Saw VI

Now Showing

In Cinemas 23/10/09

Director: Kevin Greutert

Stars: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Peter Outerbridge, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Shawnee Smith

Year: 2009 Running Time: 90 mins Rating:

Michael Moore's Sicko is Saw-n in half as the unstoppable franchise reaches movie no.6. The best Saw since the first installment finds a new lease of life with the global recession, targeting medical insurance companies that put profit over care, and submitting them to Jigsaw's house of horrors. On-going plot threads from early movies and Tobin Bell's moral murderer are there for the faithful, but a new roster of characters, a re-energised script, and a welcome vein of humour make this frightful fun.

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Review

Here's a sight for Saw-eyes; a Saw movie that doesn't stink.

After the effective shocks of the premiere outing, the law of diminishing returns kicked in with the very first sequel, which makes this sixth outing a surprise for celluloid atrocity aficionados.

The producers seem to have heeded complaints that Saw V was light on the entrails, setting out its butcher's stall in the opening credit scene that has two corrupt loan sharks hack off pounds (and pounds) of flesh to tip the scales in their favour, or receive bolts to the temples.

Gruey, innards spilling, arm hacking hyperbole, if you're not sold here then best head for the exit.

And there is a certain amount of ambition in referring to plot points from three or four films ago that actually has the Saw series crediting horror fans with more intelligence than usually assigned to them.

Tobin Bell is back via flashback/figment of insane imagination, and the sub-plot concerning the vigilante forensics detective (Mandylor) and Mrs Jigsaw (Russell) continuing the mad genius' plan kind of gets cleared up (with some Saw VII friendly loose ends).

But, the real fun here is the plight of William (Outerbridge), a millionaire medical insurance huckster targeted because he chooses who lives and dies based on family history, income, and lifestyle.

During one action packed hour the insurance man is faced with a series of games placing friends and colleagues in perilous situations and Will must decide who's for the chop. Or the barbed wire garrotting. Or the spike through the face.

Or in the film's best sequence, which two of Will's six workmates will survive a roundabout ride of death as each come to rest in front of a loaded shotgun (based on the statistic that he rejects 2/3rds of insurance claims - heh heh).

As each makes a case for why the others should die, there is clearly life in the old formula yet.

Continuing the series tradition of putting supporting crew in the director's chair, regular editor Kevin Gruetert steps up and does a better job than his predecessors.

A last-minute twist satisfyingly pulls the rug out from assumed character relationships, making Saw VII, amazingly, a movie to anticipate (and rumour has it they're shooting in 3-D next time).

With bankers, politicians, and news anchorman to go after next, this Saw still has teeth.