I'm not even going to bother going over a synopsis of the plot. All you horror fans need to know is that this movie surpasses the first film, but in my opinion, it doesn't stand up to the second film in terms of suspense. Saw 3 is the goriest, most disturbing of the films. It seems like 2006 was the year of gore! First came Hostel, with it's torture and blood, then came The Hills Have Eyes, with it's rape, animal killings, parent killings and brutality, and now comes Saw 3...With it's flesh tearing, bone breaking, head twisting, gore splattered shock-fest. I have NEVER, in all my years of watching horror, had to actually cover my own ears and close my eyes while watching more than one scene in a movie before this one. The opening scene had me squirming in my seat with my lids tightly shut (after 15 seconds into the scene I had to mute the tv because I was so grossed out by the noises) and the scene involving a victim trapped in a device that "TWISTS" every limb on his body until the skin tears and the bones break made me want to literally vomit. But, still, the movie was very suspensful and horrifying. It kept you watching and interested. If you can stomach extreme gore and terror then you might enjoy this film. I have to admit that I REALLY hated the ending though. I can't even explain how upset it made me, but overall, the movie was very scary and disturbing. Better than the first, not as good as the second...give it a try...but do it on an empty stomach!!
Not being an avid fan of the first Saw and disliking a lot the second one, I nevertheless was very surprised in a good way about the third installment. Yes, it's utterly relentless and gory, I saw people covering their eyes with hands in a theater, even I winced a couple of times although I had seen many of the films alike. But what I liked the most here was not the brutal nature of Saw III (and it's quite important for the fans when a movie lives up to its R-rating, so that they can say money was spent wisely) and not even the intricate story-line that keeps you surprised and on the edge of your seat all the time. Not the final twist which was expected of course but surely you didn't know what it would be exactly.
The main merit of the third part is that it doesn't appear to be a usual stupid sequel that lacks ideas, it brings some new sense into the series, glues all the three films together making a perfect trilogy out of it which now can be watched as a one big 5-hour film. There's plenty of flashbacks here that explain a lot from the second and even the first part, and some things become clear that were not in the ends of previous series. It really takes talent to make a movie that not just stands alone, but adds a lot to the other parts and completes them. Guys that were making it are true professionals and real maniacs :)
And apart from being as it seems overly gory and graphic Saw III can boast of being rather thoughtful too. The evil genius of Jigsaw (and of the makers of the film) made the characters (and us along with them) think about rage and its manifestations, about revenge and people's insatiable urge to punish those who took their beloved ones. By quite simple examples inclusive of flesh-ripping, bone-crushing, joint-wresting etc. the killer himself shows us killing is bad. Those will survive who don't succumb to the desire of payback. Only forgiving can grant forgiveness for ourselves. And that's the rule for everyone, even for the evil manipulator's apprentice, and it can't be broken. Otherwise death awaits you as well as your victims. In this movie Jigsaw is seen not as an ordinary killer maniac, but as some kind of a teacher if you will. So this time his puzzles must be solved not only using strength, keen wit and will to live, but also by testing your own virtue and that's something new for this kind of flicks, don't you agree?
I don't know what they will do with Saw IV, because the third part wrapped it all very nice making a perfectly neat structure of a trilogy. I'd leave it like that. You can top previous parts in respect of blood and guts, but it'll be pretty hard to keep the same level of thoughtfulness the third part established.
Buy Saw III (Unrated Edition) (2006) Now
To start, let's review the film itself.
The Jigsaw Killer is back, and he's got new test subjects to toy with. With the help of Amanda, his new apprentice, she sets the stage for their two unwilling participants in his twisted game: Dr. Lynn Denlon and Jeff Reinhart. Before the night is over, one will have the chance at life, another will have a chance at revenge, and another will have the chance for redemption. There's not much else I can say without spoiling the plot, and since this review is geared towards why this 2-disc DVD treatment is superior to the previous versions, let's move on.
Saw III has more plot twists than you can shake a broken arm at, and this film doesn't have too many characters to bog down the action as in the previous film. With a running time of 120 minutes, the Director's Cut of Saw III has more gore and violence than the last two treatments. If you think the directors have run out of trap ideas, believe me when I tell you that there are plenty of moments that caused seasoned horror movie fanatics to cringe and wince at the tortures unfolding before them on the silver screen. If you have already been introduced to the 'Saw' universe, Saw III is required viewing.
As for the DVD treatment of the movie, it's common knowledge these days that the first version of a DVD release is typically not the one with the best features, or the most complete version of the film. The most complete version comes later. The best example I can think of is the Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition) I had to wait 25 years for that.
