Six years ago this week, I sat in on a film festival showing of a little horror movie that pitted the evil doers of the world against themselves. The premise intrigued me, but I never would have expected that now, over a half decade later, I would still be witnessing the continuation of the same story. Yes guys, I'm talking about Saw VI, which struts into theaters this week with new games, new victims and the same lucid killer, at least to a degree, known as Jigsaw.
Carrying almost the exact same formula as its predecessors, Kevin Greutert's Saw VI offers little in the form of story-timeline creativity; though for some reason, it doesn't bother me. We get to see more evidence of just how Jigsaw's legacy is being carried out, (his death in the third film would have prompted many franchises to silently fade out). However, his lucrative scheme to teach human's the value of life does begin to show itself as many instances from past films are revisited and explained.
Picking up right where the fifth film left off, this chapter in the Saw sage begins with a game, this time pitting two loan officers against each other as they struggle to give a 'pound' of their own flesh in exchange for a second chance on life. Easily the most gruesome and ridiculous moment in the film, this 'game' sets the tone for the rest of the film as the series looks to capitalize on the present economic state.
The leading victim this time around is William, a health insurance investor who is ultimately responsible for either denying or accepting cases. He has a history with Jigsaw, one that he would like to forget. Like always, that rare encounter comes back to haunt him. Played by Peter Outerbridge, William is a very interesting character; one who realizes his faults, but never goes as far as to apologize for his companies 'policies.' His maze of 'games,' or as I like to call them, traps, is one of mass proportions. His choices have instrumental consequences; while his internal formula-rigging mind must opt to side with his company or the external factors that can waver with a face-to-face death sentence.
The film hits its stride when our lead 'player' comes face to face with his most prized executives. The contraption is ingenious, almost too smart for its own good, as you begin to see just what people will say and do when their life is on the line. Everything in Saw happens with a purpose. Small cast members return to play huge parts in the overall story, and that is the same here. Although I do have to say that I was upset with the way things finished, feeling intentionally tricked as to relationships and known involvement. Much of that has to do with the editing, but misleading cuts often attempt to hide lacking creative subplots, a stretch that I don't feel this film needed to venture towards.
Tobin Bell, Mark Rolston and Shawnee Smith stick around for this installment, both of which have been dead for three films now. They join Costas Mandylor and Betsy Russell as the film's lead villains, all of whom play a part in turning one character's worst nightmares into a reality, showing us that revenge is something that is best served cold. This film marks the first time that we see Jigsaw on a tv screen as his bicycle riding messenger takes a break for much of the film. This raises the question: how was Jigsaw able to plan such an extensive scheme from the grave? Guess we will have to wait another year as Saw VII is already on its way, with the new addition of 3-D technology. Beware!
