Live or die, make your choice.
The third in the hit torture film series is set to slash its way onto movie theaters across the nation this October. The big question is how long will they be able to keep it going? I guess the answer is as long as they're making money. Look at the long running horror series of the 1980s, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Halloween, among others. It is clear even when quality dips, these types of movies can still turn a profit. Don't get me wrong, I somehow find myself among the viewers, so I do my part.
I am just curious as to how they will keep the Saw franchise fresh, or if it will become stale and repetitive. To be honest, I liked the first Saw, despite its flaws, and I liked Saw II, but not as much as part one. I don't find Jigsaw to be nearly as compelling as the horror movie icons of those '80s slashers. This is probably because the Saw films are not horror films. They are essentially murder mysteries with some torture thrown in. The problem is the torture has become the central point and purpose. Nothing wrong with that, I like to have a little blood with my movies, but I also like to have a strong story and characters to go with it and these have not paid off in that regard.
Anyway, as soon as the second film was a hit last fall, they immediately green-lit a third. The teaser trailer is out now, having debuted in theaters with the excellent The Descent. The trailer reveals a bit about what I believe is the initial setpiece. It looks surprisingly like a scene from Hellraiser, with a person suspended on a series of chains, a la Pinhead. It is also revealed that Tobin Bell's John Kramer is still alive and well. Also returning to the cast are Dina Meyer and Shawnee Smith.
Director Darren Lynn Bousman returns for this outing, following his big screen debut with Saw II. The screenplay was written by Leigh Whannell. It is based on an idea from the creator and director of the original, James Wan, who co-wrote and co-starred in the original film, and co-wrote the sequel. It will be interesting to see how this turns out.
The trailer is now online at the new movie website, and at Lions Gate. The blood hits the screen October 27, 2006, just in time for Halloween.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
I skipped Saw II even though I really liked the first film, on the theory that the series would follow the Final Destination pattern. The first Saw film was a labor of love, based on an idea the two creators had refined for years. The second was an attempt to make money, and presumably the gore became the point, as with Final Destination II.
Someday I may rent it, maybe, but I'm not excited about it.
2 - Chris Beaumont
I actually liked FD 2. I liked how cleverly it tied into the original, plus that opening crash sucked me in. Saw II had some decent traps, but it wasn't nearly as strong as the original. Still worth seeing as there are very few films released with decent amounts of blood.
3 - Phillip Winn
I guess the thing that bummed me out was that the extras on the original FD were mostly about the idea, the story, and the plotting, while the extras on the sequel were all about the gory effects. Impressive effects, yes, but that should be the icing on the cake, not the cake!
I suspect Saw II is the same, and your description above seems to support that.
Oh well, eventually I'll see it.