Thankfully, Saw III got the best DVD version (so far) within a year.
When you open the DVD, you're treated to a certificate allowing you to see Saw IV in the theaters for free. However, the ticket was only good until November 10th of 2007. Even if you buy this DVD after that time, the certificate makes a nice collectable for Saw fans.
When you put in the first disc, you have to wade through 5 movie advertisements before getting to the main menu.
At the main menu, there is an endless one minute loop of "Killer Inside-Messed Up World" playing in the background. It's my belief that DVD menus shouldn't have music playing, and this is a perfect example: The song is WAY too loud. I'm sure it was put there to direct viewers to the music video on the second disc but it's simply an annoyance.
Some of the features on the first disc include:
-Audio commentary by Leigh Whannell, the co-creator of SAW.
-Audio commentary by Director Darren Lynn Bousman
-Audio commentary by Tobin Bell (Jigsaw) and Shawnee Smith (Amanda)
There's one choice in the special features section for "D-Box, Mastering Motion" this is a shameless promotion for a company that offers a new way of experiencing motion in movies with special chairs/helmets/etc.
On the second disc, there's a mixed bag of special features.
First, we start with "Jigsaw's Plan", a trivia game that tests your knowledge of the three Saw films to date. However, the questions are not randomized and if you get one question wrong, you have to start all over; making the replay value of this feature almost non-existent.
Nest, we have "Choose the Death" which allows us to view the scenes of 10 Saw traps from Saw 2 and Saw 3 with commentary from the director. Not a bad feature.
The next feature is "Looking Tortured" I'm not sure who came up with this idea, but it was a pleasant little surprise. 4 people are chosen to have makeup applied to emulate their 'Saw' counterparts. The viewer is shown from start to finish how to create & apply the makeup to look like the perfect Saw victim. Anyone who wants to spend $25 on a Halloween costume can watch this and make a better one themselves.
Hydrovibe offers us a music video of "Killer Inside-Messed Up World" with Shawnee Smith offering additional vocals. This video wasn't bad, but it felt like it was tacked on at the last minute. You'll probably find yourself saying "Hey, isn't this that annoying song playing in the background on the first disc?"
"Filmmaker Faves": This feature is totally unnecessary. Do you lay awake at night wondering about Leigh Whannell's favorite line/scene/trap of the Saw series? This is good for trivia night, but it's really not needed. Plus, the font of the lettering is hard to read here.
The last feature is a "Sneak Peek at Saw IV". This scene is mainly to wet the appetites of those folks eagerly awaiting the next Saw movie to come out on DVD, and they will not be disappointed.
The first batch of SAW III DVD's were out in January of 2007, The "Unrated Edition" and the standard edition. Both of these DVD's had features that did not make it to this version, such as some deleted scenes, commentaries, and trailers.
If you are looking for the longest running, most complete version of Saw III, this is the version for you.
Gift Card or Credit Card...make your choice.
Read Best Reviews of Saw III (Unrated Edition) (2006) Here
I am not usually attracted to this type of film...slasher/horror flicks, that is. I find most of them a waste of money and time, to be honest. This is why I was genuinely shocked at how I truly loved the first two "Saw" films, realizing they exercised absolutely brilliant examples of film-making, acting, and special effects. Both films had a genuinely awesome screenplay with well-written, realistically portrayed dialogue...and of course, forgetting the almost-too-intense amounts of suspense both films lavished upon its viewers would be criminal. Some of the scenes in those films brought on the nail-biting suspense I hadn't felt since Ridley Scott's "Alien." I remember being sick with jealousy after watching the first film that novice filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell could create such a brilliant, intricate, breathtaking horror film that had just the right amounts of blood & guts mixed with a truckload of otherworldly suspense. I remember after watching the second film that Darren Lynn Bousman seriously has got a future on his hands with an exquisitely directed "Saw II." So, naturally, I felt more than compelled to view the third installation of the "Saw" franchise before the fourth film hit theaters. Described as "staggeringly violent" and "sadistically horrific," along with the true incidents of audience members vomiting and fainting in the theater, I felt less and less excited about the third Saw film, and began thinking it was nothing more than a Halloween horror film face-off between Saw III and Hostel to see which film could possibly be more sickeningly violent. In addition, I began to think "How could a third film possibly live up to the caliber of the first two?" After viewing the third film, I really wasn't sure what to think of the theory of the film being violent just to be violent. But here's what I generally thought of the third installation to the brilliant "Saw" franchise. The interlocking two-part story deals with a fatally ill Jigsaw capturing a doctor who must keep him alive for however long it takes for a man, who is psychologically insane with his lust for revenge for the drunk driver who killed his son, to maneuver through a series of Jigsaw's infamous "traps." Jeff, the man, is not actually in the traps, though--it's the people who he's been vengeful towards regarding the death of his son--for instance, the judge who locked away the killer for only a short period of time, and witnesses who didn't do anything. Jeff has the power to stop these traps--find it within himself to forgive them. Either that, or watch them get slaughtered in ways too shocking to write about in this review.
