Saw II

Rating: 8/10 (19 April 2006)

The first one was superb, and this sequel is just as good for acting, mystery, suspense and bloody gore. Basically, the cops have tracked down the location of sadistic killer, Jigsaw, or John (the cool Tobin Bell), but they also discover from video cameras that he is holding many people in a secret shelter, including the son of Det. Eric Matthews (Ransom's Donnie Wahlberg), Daniel (Eric Knudsen). Jigsaw tells him that if he talks to him, he will help him to get his son back, while the cops are tracking down the location of the shelter. In the shelter meanwhile the victims, including Xavier (Franky G), Showgirls' Glenn Plummer as Jonas, Emmanuelle Vaugier as Addison, Beverley Mitchell as Laura, Tim Burd as Obi, and returning victim, Amanda (Shawnee Smith) (the one who had the jaw trap), are going through all clues and traps to find their way out before they are killed by the slow acting nerve gas. The great end has Amanda and Daniel reusing the saw in the old bathroom (from the first one), and the big twist is when Eric finally loses him temper and threatens Jigsaw to take him to his son, this is when the cops find out the video broadcast is not live, the countdown in Jigsaw's place was for the release of Daniel in the locked room, and Eric finds out the hard way that Amanda has not only played before, but she is to be Jigsaw's replacement when he dies of cancer. Also starring Lyriq Bent as Rigg, Noam Jenkins as Michael and Billy the Jigsaw Puppet (LOL). . Traps include: (the opening) a guy with a timed death mask that will close unless he gets the key from behind his eye, the door with the key triggering a gun, the oven activated by a pulling a chain (with antidote on it), a pit of needles with a key for a timed door, and the hand trap of broken glass with antidote in it. Very good!