saw trilogy
This rapid fire is devoted to the greatness of horror films. Not all of them. That’s a bit beyond me, but specifically the Saw trilogy. I realize that each film is mediocre and will only likely reach the status of a cult following, but I have to give it it’s due. It’s a quality set of conceptual films.
saw one
I saw this one in the theater pretty much because of general curiosity. I wasn’t dating someone at the time that was overly squeamish, so it worked out. This one set the precedent for gore and strong concept, as well as the pitiful acting that continues throughout. It stands out from the typical horror classics because we know as little as the characters, if not less. The killer isn’t revealed until the absolute end because he’s only indirectly involved in their murder. The murder itself relies on a choice the victim needs to make.
Conceptually, the idea is stellar. We have a killer who gives his victims the choice. It’s always a gruesome decision, but we see that one person makes the choice and survives, so we know, at the core, Jigsaw (the killer) is flexible. He is showing his victims the error of their ways and allowing them a sense of redemption through their choices.
As the detectives get closer to the killer they are faced with tests and traps themselves. The intensity is only broken up by shitty dialog choices horrible timing within the screenplay. Maybe it was inexperience, I don’t know, but parts that were begging to be silent in order to increase intensity and suspense were filled with the dude from princess bride screaming ridiculous chunks of stupid.
***
saw two
After the first one caught my attention, I felt I needed to see this one. I borrowed it from a roommate and took a look see. Again, what the hell is with the acting? The chick from 7th heaven? Com’on, you’re not even trying. But this time the characters were all in a house and on a hunt for an antidote for a disease they were being infected with. I have to say, that’s pretty creative even if the execution wasn’t all that great.
But here you have a transition from master to apprentice and a similar sense of accountability for one’s actions. All the characters are linked in an unseen way and one is tormented by past actions. The same overall idea of having options and choices fills this one, but because of the confined place they are more general. The intensity is slightly manufactured, but still there in relatively high doses.
It’s not close to as good as the first, but continues the theme of it fairly well. It strays from the genuine sense of right and wrong that was played with in the first and is hurt because of it. Also, the dialog still sucks. You’d think they could have thrown in a more pricey writer to make something more plausible.
**
saw three
So the final of the trilogy was served up from the library and I wasn’t as disappointed as I expected. I was under the assumption things would follow the downward slope. It didn’t. I mean it did, the acting wasn’t solid throughout, but it was better than the first two. The dialog was not only better, but it was thought out. By the end, each cheesy statement was grouped into an overall meaning.
More victims are brutally dispatched. This time, they are given a choice, but it appears that no matter what their choice, they won’t survive the elaborate traps. The plot is more involved because one man faces multiple traps and the characters, Jigsaw included, are all interconnected. It’s still sort of a cheesy movie, but it has the underlying theme of having your own choice in whether you’re good or bad.
***
As far as trilogies go, this one’s pretty solid because the third wraps things up nicely, even if there are a couple holes left. It ties everything together and does a good job with character development. The concept behind them and the production of those ideas were on opposite ends of the spectrum, but that almost adds to their appeal.