Seen

Rating: 4/10 (22 January 2007)

While some people are calling this gore flick the best of the three, I would have to say the opposite. Saw III has neither the plotted suspense of it's original nor the fast paced bloodletting of the amped up predecessor- yet the film plays like a half-assed amalgam of both. I can imagine hardcore fans of the morbid franchise or people who have never seen a Saw deriving the most pleasure out of this latest mechanized entry. Fans will eat up any bone these practical jokers (screenwriters) throw whilst trying to provide some sort of deadly scenario, usually giving way to an inordinate number of flashbacks, all in the name of allowing the franchise's sole saving grace (The blissfully creepy Tobin Bell) opportunity to chew the little scenery his tired ass can. Likewise, those who have never indulged in the current heavyweight champ of box office masochism may find a squeamishly fun time, guided by endless twists and brutally unique gore. For all those that fall into that third group which have seen these previous entries and are not die-hard fans (and over 20) will probably have a hard time swallowing this rushed, misdirected cash in on the silly little craze that was once unique, graphic, and entertaining but now merely feels monotonous, cheap, and exploitive. Desperately trying to weave an ambitious narrative to help explain some of this sorry excuse for a trilogy, the movie instead comes across as a convoluted hodge-podge of throw away ideas, weakly connecting the over-the-top and less frightening set piece death traps, with all the personality and character development of a soap opera.