many of them out there) have to admire the fact that the series hasn’t jumped the shark like many other popular horror franchises have in the past. The impeccable continuity is one of the many things I like about it.
It is hardly a masterpiece and those who gave up after only a couple of films may find this hard to swallow but I really think Saw VI is the best of the sequels. If IV is the one where too much happened and V is the one where nothing happened, VI manages to finally get the series back on its feet and delivers a bare bones horror nasty that remembers what made the original such a breakthrough to begin with.
With much of the twisty turney story elements dealt with in the previous instalments, what’s left here is a round up so to speak, tying up all the remaining lose ends and formulating I tight and often tense little shocker. Director Kevin Greutert’s previous post as editor for all the previous films pays off in spades as he seems to understand how to pace a movie well. The traps are more simplistic and therefore much more nasty (including one surprising tense moment where victims are forced to hold their breath to survive) and many of the victims this time round really are innocent compared to repugnant characters such a Cecil (Saw IV) and the five conspirators of Saw V.
I am, however, starting to suffer serious Saw fatigue. Whilst this is better than it has any right to be it rounds everything off quite nicely and would be a perfect ending to the series. Enough now. Saw VII is forbidden.
3/5
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