Saw V. Because everyone loves the Saw films

[Ethros]

Hello Trek BBS, I wanna play a game...


Ok first off I wanna say I can imagine where this thread will soon end up knowing this board
"oooh I hate torture porn, it's all crap bla bla bla. Shit sequels, etc"


Anyway, I haven't seen a thread on the Saw series for ages, I don't even recall one for Saw IV last year. So are there any fans of the movies on here?

IMO It's easy to dismiss them as "torture porn" as some might say, if you'd actually bother to watch them and then compare them to the likes of Nightmare on Elmstreet, Friday the 13th, Halloween etc series of horror films, there's somewhat of a difference.
And for me now and most of the fans it's not even the gore that brings you back, I really enjoy the ongoing saga of Jigsaw-Amanda-Hoffman etc and the intricately woven shenanigans of all the characters, their back stories, and the excellent links back and forth between all the films.

And also say what you will about the films, but the main score/theme used in all of them for the reveals at the end is frakking awesome!


I went to see Saw V the other day, and enjoyed it greatly. After four films you know what to basically expect, so I find it fun to just go along the ride.
The flashback scenes to setting up games from Saws I, II and III were brilliant. Great to find out what happened to Jeff's daughter from the end of III, and a few nice things to be picked up no doubt in Saw VI which I believe is gonna be the last one (eg. what was in the box Jigsaw's wife was given?)

There was a bit of dodgy acting from that English guy in the main game, and the "twist" of the film wasn't really a twist ala the previous films that make you wanna watch it again.
But still, roll on Saw VI

 

[Harvey]

I went to the midnight showing, which was fun for its own reasons. As for the film itself, I was not impressed. The traps were contrived (on more than one occasion, I turned to a friend sitting next to me and came up with a way to get out of them without any pain or suffering). I didn't see Saw IV, but there were so many flashbacks and devices to situate the plot that it didn't matter. Scott Patterson (who, apparently, was also in the previous film) was a very odd casting choice, too.

I liked Carl Rota, though, but he was one of the few enjoyable parts about 24 last season.

Overall, the series has become to convoluted for its own good. Plot twists on top of plot twists that don't hold up as a coherent whole. There's a good attempt to make a coherent whole, but, in the end, I don't buy it. Killing of Jigsaw in Saw III was a huge mistake. It was also the only reasonable ending to that movie. Which is why this franchise will continue to struggle as further sequels are undoubtedly produced.

 

[Lookingglassman]

I only watch it to see the different ways the folks get killed. I dont understand the plots or remember who all the characters are. I was totally lost watching Saw IV when it came to the story and who was trying to do what.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Ok first off I wanna say I can imagine where this thread will soon end up knowing this board
"oooh I hate torture porn, it's all crap bla bla bla. Shit sequels, etc"

To be fair, I don't really think such reactions to these movies are all that localized.

 

[Cali]

1. There's going to be a sixth?!

2. They are just torture porn. There's no particular artistic merit to making these films; they are not enriching anyone or anything. They're not aesthetically pleasing. I've only seen one clip from one of the films (it was possibly the first one, I was trying my hardest not to pay attention) but it was enough to put me off for life. I don't understand how people can sit through an hour and a half or whatever of such crazy, messed up stuff. I even change the channels when trailers for the films come on TV.

I hate films like this being classed as entertainment. To me it feels like lowering the standards.

 

[Jax]

SAW 1-4 are very good horror flicks and unlike may films of that genre it does try to make a good plot with great twists at the end. Saw's 1 ending still is a great one for me with that body being Jigsaw come the end, never saw that one coming.

I will look forward to seeing SAW V though I think if they make anymore just one then wrap up the series.

 

[Spot's Meow]

1. There's going to be a sixth?!

2. They are just torture porn. There's no particular artistic merit to making these films; they are not enriching anyone or anything. They're not aesthetically pleasing. I've only seen one clip from one of the films (it was possibly the first one, I was trying my hardest not to pay attention) but it was enough to put me off for life. I don't understand how people can sit through an hour and a half or whatever of such crazy, messed up stuff. I even change the channels when trailers for the films come on TV.

I hate films like this being classed as entertainment. To me it feels like lowering the standards.

Don't base the movies on the previews or one clip. As we all know previews can be really off. In this case of course they are going to choose the goriest clips to "shock" people in the previews, but the movies themselves are really not torture porn. Believe me, I hate torture porn and movies made just for the gore bore me. But these movies are more "psychological thrillers" than torture porn. They have pretty intricate plots and characters and you go home from the theater really thinking about what you just saw. That makes them very different than other types of gory movies.

 

[Cali]

1. There's going to be a sixth?!

2. They are just torture porn. There's no particular artistic merit to making these films; they are not enriching anyone or anything. They're not aesthetically pleasing. I've only seen one clip from one of the films (it was possibly the first one, I was trying my hardest not to pay attention) but it was enough to put me off for life. I don't understand how people can sit through an hour and a half or whatever of such crazy, messed up stuff. I even change the channels when trailers for the films come on TV.

I hate films like this being classed as entertainment. To me it feels like lowering the standards.

Don't base the movies on the previews or one clip. As we all know previews can be really off. In this case of course they are going to choose the goriest clips to "shock" people in the previews, but the movies themselves are really not torture porn. Believe me, I hate torture porn and movies made just for the gore bore me. But these movies are more "psychological thrillers" than torture porn. They have pretty intricate plots and characters and you go home from the theater really thinking about what you just saw. That makes them very different than other types of gory movies.

There seems to be too much gore for me to class them as psychological thrillers.

