This strong sequel is suspenseful, clever and almost just as good as the first one.

Rating: 8/10 (23 November 2005)

It's been over a year that an sadistic man, who is known as Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is been punishing his victims by designing bizarre traps by forcing his victims to play a game by letting his victims a chance to get out of the various traps but he is also teaching them the value of life. Since Jigsaw is dying from Cancer. An stubborn detective (Donnie Wahlberg) is trying to built a relationship with his troubled son (Erik Knudsen). The detective find out that his son is been kidnapped by Jigsaw and placing his son trapped with seven other people (Shawnee Smith, Franky G, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Glenn Plummer, Beverly Mitchell, Timothy Burd and Tony Nappo) in an apartment building somewhere in the city. But this detective has less than two hours to save his son and others before they get killed by Poison, which is already inserted in their bodies. Which these eight people have to find an anti-dote to save themselves.
Directed by first-time filmmaker:Darren Lynn Bousman made an entertaining sequel to "Saw". Which the sequel has some of the same intensity of the first film. Which this sequel is more of a horror movie than a thriller like the first picture. But this sequel contains some terrific suspenseful surprises that is different but just as clever as the original. The film has good performances and it is also fast-paced. This sequel has more to do for the actors:Bell, Smith and Dina Meyer. Which Meyer plays an forensic officer, which these three actors were briefly seen in the original film.
DVD has an sharp anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an strong-Dolby Digital 5.1 Expanded Surround Sound. DVD has an amusing commentary track by co-writer/director:Lynn Bousman & actors:Wahlberg and Mitchell. DVD also has featurettes, theatrical trailer, storyboards and more. Some of the violence is genuinely grisly and unappealing but that's the point of this horror movie. Watch for film horror/fantasy critic:John Fallon (from "arrowinthehead.com") in a cameo as a S.W.A.T. Video Technician. This script was originally written by the director, which it had nothing to do with "Saw". Leigh Whannell, who played "Adam" in the original. Which Whannell re-wrote the script with the director. This is a satisfying sequel for horror fans and for those who liked the original. Whannell and James Wan (The Director of "Saw" and upcoming "Silence") are among the executive producers. (****/*****).