The Best Thriller Of Its Time

Rating: 10/10 (5 September 2007)

With more gore, more twists, more characters and more plot, Saw II manages to trump even its own predecessor at the thriller game.
Where Saw had rare dull points, Saw II moves quickly. The traps are more gruesome and inventive, and we find ourselves with surprisingly well drawn out characters; and a plot that works fantastically as both a standalone and a sequel that expands on everything that was great about the original. Saw II really establishes the 'Saw Mythology' that fans have come to love, and as a film seems to do everything right. It hits the perfect balance between plot and action, and for the first time Jigsaw really comes into his own as a character, rather than just a scary voice on a tape recorder. Indeed; by the end of the first we still felt we knew nothing about Jigsaw, with only a couple of sparse glimpses of the man.
No such qualms here. The psychological duel between Jigsaw and the haunted Detective Matthews recalls 'Silence of the Lambs' in its brilliance and intensity, and, in what is surely rare for this kind of film, we actually feel something other than annoyance and hatred for our characters. Even the killer seems human and almost likable.
Now when was the last time you can remember a film with such qualities? It was mentioned earlier in this review; need I say more.
I'm not lying. Saw II is that good. Now go watch it.