I don't know, it is hard for me to judge because I hate pretty much all horror films. It's not a genre I've ever been able to enjoy because I don't like being scared/shocked like that and I have lots of issues with some of the horror film elements.

 

[T'Baio]

People don't hate them because they're torture porn.

People hate them because they suck.

 

[Lindley]

I really have no interest in these movies.

On the other hand, I rather like the Cube series (though of course the first one is the best). So I suppose that might make me a bit hypocritical with regard to these....

 

[Cutter John]

Meh, some psycho in a mask slaughtering stupid teeneagers is teh boring. Give me Lovecraft style monsters, or zombies.

The Mist, The Descent, or any serious walking dead movie ftw.

 

[CommodoreKong]

Last week I found out that one of my teachers was roommates with the writer of Saw V when they were in college.

It's strange because I have another teacher who's brother was friends with Jane Espenson in college(writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Battlestar Galactica).

I have to wonder what other TV/movie writers my teachers know.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I've really liked the first 4 Saw movies, the way they manage to connect all the stroies together in a way that works, and generally have an interesting motivation there for the "killer(s)". That said, I didn't think 5 worked so well. It seemed to me, that if he wasn't meant to survive at the end of 4, how come the plan Jigsaw came up with for the game in 5 included a way to get rid of him? So it didn't seem to all come together quite as well as the other 4. Still, I'll see 6 next year, I want to see the end of the story, if in fact it is the end, because they have said as long as they make money they'll continue to make them.

 

[RoJoHen]

I really like the first 3 Saw movies.

The fourth one was okay, but it was a little unclear because A) you don't realize that it and Saw 3 are actually happening simultaneously. It was a twist at the end that didn't really serve a purpose except to make me go, "Huh?" And B) aside from the main black guy, all the other male actors were white with dark hair, so I had a hard time keeping straight the FBI guy, the Detective, and the Lawyer.

That said, I do want to see the fifth one because I do think a lot more thought goes into these movies than people give them credit for. And Julie Benz is in it...I have recently started watching Buffy and Angel, so I love Julie Benz right now (except a few episodes ago she fucking gave birth and then killed herself!).

The Saw movies have now almost become a Halloween tradition.

 

[Ethros]

Saw IV was a bit of a headfuck at first, the ending was very "wtf" when I saw it at the cinema but I found it dramatically improved on second viewing.

Again I find uit unfair to label them as purely blood & guts gash like a lot of straight to DVD cash-in that there are now. I love all the little in-references and stuff, like in Saw IV when Agent Perez points out the teddy bear Hoffman is holding in one scene, asking if its for a boy or girl, and he replies girl. Which is the same teddy Jeff's daughter is clutching at the end of III. And in Jigsaw's flashback scene in IV, a lot of the background people in the clinic waiting room are the players of the game in II. etc.
That along with the interesting and innovative directorial techniques and the speed they're able to make them for annual October release, raise these films far above the utter pointless very repetitive sequels to the likes of Halloween, Jason, Freddy.

Yes I don't walk into a film called "Saw V" and expect to be getting Citizen Kane or a future Oscar winner, but gods you can do a hell of a lot worse.
And you know, if you don't like them that's fair do's 100%, they're certainly not to everyones tastes, but like Cali seemingly has, to start bashing them and their fans when you blatently admit to not having seen any of them and have zero idea what you're talking about is kinda silly.
Are they really any less "sick" than the likes of Last House on the Left, Evil Dead, House on the Edge of the Park, Cannibal Holocaust, etc etc and all the varous "video nasties" from 20-30 years ago. A bit of gore is hardly a new thing, if it really disturbs you so much just go back to reading your copy of The Daily Mail

And it was announced way back when III came out that Tobin Bell has signed up for IV-VI so it's redundant for people to keep going "there's gonna be a fifth?!" "there's gonna be a sixth?!"
I only hope they leave it as is after VI, and make the end all finale for the series.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Saw IV was a bit of a headfuck at first, the ending was very "wtf" when I saw it at the cinema but I found it dramatically improved on second viewing.

Again I find uit unfair to label them as purely blood & guts gash like a lot of straight to DVD cash-in that there are now. I love all the little in-references and stuff, like in Saw IV when Agent Perez points out the teddy bear Hoffman is holding in one scene, asking if its for a boy or girl, and he replies girl. Which is the same teddy Jeff's daughter is clutching at the end of III. And in Jigsaw's flashback scene in IV, a lot of the background people in the clinic waiting room are the players of the game in II. etc.
That along with the interesting and innovative directorial techniques and the speed they're able to make them for annual October release, raise these films far above the utter pointless very repetitive sequels to the likes of Halloween, Jason, Freddy.

Yes I don't walk into a film called "Saw V" and expect to be getting Citizen Kane or a future Oscar winner, but gods you can do a hell of a lot worse.
And you know, if you don't like them that's fair do's 100%, they're certainly not to everyones tastes, but like Cali seemingly has, to start bashing them and their fans when you blatently admit to not having seen any of them and have zero idea what you're talking about is kinda silly.
Are they really any less "sick" than the likes of Last House on the Left, Evil Dead, House on the Edge of the Park, Cannibal Holocaust, etc etc and all the varous "video nasties" from 20-30 years ago. A bit of gore is hardly a new thing, if it really disturbs you so much just go back to reading your copy of The Daily Mail

And it was announced way back when III came out that Tobin Bell has signed up for IV-VI so it's redundant for people to keep going "there's gonna be a fifth?!" "there's gonna be a sixth?!"
I only hope they leave it as is after VI, and make the end all finale for the series.

I pretty much agree with everything you said. Especially ending it at 6. Finish the story and leave it while they're still "good".