Saw II: A psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the end

Rating: 8/10 (28 October 2005)

When "Saw" was released in 2004, the reviews on the film were quite mixed. Some were impressed with the unexpected hit of the season, while others could not stand it. For those who did like "Saw," I highly recommend the sequel. I went to the movie expecting a crummy effort at mediocre sequel, and could not have been more surprised. I was kept on the edge of my seat (not quite literally) throughout the whole film. Towards the beginning of the movie, I felt quite thirsty and wanted to get a drink; this is usually done when there seems to be a bit of dead space in a movie, so that missing the two minutes to get a drink won't really matter. However, I was never able to leave my seat and take myself away from what I was seeing. It constantly keeps you guessing about all sorts of things, and I found myself trying to decipher "Jigsaw's" riddles along with the captives (for the most part, without much success). Many of the film's scenes are just as, if not more intense than those of the first, and for the fans of "Jigsaw's" infamous traps and "games," well you're in luck, because there is a whole new array of sadistic contraptions and situations, some that I found quite difficult to watch, that are quite up to par with those of the first. The acting has improved considerably in comparison to the original and story seemed a lot more clever to me. The film's slogan is "Oh yes... there will be blood" and blood there is indeed. I would not recommend this for the faint of heart, nor anyone under the age of fifteen to eighteen (depending on one's maturity level. But to all fans of the first, it's worth the money...