DVD Reviews

Saw 3D

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Cary Elwes
• Details: US/90mins 18

Despite being branded with a misleading "3" in the title, this sequel is in fact the seventh film in the increasingly atrocious franchise, that just like its villain, needs to be violently put out of its misery. Measuring up Saw 3D against other films in the genre is completely pointless, it's so bad, it's not even on the same scale. Pitting it against its predecessors it's curiously pretentious; this film thinks it's so smart it actually goes all the way back to the original to offer up a major reveal, then stands there smugly, like a washed-up game show assistant, revealing a second hand dishwasher as the main prize.
Sean Patrick Flannery is a self-help guru, who claims to be a past victim of Jigsaw; he's been doing the TV rounds, and flogging his new book 'Survive', even leading a group of those who have managed not to buy the farm at the hands of the Bruce Wayne of serial killers (seriously, where does he get the money from?) Anyhow, Detective Hoffman is still carrying on his legacy, and killing folk who have made questionable moral decisions in their lives. Had an affair? You're screwed? Racist Nazi sort? Equally as screwed.
It's obvious that the crappy budget here has once again gone on the set design and very little else. All of the core cast are acting like they're in some type of horrible day time American soap, but the dialogue is so teeth-grindingly cheesy, and the plot so utterly nonsensical, Daniel Day Lewis would look like he's destined for a career doing Fair City. One guy in particular was obviously cast because of a resemblance to Ryan Gosling, but is left stranded by a director who looks like he couldn't give a shit.
In fairness, said director Kevin Greutert was essentially forced to take the film after he initially became attached to helm Paranormal Activity 2, when producers took advantage of a clause in his contract. There is no atmosphere, the 3D is pointless, the traps now completely scrapping the bottom of the barrel, and the whole thing looks like it was produced for a day's catering on a normal Hollywood production.
If you're a hardcore Saw fan then you like seeing people horribly murdered in an innovative manner. This has people being torn to shreds and I actually yawned during one of the sequences. About as scary as a 9 year old girl threatening you with a plastic golfclub.

Review by Mike Sheridan