where are the characters?

Rating: 6/10 (22 December 2005)

There are both negative and positive things to say about Saw 2. Negative first: same problem as almost every horror, namely that there is no character exploration whatsoever. Perhaps many people will watch this for the grisly deaths and injuries, but at what point do we find this horrific if we do not care about the characters who are dying? We know a few sparse facts about them, all of which rarely go beyond 'they were all in prison', and it doesn't take much to work out their link early on. What reason do any of them have to live beyond life itself (even if they are, apparently, supposed to realise this)? Positive? Well, the sense of fear is managed fairly well. The urgency, while difficult to empathise with, is certainly demonstrated. It is just a pity that the characters are two-dimensional, and thus offer nothing with which to relate.
Overall: not as good as Saw 1, which was tighter and more careful and had better characters (even Cary Elwes). Also, less bloody and shocking. However, perhaps still an important landmark for anyone wanting to make a really shocking horror film.