SAW VI
US, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Mark Rolston, Betsy Russell, Shawnee Smith, Peter Outerbridge, George Newbern.
Directed by Kevin Greutert.
October and the annual ritual, since, 2004, to review a Saw film.
Who would have thought? The Saw franchise has proven very popular with horror fans. The series has also been tagged as 'torture porn'. It is and it isn't. It certainly gets close to the line at times but does not quite cross it. But, it does mean that for any audience sensitive to portrayals of violence, especially with gore, should beware.
Some series simply re-make the plot of the first film. With Saw, there have been plot developments that may never have been dreamed of by the young Australian originators of the first film, James Wan and Leigh Whannell. The sadistic killer who sets up over-the-top death traps for victims he intends to punish has gradually had a back story built up which gives him a little more humanity and motivation than for his initial exploits. Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is now John Kramer and, though he died several films ago, flashbacks have given more a more extended screen life.
Also in the picture for several films is Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) who has inherited the Jigsaw legacy.
Saw VI has been directed by Kevin Greutert who edited the other five films, so he knows what he is doing. But, there is a stronger plot line which President Obama might like (were he to look at a Saw film) which links in with his 2009 health policy and the critique of greedy and heartless health insurance companies who use policy to refuse to grant requests for covering claims. It means that the main victims here certainly don't elicit much sympathy from the audience, especially in a dramatic Russian roulette sequence for the demise of the six experts on unpicking claims in order to deny them.
It's all rather small-budget, with many dingy sets in the warehouse of death, with some killings which are too gruesome for most audiences and, at the last moment, the possibility for Saw VII. Back again, this time next year.
1.The Saw franchise? The comment on sensibilities with such a popular franchise? Horror? The accusation of torture porn? This film as sixth in the series? One every year?
2.The familiar settings, the abandoned warehouse, the chambers set up for the torture? The contrast with the insurance offices? The police precincts? The small budget? Cast? Musical score?
3.The familiar ingredients of the plot: Jigsaw, his initial plan to punish people? The torture? The chambers? The torture games? Traps and escape? Personal sacrifices? Clashing people? The background of his terminal illness, his wife, his influence on Hoffman, Hoffman’s role? Detection? Jill and the box? How well did these all come together in this film?
4.The opening, the familiar introduction, the individuals, being tortured, pitted against each other? Their crime in money-lending? The task of losing some weight, the man cutting himself, the woman chopping her arm? The death? Setting the tone?
5.Hoffman, his work as a detective, his inheriting Jigsaw’s plans? His ruthlessness? The recap of the death of Strahm? Jill, the box, the six envelopes, the plan? Putting it into execution? Supervising? The technology? Erickson and his assistant, the confrontation, his wariness? Their testing the voice? His thinking that the agent was dead? Going to the studio, the identification of his voice? His sudden killing of the police? His return, the meeting with Jill, her putting the apparatus over his head? Jigsaw wanting him dead? The flashbacks and the reasons why? His time, desperation, getting the apparatus off his head – and the potential for a sequel?
6.The theme of health insurance, ruthlessness? William and his interview with Harry, friendship, policy, the death sentence? His manner, suave? Discussions with his lawyer, the phone call to Pamela? His team, their going through the contracts and finding faults, preconditions…? The ruthlessness?
7.The relevance of this theme to American health policy under President Obama? The difficulties?
8.Jill, the box, the envelopes? The set-ups for William in the maze? To rescue the others? His sacrificing himself, his choices for two to be saved on the roundabout? His confrontation with Harry’s wife and son, the wife unable to kill him, the son able to, his death? The condemnation of him by the people being killed on the roundabout?
9.The roundabout, the way the scene was played, suspense? William and his decision to save the two women? The people on the roundabout, their reactions, accusations, bitterness, deaths?
10.Harry’s wife and son, trapped, the puzzle, trying to get out? William finding them, Pamela watching? Jigsaw’s message? The wife unable to pull the switch, the son pulling the switch? The retribution for such callousness in health insurance policy?
11.The flashbacks for Jigsaw, as dying, his cancer, Jill looking after him? The interviews with William, the possible operation being turned down, the motivation for his vengeance? His relationship with Hoffman?
12.Popular ingredients – but only for horror fans?
