2008 Woodie Awards
Fourth film in series proves grizzliest yet
By: Lee Rice
Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: Lifestyle
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Four out of Five Stars
The latest chapter in the ever-popular and gruesome Saw franchise, directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, revolves around the two remaining members of the investigative team assigned to stop Jigsaw's murdering spree. After being kidnapped by Jigsaw's remaining accomplice, Officer Rigg (Lyriq Bent), the SWAT team leader from the previous films, is forced to play a deadly game; if he fails to find two other missing detectives in 90 minutes, they will die in horrible pain.
After last year's mediocre "Saw III," people will no doubt view "Saw IV" with mixed expectations. On one hand, they expect the brilliant deathtraps that the series is known for, great characterization, and the gritty, realistic feel offered by all the previous films. On the other hand, they are faced with the fact that most great horror series begin to slump by the third film and take a nose dive
shortly thereafter.
Anybody making those two assumptions will be pleased to find that they were right on the first count but wrong on
the second.
"Saw IV" is a sick, twisted and brilliant ride that will keep audiences glued to their seat (or in this case, strapped there with a deadly device locked onto
their head).
One of the first things people consider when they think of the "Saw" series is the deadly traps that Jigsaw uses to "judge" his victims. Those worrying that they will meet with the unimaginative devices presented in "Saw III" need not fear. The traps in "Saw IV" are far more brilliant and diabolical than any that have come before. In the opening scene, two of Jigsaw's victims, one with his eyes sewn shut and the other with his mouth similarly sutured, must face off against one another to unlock themselves from a device that is slowly drawing them into a crushing embrace. Later, in what is perhaps the best trap yet, a housewife must save herself by removing several steel spikes that are pinning her body to that of her abusive husband. The spikes in her body are fatal if not removed, yet they are placed through vital arteries in her husband, and removing them will kill him. All this pales in comparison to the emotional torment that has been set up for Officer Rigg.
The latest chapter in the ever-popular and gruesome Saw franchise, directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, revolves around the two remaining members of the investigative team assigned to stop Jigsaw's murdering spree. After being kidnapped by Jigsaw's remaining accomplice, Officer Rigg (Lyriq Bent), the SWAT team leader from the previous films, is forced to play a deadly game; if he fails to find two other missing detectives in 90 minutes, they will die in horrible pain.
After last year's mediocre "Saw III," people will no doubt view "Saw IV" with mixed expectations. On one hand, they expect the brilliant deathtraps that the series is known for, great characterization, and the gritty, realistic feel offered by all the previous films. On the other hand, they are faced with the fact that most great horror series begin to slump by the third film and take a nose dive
shortly thereafter.
Anybody making those two assumptions will be pleased to find that they were right on the first count but wrong on
the second.
"Saw IV" is a sick, twisted and brilliant ride that will keep audiences glued to their seat (or in this case, strapped there with a deadly device locked onto
their head).
One of the first things people consider when they think of the "Saw" series is the deadly traps that Jigsaw uses to "judge" his victims. Those worrying that they will meet with the unimaginative devices presented in "Saw III" need not fear. The traps in "Saw IV" are far more brilliant and diabolical than any that have come before. In the opening scene, two of Jigsaw's victims, one with his eyes sewn shut and the other with his mouth similarly sutured, must face off against one another to unlock themselves from a device that is slowly drawing them into a crushing embrace. Later, in what is perhaps the best trap yet, a housewife must save herself by removing several steel spikes that are pinning her body to that of her abusive husband. The spikes in her body are fatal if not removed, yet they are placed through vital arteries in her husband, and removing them will kill him. All this pales in comparison to the emotional torment that has been set up for Officer Rigg.
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