I’ve stuck with the Saw series since the start, and really enjoyed the ending (even though it provides little closure and sets up more films in the series). Fans will love to see how it all ends, even if it really is the end.
Saw 3D: The Final Chapter: Unrated (2010)
Genre(s): Horror
Lionsgate | Unrated – 90 min. – $49.99 | January 25, 2011
MOVIE INFO:
Directed by: Kevin Greutert
Writer(s): Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunstan (written by)
Cast: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Sean Patrick Flannery, Cary Elwes
Theatrical Release Date: October 29, 2010
DISC INFO:
Features: 2 Feature Commentaries, Featurette, Deleted/Extended Scenes, Music Videos, BD-Live, DVD Copy, Digital Copy
Number of Discs: 2
Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 7.1)
Video: 1080p/Widescreen 1.78
Subtitles: English SDH, English, Spanish
Codec: MVC
THE MOVIE – 3.25/5
Is it over? After watching this film, I’m not sure.
Witness the last diabolical act of a legend as the final pieces of Jigsaw’s puzzle are revealed, and this time, the traps come alive…
As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw’s brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of a self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen. But Dagen hides his own dark secrets, ones that will unleash a wave of unrelenting terror and suffering in the heart-stopping finale to the most successful horror movie series of all time.
What really works in this film is the opening ‘trap’. This time it’s in front of an audience and provides a very brutal death because of the choice of two individuals. The hysteria and panic really shines here and I think this just might be one of my favorite trap of the series. After that, we are greeted with another new character, Bobby Dagen, who wrote a book on his ordeal with Jigsaw and how he is ‘better’ because of it. The problem is he made everything up just to score some bucks. This works out well for Jigsaw’s apprentice who captures all his friends and wife and decides to give Bobby the choice of who lives and dies.
Saw: The Final Chapter is definitely a step up from the previous few films, but since I don’t watch these in a marathon, I find it hard to believe that viewers will remember what happened in the previous 6 films. I was struggling to remember people’s names, and why they were ‘bad’ and what motives they had to complete Jigsaw’s dreams. Once again we are thrust into an ending that shows he had another ‘secret’ helper (how many at this point, 5?) which leaves me, as a viewer who watches these when they hit Blu-ray and not theaters, a bit irritated. Why should I be forced to remember films from 6 years ago? Why do they pick actors that act like a wooden doll? Why are cops so great at making inventions? Well, at least we got an answer as to have Jigsaw managed to get some of his victims and how they were ‘taken care of’ by a doctor.
Billed as the ‘Final Chapter’ (look Friday the 13th which spawned an additional 6 films after that title), the film still leaves an opportunity to produce more films with the ending. I’m having a hard time thinking of a way they can, considering how tired the series has become, but I guess there is always direct-to-video.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3/5
There are two feature commentaries: 1) Producers Oren Koules, Peter Block and Mark Burg and 2) with Writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. The tracks are fine of course it’s no surprise director Kevin Greutert wasn’t here given the certain animosity being forced to direct this after being tapped to helm Paranormal Activity 2.
Deleted and Extended Scenes (14 Minutes; HD) include six scenes that were removed and cut down for length. Honestly, I found very little substance in these and I’m glad they were removed because the film already feels a bit too long.
52 Ways to Die (14 Minutes; HD) – Alright, not this is pretty cool. This showcases off all the different traps from the seven (!) Saw films.
Also included is 4 Music Videos (21 Minutes; HD), BD-Live Portal and second disc which houses a DVD copy and a Digital Copy.
VIDEO – 3.5/5
Saw 3D is presented in 1.78:1 on a 50GB disc. Since this is Lionsgate’s second 3D title, I’m going to cut them a bit of slack. The first 15 minutes are filled with so much ghosting/haloing that I actually shutdown my Home Theater thinking I had a bad connection. But alas, it is actually like that on the disc. After the 15 minute, things got a lot better to the point where I only noticed a bit of ghosting here and there but nowhere near the amount of times had I counted during the first 15. The 3D pop works really well here, with several of the ‘traps’ showcasing how 3D can be used in an effective manner instead of being a gimmick. Colors are incredibly drab and the film is filled with grain (intended).
AUDIO – 4.5/5
Lionsgate has included an English 7.1 DTS MA Track for this release. As great as 7.1 is, I felt the dialogue was bit too high which resulted in some bad echoes every so often. Surround was well used and hearing the bones crunch and blood squirt was… well, a bit chilling.
OVERALL – 3.5/5
I’ve stuck with the Saw series since the start, and really enjoyed the ending (even though it provides little closure and sets up more films in the series). Fans will love to see how it all ends, even if it really is the end.
Brad Lowenberg
Published: 01/30/2011
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