| Author | Message | ||
     John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
******Spoilers to previous episodes for those yet to be converted to the cause****** Yes it's that time of year again as modern horror's most despised / loved franchise delivers another offering to be either used as an example of how simply awful modern horror is or eagerly lapped up by fans who are still with what has to be the most demanding storyline of a horror franchise ever. And by demanding I mean you're going to be all at sea if you haven't seen the first six. Every. Single. One. And been able to remember all of them as well, even little incidental bits you may not have picked up on first or second viewings. For those of us in the know Saw VII isn't quite as good as Saw VI but it's certainly gory, knockabout, Heath Robinson-inspired fun. Opening with an utterly marvellous gag that involves sorting out a love-triangle using rotary saws in a shop window in broad daylight in front of hundreds of helpless onlookers, the latest instalment has you on its side before the credits have rolled. Once they have we get a (very brief) recap of 6 to remind us that Detective Hoffman has survived having his skull pulled apart by Jigsaw's widow but his face is now a bit of a mess and he has a whole host of new victims to despatch courtesy of the entourage of a supposed previous survivor who has made a fortune off a book about his experiences. Like I said, this isn't quite as good, clever or as witty as Saw VI but Saw VII redeems itself utterly with a final ten minutes than ties up loose ends from several of the previous films (and you'd better have been concentrating or the significance will be lost on you) in a finale of such outrageous (and yet typical) cheekiness that it made me love these films all over again. In fact I think the Saw films are quite possibly the most consistently entertaining horror franchise ever, and if they make Saw VIII I'll be first in the queue | ||
| Jamie Rosen (Jamie) Username: Jamie Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 99.241.48.210 |
Was the 3D element intrusive? | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
Jamie - sadly the 3D element was underused and while it could have augmented certain effects it didn't make a great deal of difference | ||
| Jamie Rosen (Jamie) Username: Jamie Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 99.241.48.210 |
I'd prefer it be underused than overused. Although whenever I see it advertised with respect to a horror film, I always think of the oeuvre of Dr. Tongue, particularly Dr. Tongue's 3D House of Beef: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEnCKEfSgUM&feature=fvw | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
if they make Saw VIII I'll be first in the queue. Right behind me, you mean! | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
Oo-er!  | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
Kate/John - as much as I don't have much to say about the franchise, I do honestly LOVE your reviews about them. You two were made for each other. Sincerely. You 'almost' convince me to ignore my original criticisms. Glad you had a good time. But you two could have a laugh escaping a zombie apocalypse. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
Frank that's a really, really nice thing to say - thanks for that! In other Lord & Lady P cinemagoing news, the projector broke before Saw VII started and after a long delay we had to go into another screening, but by way of recompense we've been given some free tickets so we'll probably catch Burke & Hare gratis this weekend as well! | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.194.128 |
Well, I taped Saw IV last night on your recommendation, Lordie. So it had better be good.  | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
Well done GF - you need to have seen the others or it won't make any sense at all, mind! | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
John - I have a bad feeling about Landis latest offering. And his recent comments about Christopher Noland seem a little like sour grapes disguised as honesty disguised as sour grapes...no wait, that's all back to front. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
The SAW films are a guilty pleasure of mine, but SAW IV left me baffled...I'm getting the box set so I can try and work out what the hell happened at the end. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
If you're still stuck I'll explain it to you, but basically apart from the topping and tailing sequences, Saw IV takes place at exactly the same time as Saw III and the two films climax together when the plots cross. I thought it was great. |