Jigsaw



Plot Synopsis:

A new group of people find themselves trapped in a jigsaw game. Meanwhile, the cops have to figure out how and why a new game has started, and who is behind it. 

Positives: 

My first positive for this movie is that it honestly looks better than a lot of the previous Saw movies from a cinematography standpoint. It doesn't necessarily look high budget, but it definitely looks a lot less cheap by comparison. While there isn't any acting in this movie I would call Oscar-worthy, it is much better acted than some of the previous movies. It also doesn't hurt that we do have Tobin Bell back yet again for this movie. I also love this movie's use of practical effects. They actually look pretty damn good to me.

Mixed Aspects: 

The main thing I have mixed feelings towards is how the movie uses its twists. They aren't awful. But, they are just an example of pulling from tricks used in other Saw movies. For example, this movie plays with a game taking place at a different time than the movie's cop plot. It's perfectly fine here. However, it was done much more effectively in Saw II. This movie uses the idea of a surprise Jigsaw apprentice. Again, it's not awful. However, previous movies in the franchise pulled this off better. It also doesn't help that this particular twist feels a bit weird in terms of continuity. For the most part, this movie makes use of practical effects. Every now and then, this movie uses some effects that are digital. They are hit and miss, to say the least. It also feels weird to me that this movie doesn't really pick up any slack from where Saw 3D left off. To me, that isn't really a positive or a negative, just an interesting observation to make.     

Negatives: 

This movie has some of the biggest credibility strains in the entire franchise. Jigsaw comes off as though he has to be all-knowing at times. One of the other issues I have with this movie is one that is an ongoing problem with the franchise. It feels like characters have to act stupid for the plot to move forward. This movie has some uses of humor, and they don't all work. The same can also be said of some of the movie's writing. For example, there's a line that states this wouldn't be John Kramer's first time coming back from the dead. This is a line that makes no sense.

Final Thoughts:

Rewatching this movie kind of reaffirms my feeling that this is just a middle of the road Saw movie. It's not the worst. It's not the best. But, I did find it to be an easy enough watch as a Saw fan, even if I can't say it fully came together for me. 

My Rating: 

🩸🩸🩸 

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