Movie Review: Saw 3-D

The game is finally over. The culmination of the “Saw” series has only left one question left for its viewers to consider: “Who cares?” Without fail, each “Saw” movie was worse than its predecessor – and “Saw 3D” was no exception.

Many “Saw” enthusiasts such as myself could not go without seeing the final installment of “Saw,” despite our growing dissatisfaction with each sequential movie. “Saw 3D” fits the mold of the last few movies – complete with predictable twists, excessive and unnecessary violence, and plenty of plot holes.

The movie opens with a recap of some key scenes in the last few movies, and then proceeds to introduce just about the only original idea to be found in the entire film. This idea was that of a public execution. Jigsaw’s lackey, Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), returns in the final movie to stage a killing in the midst of a Times Square-like area. But, the ingenuity ceases after his first victim’s intestines stop flying.

“Saw 3D’s” central plot involved a character named Bobby (Sean Patrick Flannery), who supposedly survived Jigsaw’s game once before. After his story was revealed as fraudulent, Bobby was abducted and sent through a series of tests in which he had to endure some form of torture to try and save the people he loved. Doesn’t that sound a little familiar to you?

Yep, it did to me too. The plotline of “Saw 3D” is unsurprisingly and remarkably close to the stories in both “Saw IV” and “Saw VI.” Come on, Twisted Pictures, are you even trying any more?

Some viewers may have recognized Sean Patrick Flannery from “The Boondock Saints” and its sequel, another cult classic series of films. But, many fans of the “Saints” think that Flannery should have stuck to a stronger suit. To me, Flannery’s role in “Saw 3D” showed him as a much weaker and more desperate actor than his talent truly deserves. Hopefully, his expected role in the third installment of “The Boondock Saints” will offer him some reprieve.

The only other notable actor in “Saw 3D,” among the series’ general C-list casting, is provided by the iconic Tobin Bell. To his credit, his image is now much more recognizable as Jigsaw than as any other role that he has played in the past. But, his character’s post-death presence in “Saw 3D” was spotty at best.

I expected that the movie’s only real saving grace was going to be its inventive use of 3D in the horror genre, despite abhorring Hollywood’s recent trend of emphasizing 3D graphics over any sort of logical plot. However, “Saw 3D” was not even able to deliver in that category. Movie patrons would hardly spend a dollar for each true 3D scene at the rate movie tickets are today. I think that if a movie is going to follow the 3D trend, it should at least be thoroughly be peppered with the nauseatingly expensive technology.

Before finishing a review on any “Saw” movie, it is important to note that the original film in the series was groundbreaking and remarkable – a true inspiration and rebirth to the gory horror genre. The former power of “Saw” once came from its inventive and unpredictable use of the plot twist. But, somewhere along the way, the producers of “Saw” decided it would be much better to make a boatload of money off of the people who have continued to hope for a revival in the series than to make another cinematic masterpiece.

My recommendation: don’t bother watching “Saw 3D.” If you saw the rest of the movies and felt it necessary to finish the series, it’s really not worth the money. Instead, I recommend that you go back and watch the first couple “Saw” movies and relish the time of its heyday.

Posted by Ryan Del Campo on Nov 5 2010. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.