The Definition of Sequel: Saw 2

Rating: 8/10 (29 October 2005)

Horror movies have been very weak for the longest time. With 2004's release of Saw, a new light was shed on the horror genre. Saw was everything a horror fan could have asked for, putting up enough competition to be categorized for being as good or even better than 1995's Se7en. The first time I heard that there was going to be a Saw 2 and even with a new director, I thought that Saw would be forever ruined. After James Wan did a fabulous job on Saw, how could newcomer Darren Lynn Bousman even compete with him? So many questions were going on, but on October 28, 2005, all of my questions were answered.
Like many other horror sequels, Saw 2 starts off with a big bang to get your blood flowing, but unlike other sequels, Saw 2 gives you the same adrenaline rush throughout the entire movie. Not only is your blood flowing, but so is the blood of the characters of the movie. As promised, there was blood, and plenty of it to satisfy any horror fan, but that's not what all horror movies are about right? There's got to be more than just blood and guts, and there definitely is.
Saw 2 focuses mostly on Jigsaw. What happened to him in the past, how he got to be like he is, and what his motives are. Unlike in Saw, Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell) is now one of the main characters, which is rare in most horror movies because you usually don't get to see the killer until the end where he or she is finally revealed, but we know who the killer is, or do we? Saw had one of the greatest endings I have even seen in a movie, I still get goosebumps when I hear the music in the background and see Jigsaw stand up. My main concern was that they would fail in creating an ending that could compete or even be better than Saw's ending. I was wrong. In many past horror movies, the famous twist has dealt with a split personality. Saw 2 didn't take the easy way out, the ending was creative, and most likely you won't know what happens until you see it, which makes it so powerful.
Saw 2 was next to flawless. Saw had very few flaws, and acting was one of them, but not this time, not in Saw 2. Every actor's role was very convincing and realistic. Not only did Tobin Bell play an excellent villain, but all eight characters trapped in side the house did a stellar job as well.
Saw 2 is everything I didn't expect it to be: awesome. Tons of blood, edge of your seat thrills, awesome characters, even a better plot, and just as good (or maybe even better) ending as Saw. See this movie any way you can, then you can see for yourself how awesome this movie is. My advice if you do see it, try and guess the ending because I bet you won't. This movie is like a jigsaw puzzle, it isn't complete until the last piece is put into place with all the others.