Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: 11/21/2023
Rating: R
Film Grade: B
The Story: What are you willing do to live? How far will you go?
John Kramer has been diagnosed with an advanced form of brain cancer. His time is limited, with each day bringing him closer to a grave. A chance meeting with a fellow cancer-support group patient introduces new hope. Cured of his stage four pancreatic cancer with a miraculous new medical treatment, he gives John the information he needs to seek his own treatment, offering him the hope he’s been searching for.
Thus begins John’s journey to a clandestine, temporary medical facility in Mexico for the cure, but there are unexpected complications. Complications that will change lives forever.
My Take: It’s hard to believe that almost two decades have passed since the first Saw movie. The nine prior films were an uneven lot with only a few of them matching the original, with the sequels often trying to top each of the other with overly complicated and convoluted tests and plot twists. All of them featured over-the-top gore, often considered the beginning of what was dubbed the torture porn era, even if there were much earlier examples of equally grizzly cinema. For some it’s easy to dismiss the films as anything beyond that. But to do so is a disservice to the themes in the movies themselves.
As despicable as Jigsaw’s actions have been, in his own mind he’s providing his victims with a new chance at life by examining what they’ve done in their lives and giving them a shot at his own twisted version of redemption. The audience grimaces as the traps are unveiled and executed, and one might be led to wonder how far one is willing or able to go in such a situation, while simultaneously grateful that it’s something they’ll never have to face.
Those that have watched the prior movies will be glad to know it’s a return to form for the series, starting with the return of the old Lionsgate grinding gears logo. The movie takes place chronologically between the first and second movies, so there’s no need to stretch or twist the narrative to explain his appearance. Given that it does take place in the past, there is the element that plagues any prequel in that you know the fate of some of the players.
Like the earlier films, you’ll need to suspend your disbelief for some things, like the practicality of setting up the puzzles with limited time and resources and the way some of the twists are a bit strained. Nothing beyond what we’ve seen before, but some of it could have been dialed back just a bit and still been effective.
Bell instills Kramer with a strong sense of right and wrong, even if it’s clearly his own and not shared by the audience. He genuinely thinks that he is helping people, even if his actions look more like revenge or vigilante justice. In his own mind, he’s giving his victims the ultimate attitude adjustment, forcing them to rethink their lives, as he ponders the end of his own. He takes no pleasure in watching his traps unfold, instead coldly and calmly watching the games play out, almost as if he’s an impartial referee rather than demonic executioner. From his viewpoint the outcomes are purely in the hands of the subjects. That he’s trapped them in the situation is merely a technicality.
Editor/Director Kevin Greutert has been involved with this series, going all the way back to the original. That background shows on this film, and performances throughout the movie are strong and convincing. We’re even given a new character that may actually be a worthy challenge to Kramer’s intellect. It’s a good move in the series and provides a path for yet another installment.
Video: The movie was captured digitally, but the filmmakers wanted to match the look and feel of the earlier installments, so they intentionally made the film look dirty and grimy. The overall look of the film is dark, really dark, but it never reaches the point where important details are lost. There is a harsh look to some of the scenes, and again, that’s intentional.
It’s a movie that clearly falls into the artistic interpretation end of the presentation scale rather than lifelike or realistic. Set design plays a large role in these movies, and the gritty and nasty nature of all those elements comes through clearly.
I did compare the 4K disc to the plain old Blu-ray, and the 4K is clearly superior. It has a much sharper look to it, with a much more textured feel. If you have the choice, go for the 4K version.
Audio: Hats off to Lionsgate for including an Atmos mix on both the 4K disc and Blu-ray, a somewhat unusual but highly appreciated move. I wish more studios would take up this practice.
The mix itself is good, but not great. Wides are used sparingly; I could only find a few examples sprinkled about and they only lasted for a short time. Overheads get more attention, and were used for both overall environmental sounds and music, and also for discrete effects when called for. Perfectly acceptable, but not innovative. I didn’t find any demo-worthy material here.
Special Features: For those that love behind the scenes commentary that goes well beyond promotional material, there is a really good documentary that comes along with the disc. There are interviews with cast members, the writer, director, the director of photography, and many others of the crew. There’s lots of information here, and fun for anyone that’s a film geek. How often do we get to hear a discussion of why a particular aspect ratio or camera lenses were selected? Good stuff and highly recommended viewing for fans.
- Audio Commentary with Director-Editor Kevin Greutert, Cinematographer Nick Matthews, and Production Designer Anthony Stabley
- Reawakening Multipart Making-of Documentary:
- I Want to Play a Game: Bleeding New Life into the Saga
- This Time It’s Personal: Characters and Casting
- Another Time, Another Place: Locations and Cinematography
- There Will Be Blood: Production Design and Make-up
- Leave Nothing to Chance: Post-Production
- Live or Die: Release and Legacy
- Drawing Inspiration: Illustrated Scene Breakdowns with Director-Editor Kevin Greutert
- Make-Up Department Trap Tests
- Deleted Scenes
- Theatrical Trailer
Final Verdict: These movies are not for everyone as some will find the gore and violence off-putting. But you already know what you’re going to get in a Saw movie when you sit down to watch it. While the first third of the movie may have you wondering where it’s headed, fans of the series will be thrilled to see the return of John Kramer and a movie that feels more like the earliest entries.
At almost two hours, it never drags, and adds to the background of the characters and situations of the prior films, filling in some gaps between the earlier installments. My wife isn’t particularly a fan of horror movies, but she was pulled into the story and was glad to have watched it with me.
If you’ve liked any of the prior movies, this one is definitely recommended, even if you haven’t kept up with all of the other ones, and I’m glad to have it in my collection.
Fun Quote: “He was speaking metaphorically. He does that a lot.”
Here's the trailer. I'd avoid watching if you want to retain the maximum effect of the movie. Even though it's well put together, there are a lot of spoilers contained within.
My Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup
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