Release Date – 10/23/09
Detective Hoffman has fully taken over as the new Jigsaw, attempting to finish the grand vision that we have been witnessing for the last 5 years. The point of focus for this new set of games is William, Vice President of Claims and Investigations at Umbrella Health who denied John Kramer (Jigsaw) to use an experimental cancer treatment that could have saved his life. William is all about cutting costs and doesn’t take into account the damage he does to human lives by denying insurance coverage. William is put through a series of games so he can start valuing other human lives besides his own. All the while, Hoffman isn’t as careful as the original Jigsaw and the FBI are starting to unravel the whole scheme. This movie was surprisingly decent. A year after the horrendous Saw V, which was one of the most confusing and sloppily put together pieces of garbage in horror, and we get something a little more coherent. I’m not saying its great by any means, but its better than pure crap.
Costas Mandylor returns as Detective Hoffman, who really is a terrible character. He’s the worst at concealing his identity as the new Jigsaw and just looks guilty at all times. Not to mention he has the same smug look on his face throughout the entire movie. Peter Outerbridge plays William, who really is a giant douche but I feel like he’s just doing his job. He was tested in a giant torture obstacle constructed in yet another abandoned warehouse throughout most of the movie. What I loved about the original Saw was its believability. Two guys trapped in a room that are trying to find out how to solve the kidnapper’s puzzle. After the original, things got ridiculous with big sets and elaborate traps. I don’t think Jigsaw would really know how to engineer all this mechanical equipment especially since he was on his death bed after the first movie. Even if he did have help, its just silly. It just gets really hard to believe. Tobin Bell once again returns in flashbacks to help build character of our current players. I do give them credit for setting things up in previous movies in hopes to garner enough cash to bring about a sequel. For example, Jigsaw’s widow was given a box in Saw V as part of his will. We find out what was in that box in Saw VI and it actually plays a major role. The flashbacks work well in this movie.
This sixth installment is from the writers of IV and V but with a new director. It still has the same look and feel so I imagine the directors for these movies don’t really get to branch out into anything unique. I’m just glad it was easier to follow. I remember watching Saw V with a look of puzzlement on my face. It seriously got too twisted in flashbacks and bullcrap to even be near a decent movie. I’m an avid horror fan, which I seem to state in all my horror reviews, so if something can hold my interest, show me a little gore, and have a good twist ending then I’m on board. Saw VI is nowhere near as good as the original or even the 2nd installment but its better than the other previous efforts with better acting this time. After bashing the last movie and saying they should stop making these, I was glad I didn’t hate it. But I still do think it should be done. Saw VII is already being written with the director of Saw V coming back. Plus this one ended with twists and cliffhangers like usual. So next year, if its Halloween, it must be SAW…. Again. Which means I must see it…. Again!
IMDB – 6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 48%
Movie Wiseguys – 6/10