Reviews > Saw IV

Opening on what is perhaps one of best gore set pieces ever committed to film. It’s clear from the get-go that Saw IV is not going to shy away from what has made it popular with the drooling masses. However, the question is, how would those that don’t consider themselves part of the unthinking majority, and are still fans of the series, find this particular entry? The answer depends on how well Jigsaw has trained your mind over the course of the last three films.
If you learned your lesson from part one or two then, like me, you were trying to figure out who was behind what and how. This is what may weigh against the film. I figured out who was Jigsaw’s accomplice the moment a choice edit was made that would have revealed it. Some of you will see this and kinda feel bummed out about it. Others will not and get a better “twist” ending experience.
So, assuming you DO see the little jump in edit that sets off a million warning signs…will you still manage to like the movie? Yes, it has everything required of a Saw movie: reveals by the second, insane deaths, gore-a-plenty, and a steadily growing plot. You’ll especially enjoy a further look into the past of John (aka Jigsaw), which is the REAL reason for those that require more than gore to sate their palates in the series. Jigsaw is like Tyler Durden if he would have gone the more extreme route. That’s what makes the series work on a whole different level to the more intellectual among the fans, his ingenuity. Our self-inflicted evaluations that he may be right about what he is saying, just the means may not be the best way to show it…even if some require them. This series continues to thrive because most everyone out there is wasting their lives and they feel better for that if they sympathize for and understand John. But I’m ranting.
What the film wants us to know is that Jigsaw’s game is far from over and the fact that there are about a zillion games playing out at once makes that more than evident. This simultaneously drives the piece forward but also kind of makes it stumble. We know this is what Jigsaw does but we get nothing new out of it as we did in the previous films. That one little bit of new information would make us go, hmm, I’m seeing the next one. This one…well, it does so but only serves to frustrate those that seek a form of logic in the series.
(I’ll try to be incredibly vague here to spare ruining too much for some people out ther) Now, I’m not a fool, the series like ANY movie has it’s holes and moments of questionable logic, but the big realization at the end makes you question how a certain thing involving “bodies” at the beginning and end was possible. Now, mind you, I’m not saying it wasn’t done on purpose. I’m damn sure the writers will explain this in the next installment…unless it was THE BIGGEST OVERSIGHT IN HISTORY!! I doubt that though. It was, ultimately how they showed this in the end reveal that doesn’t leave you in awe of the way things have unfolded but rather leaves you frustrated about trying to explain how this thing with the “bodies” is possible. There are a lot of explanations that a friend and I came up with but none are hinted at and most are just requiring you to believe in too much.
The rest of the people that we conferred with were more thrown off by this little question that is raised than really excited to see the next one to explain it. Despite this, the film is very enjoyable. For those out there who love the gore, it damn near rains blood in this. Trap lovers, great traps. Back story lovers, lots and lots of that. Big twist lovers…you won’t be as satisfied as before mainly because the accomplice reveal is kind of, like, “whatever". People that notice everything, you’ll be bothered by the “bodies” thing, not because they won’t explain it eventually but because the logic behind the possible explanations is just placing too much on the faith of fans. I, for one, will be there for the next one…even if it’s mostly to see how they explain that particular thing.
If you watch the movie and still don’t know what I’m talking about with the “bodies” element…then, what the hell is wrong with you?
A 3.5 on a scale of 5.