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| Yep, another terrible visual pun. I'm a horrible person, I know. |
Back then.....
*at various points during the movie* Erm, wasn't there something about a little girl that everyone seemed to forget?
*the last five minutes of the film* Wha-wha-WHAT????? You mean to tell me the two films are running at the SAME time?????
And now.....
Going into this movie the first time around, I was curious to know where the series was going. While the involvement of the creators of the original SAW movie started to decrease around this time, it still had the director of the previous two installments, and it still retained not only the look and feel of the movie, but the same recurring characters, living and dead. It also sees the introduction of two FBI agents, who eventually become involved in Jigsaw's posthumous games, and John's wife, who we only got a brief glimpse of during a flashback sequence during Jigsaw's brain surgery.
As for the traps, they have become not only inventive, but some of them require two people, who either have to kill one another to survive, or find a way to keep both of them alive. Funny that the two scenes that made me feel queasy was the autopsy scene which opens the film, and the flashback when John's wife lost their unborn child. The latter is still a very difficult scene to watch, despite the fact it's included in a movie where bodies are maimed and ripped apart.
The film's main protagonist is Lt. Rigg (I looked up the name, as I didn't want to refer to him as "the black guy", as it would come off as racist, instead of just lazy), whose own series of tests challenge him on his headstrong attitude in relation to save those around him, all the while his actions and tunnel vision may in fact hurt them in the end. The tests do give the impression that he is being recruited by Jigsaw in the process.
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| Well, there is a job opening after all. |
The film has all the elements of the previous films, and it does a good job at building suspense, especially with the revelation that Donnie Wahlberg is still alive, but in peril, along with Detective Hoffman, who like Lt. Rigg was brought to the forefront of this movie, as their colleagues have been picked apart in the previous films, and they're the only two left. It also uses flashbacks not only of Riggs' past, but of John's wife, as she is questioned by the FBI. Her flashbacks manage to add more to the character of John Kramer, despite the fact that he is now dead. One character that connects these sequences is the lawyer who is given the task to watch over Hoffman and Marky Mark's brother.
But when I watched this film the first time, while I was enjoying the action onscreen, one thing was bugging me the entire time: what happened to Jeff's daughter (from the last movie)? You know, the one who Jigsaw hid away from her father, who inadvertently caused the death of his estranged wife? I knew the creative team behind the series was going through changes, but they couldn't have let that slip. Even towards the end, I was guessing that they were going to return to that in another sequel. But even then, that was a little disorientating, especially with the events of the previous film stuck in my mind.
And then came the last few minutes. The SAW films are well known for their twist endings, but nothing prepared me for what was to be revealed, and I still think is the greatest twist from all the sequels (in otherwords, excluding the twist from the first film).
The film looks like it's about to wrap up, you're wondering who will get to the two cops, either Rigg, the FBI agent.....or Jeff. Out of nowhere, with no hint or explanation, Jeff from the previous film appears onscreen. For a moment, it looked like a strange time to insert a flashback, until you realise.....this film isn't continuing on from the events of the last movie; it's happening at the same time as the events of the last movie, and they both come together at the same point.
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| That's how my mind felt towards the end. |
The films never really hints at a timeline as to when the events of the movies take place, as they could range from a few days ago to a couple of months. So when are watching the fourth movie, you assume that time has passed since the third film. It's only through repeated viewings that you see the subtle hints that reference to the events of Saw 3. I thought the revelation of the two parts going on at the same time was creative, imaginative, with a stroke of genius.
So of course nobody mentioned the missing daughter, because nobody knows she's missing to begin with. And now it makes sense that this would be saved for the next sequel. But just when you figured out what was going on, Jeff is shot by the FBI guy, Rigg couldn't save Donnie Wahlberg, the lawyer dies, and Hoffman meets his fate.....or so you're lead to believe.
The revelation of the person to continue Jigsaw's work was not only surprising, but a really good choice. The character of Hoffman does have an intense presence onscreen, so the fact that he's the new Jigsaw "killer" makes him that more menacing. On top of that, he's a detective that's actually working on the Jigsaw crime scenes, which makes the reveal that much twisted.
Once again, if you left the series at this point, this would be a pretty decent ending. But then again, maybe you would like to know what happens next. Sure it shows a scene where he places the envelope that Amanda finds towards the end of the third film, and there is the matter of what becomes of the FBI agent trapped with the deceased casualties of SAW 3.....but what about the damn daughter?????
And on a final note.....
Here's a hint as to the subject of the next blog entry.....or the one after that, I'm not sure yet.
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