Not As Good as the First, But Still Incredible

Rating: 10/10 (28 October 2005)

I am by no means a movie expert. I'm only 16 years old. Hell, one of my top 3 movies of all time is The Goonies.
That being said, I go to movies for one thing. I don't expect Oscar-winning performances. I want entertainment, pure and simple. This movie provides it on a silver platter. I found myself yelling out at the screen, and laughing my @$$ off at certain parts.
Like my title says, it wasn't as good as the first. It wasn't as scary, either. Saw II is more of a mind-f*ck. Since there are 8 characters, they aren't developed as much as they were in the first ones. You get a minor history of some of the major characters, but it doesn't go much past that. The acting is better than the first, though. The character who played Xavier had me hating him from the very start. The main police officer in the movie, Eric I think is his name, also did an incredible job.
The traps Jigsaw set were as ruthless as ever. The opening scene had my stomach churning, and it didn't really stop until the end. There is a LOT more gore in this one. A lot of cutting of the wrists/injections/slashing throats. To be short, When Jigsaw said "There will be blood", it was an extreme understatement.
Without giving away any spoilers, do not leave the theater for ANYTHING in the last 15-20 minutes. Previous unanswered questions will be answered, (What happened to Adam and the Doctor? What the hell was the gigantic boar-head thing?) Just don't leave the theater. The last 20 minutes are filled with nostalgia at it's finest.
Overall, it's a great movie. I'd highly suggest watching the first one if you haven't already. It will impact the way you take in the movie greatly.