Saw: The Bloodbath Edition

Rating: 6/10 (19 April 2015)

It is telling of our culture that 'Saw III' is the highest grossing film of the franchise. It also possesses the largest quantities of blood, until 'Saw: The Final Chapter'. If you are going into Saw III expecting a deep, complex, held back horror, then this is surely not the film for you.
Jigsaw's now on death's door. He has the help of his newly appointed apprentice Amanda. She will carry out his remaining traps and ensure that his life's work goes on, even without him. This time he tasks Amanda with kidnapping Lynn Denlon, who works at the local hospital. Lynn's objective is making Jigsaw survive long enough to see the outcome of another victim and his tests set before him. Jigsaw's next victim is Jeff who is filled with vengeance after the death of his beloved son who was hit by a car. The driver left as quickly as possible and Jeff has no room in his heart for pity, kindness or redemption. Jigsaw figures that it is now Jeff's time to be tested. Jeff has three tests, tests of forgiveness for the witness, judge and suspect. Jeff must complete his tests in the allotted time or be trapped in the abandoned factory to die in.
'Saw III' contains some of the franchise's most vile traps and the only effective sentimental one. It's an odd mix. But the filmmakers manage to pull it off. People, who have seen the film, will know which traps I am referring to and they occur within the first fifteen minutes. Bring a bucket. The classroom trap needs some description, however brief in order to explain it. The victim in this instance is a convict by the name of Troy. Jigsaw believes him to be "more comfortable in chains, than you are in freedom". Troy has chains linked to almost every body part; he will need to rip them out of himself before the bomb detonates. The thing is even if he did make it in time; he would not escape the room alive. The door was sealed shut and the Police had to break it down through force. Detective Kerry who has been on the case since the first killing, decides this is not the work of Jigsaw but an imitator.
The same thing happens again. The victim is harnessed into a device that is hooked into her ribcage. She grabs the key out of a vat of acid. It does not matter. The device will not budge. This is the work of perhaps the very same imitator earlier.
These traps are not effective. Well in a sense they are, you are sure to feel nauseous. But they are devised for shock value. They do not have half of the weight found in the original because they involve gallons of blood. The only factor that makes them worthwhile is Jigsaw's instructions to the victims. His rasping voice is absorbing to listen to. If only the same could be said of the traps.
There is one though that resonates throughout the series. In one of Jeff's tests, the judge is in a huge metal container, lying on his back. It is slowly filling up with the guts of pigs. The only way Jeff can retrieve the key is by burning his son's toys. The look of pain on Jeff's face is palpable and highlights that you do not need to have a barrel full of blood to make an impact on the audience.
The acting here is shockingly the best of the series. Angus Macfayden as Jeff is the right amount of disturbing, never under or overplaying to his horrifying predicament. Shawnee Smith as Amanda undoes her excruciating performance from 'Saw II' and for sure is better served in her scenes with the deranged Jigsaw. Tobin Bell brings his character to life and offers the only humanity that can be garnered from someone this psychotic.
'Saw III' oversteps the mark frequently. The gore is often far too much to handle and the first couple of traps derivative at best. But once Jeff's game begins, the film hits its bloody stride and delivers fans with a hard-core horror with well-defined characters (for the main cast), who would have thought it? As well as a surprisingly thoughtful story and great acting (for a horror film at least.) If only more Horror sequels were this entertaining, in a sadistic way.