Saw 3D

Written by Jonathan Jacobs

Saw (7) 3D is the last episode and the best of the seven. If you covet chunks of flesh slamming into your face at 80MPH, or enjoy bone-gnawing contraptions, or prefer gruesome crescendo scenes, or if you are just a plain masochist, Saw 3D is just what the doctor ordered. When Costas Mandylor (Agent Hoffman) became a featured character in the Saw series, I cringed. I disliked his stature and Pinnochio-esque stiffness. Through great story-weaving, the Saw masterminds have created a character that is the second (or 9^th, by last count) coming of Michael Myers. Make no mistake about it; Mandylor portrays a mass murderer that kills for the fun of twisted (pictures) revenge, and we have to appreciate his honesty, and sometimes, his methods.

     Saw 7/3D offers many twists (of the knife) and turns (of the saws)! It begins with the most public of murder spectacles yet. Three early-twenties youngsters are unveiled in the middle of a busy street. They are sealed in a transparent room with shatter-proof glass. There are three saws present for three people. Both of the gentlemen at the bottom are the boyfriends of the cheating wretch at the top (a hot cheating wretch, at that). They have sixty seconds to slice each other into pieces, or, they may allow the clock to expire, so their lying and backstabbing whorish girlfriend may fall to her death on the hyperactive saw in the middle. This will, of course, require the cooperation of two jealous and frantic young men. This is one of many gruesome examples that distinguish Detective Hoffman’s techniques from those of the original Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), who never murdered indiscriminately. Both men have chosen culpable subjects that could learn a lesson on how to live honestly and show less contempt for the people around them. However, Jigsaw offered his subjects/players a chance at redemption. Sure, they would live in pain forever and possibly lose a vital limb (don’t you just love the pinky toe?), but they could survive, barring any unintentional equipment malfunctions. Hoffman, on the other hand, chooses similar subjects but only allows them to falsely believe survival is possible. It is part of his sadistic bloodlust. He is a much uglier and more vindictive person inside than Jigsaw had been. Jigsaw’s methods were disturbingly sick, but his intentions were “pure and noble.” Hoffman’s motives are at all times vengeful, and his methods are barbaric.

     In a wonderful surprise, Cary Elwes’s character has been brought back to revisit the role of Doctor Gordon, a character last seen or heard from at the end of the first and formerly best Saw movie. Dr. Gordon, in a fit of long-awaited continuity, survived by cauterizing his sawed off leg on a burning hot steamer in a dingy alleyway outside of the abandoned bathroom. Gordon sawed off his foot in order to escape the first Jigsaw murder set. This brings us to the theme of the “final” Saw, survival. Ironically, Survival is the name of Bobby Dagen’s (Sean Patrick Flaherty) book about the aftermath of surviving a Jigsaw trap. Unfortunately for Bobby, he has caught the attention of both Jigsaw and Hoffman, because he created a false persona and lied about having been a survivor of their games. Bobby lied to the public, cruelly lied to his wife, and lied to the other true survivors to achieve fame, notoriety and most of all, wealth. Bobby went from being a scumbag alcoholic spending his nights in low-class bars to being a highly-sought after “victim” that has caught the public’s attention by storm (or by hook and by crook).

     First thing’s first though. Hoffman needs to dispose of Jill Tuck (the ravishing Betsy Russell) for her crimes against his face. At the end of the gory Saw 6 we witnessed Hoffman being placed in one of his own face traps. This led to his cheek bones being nearly torn asunder. He stitches it up beautifully to be able to function for the next round of games. Despite being complicit in all of Jigsaw’s murder games (sure beats the Olympics), Jill seems to be more of a victim than a victimizer. She is portrayed as a ravishing hottie with what some members of my generation might vernacularly call a “smokin’ hot bod”. In the first scenes of the movie she narrowly escapes Hoffman’s murderous rampage.

     It is critical to the story to understand that Saw 3D is being touted as the “final” cut, if you will. This has forced Lionsgate’s hand into insisting that Hoffman be exposed as Jigsaw’s accomplice. This causes quite a stir; particularly with his colleagues at the police department. We are subsequently introduced to Detective Gibson (Chad Donella), a crafty officer with a southern drawl that seems out of place. Jill requests complete immunity and to be entered into the witness protection program in exchange for giving up Detective Hoffman. This causes the entire police force to rabidly search for Hoffman, all the while falling into the clutches of his final and most elaborate games yet. Not only does the prevaricating sophist author (Bobby) become the primary game player, the police are also at the mercy of Hoffman’s diabolical scheme.  The primary target throughout all of the murder, madness and mayhem that ensues is Jill. At all times, Hoffman uses the tactic of misdirection to cause the police to look elsewhere, while like a Trojan horse (or condom), he slips in through the backdoor to get his revenge.

     Saw 7 is the bloodiest, most terrifying, best storyline connecting, and most graphic of the seven films. I cannot remember a film series that has gone on for seven years and seven films as the Saw series. It has been a joyous and incredible ride. I found myself routing for the most despicable character in the end, because the heroes in Saw seem to act like villains in their effort to vindicate the innocent. Adjudication is a process/concept/legal philosophy that can be construed in any number of ways. Has the Saw franchise taught viewers to cherish their lives? Or has it merely chilled them a little, like a large-breasted woman standing with the freezer door open for a few seconds too long? I know personally it has caused me to laugh, to cringe, and to feel remorse. I believe it will return next year for one final episode, but what do I know…I am only an insider!