Brutality and torture...On multiple levels.

Rating: 7/10 (27 October 2006)

The signature for the Saw series is to kill off characters in creative, agonizing ways and to mix it all up with sharp wit and dark, contrasting atmosphere. Saw III delivers just that, and goes out of the way to please fans of it's predecessors.
While entertaining, bloody, and gory as a good horror film should, it does move rather slowly. Almost like a television episode, extended for a feature film. It doesn't help, that while it's a Saw movie and the red stuff is in nearly every shot, it includes several clichés/dull moments. That being in comparison in what the movie could be. It fails in that department, mainly because the film focuses on the continuity of Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and Amanda (Shawnee Smith). The former not at 100%, for storyline reasons and not performance. And latter, though, does a great job at filling the screen with an aura of desperation and hate, which more than anything else in the film, makes you believe you're watching "Saw".
But buying the ticket for 'III', I know the intelligence of the film was second on my mind. How these people were going to bite the dust was top priority. The camera/editing may have been too jumpy for some to see anything, but it's there in full force. Hands down, more violent and hard-hitting than the first two entries. It constantly garners that "god, I'm glad I'm not him/her" or "sucks to be you!" feeling.
For storyline purposes, it barely passes, but does pass, for a gap between 1-2 and the inevitable 4. If you're wondering whether or not to see it, go and see it. It's a cool film, if nothing else. And it might prove inspiration into choosing a career in surgery.