That said, Saw III is definitely a step up when it comes to the gore meter compared to the first two films. Some of the traps are so sickening you feel compelled to turn away from the screen. People vomiting in theaters, though, is a gross overreaction. I ate pizza while watching and I wasn't really nauseated or anything. Don't let that fool you, though--Saw III is extremely violent and the violence in the first two films is pale compared to it. There are plenty of moments where I cringed and thought to myself, "Holy crap, that's just wrong." While a part of me wants to condemn the film for being so excruciatingly violent, I can't help but think the violence was a necessary aspect to the story. You'd really have to see the film to know what I'm talking about here, but anyway, Saw III might've competed with Hostel for "most violent award" but the gore wasn't extremely over-the-top or too intense to watch.
Which brings me into my next point--the storyline. As I said in the first paragraph, the story lines for the first two film blew me out of the damn water with their brilliance. This is where the third film declines--and steeply, at that. The development of new characters is handled extremely poorly and in the end, you really don't give a flying crap who dies and who is left living (extremely unlike the second film). The acting is both up and down at different times. Shawnee Smith (Amanda) and Tobin Bell (Jigsaw) are absolutely top notch, as always. Smith's performance, especially towards the end of the film, sent chills down my spine and Bell never fails to disappoint. Yet, literally every single other actor/actress in the film didn't deliver, and that for me was major point loss.
I liked the directing, editing, and cinematography. Especially the cinematography, which reminded me immensely of the 2004 Denzel Washington action flick "Man On Fire," also dealing with the human spirit's lust for revenge at the loss of another. Fortunately, Darren Lynn Bousman's above-average skills as a film director manage to balance a close-to-falling Saw III and keep it shakily on its feet. Again, I blame this on the weak story. Yet, it is hardly fair for me to completely condemn the story. The screenwriters did a very good job incorporating flashbacks into the film, and explaining elements from the first two films that may have been considered plot holes in the past. This aspect to Saw 3 was immensely enjoyable and made for a good film.
Though, the ending was also very poor, in my opinion. It is very depressing, unhealthy, and unsatisfying like a Big Mac. You almost feel at a complete loss--the events building up from the beginning of the film (and, for that matter, the other two films as well) end up--like this? Bleh. Been there, done that. There also is no shocker at the end, unlike the first two films which each had shockers that pretty much blew the brains out of your ears and left you speechless and unable to move.
Still, though, Saw 3 is a decent film. But it should be understood that unless you are EXTREME fans of the first two films, as I am, you should stay away from this movie. You'll be revolted and disappointed, to say the least. But for hardcore Saw fans, it should be rather pleasing. I don't think "Saw 3" was a great film, But it certainly is decent and I've seen FAR worse. I have hopes for the fourth film that it may redeem the third film and restore the hopes of me and a million others that a great movie--turned into just a decent one--can be brought back to greatness.
3-Stars
Want Saw III (Unrated Edition) (2006) Discount?
The original "Saw" was everything a horror film should be. It had gore both implied and explicit, twists and turns in the plot, and characters that the audience didn't particularly want to see die. Then came along Saw II, which ramped up the gore factor considerably, and while it had its moments, it was obviously only there to make money off of the success of the original. Now the horror genre has been graced with the third offering in the series, which is firmly in Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street territory. The series is now officially a parody of itself, and its continued existence is only assured as long as it remains a cash cow (which it will).
The main problem with Saw III is that Jigsaw and his apprentice Amanda are no longer believable villains. They exude no sense of terror or aura of fear, as they are creatures that simply could not exist in reality. Jigsaw has essentially become the God of the universe. He knows every minute detail of every person's life. He knows where everyone sleeps, how they take their coffee, how long it takes them to drive to work, when the best time to break into their house to plant cameras would be, how their relationships with their spouses and children are, what color underwear they buy, etc. Both Jigsaw and Amanda are also expert locksmiths, pharmacists, and engineers. With no funds at all, they can craft any torture device of any size in minimal time. These devices are also so expertly crafted that they can be deactivated and removed with one small padlock, even if the device is fully covering a person's entire body. These villains are no longer scary because there is obviously no hope of survival at all. No matter how physically strong or prepared a person is, they cannot avoid being captured by Jigsaw, and they have no chance of escaping his traps alive.
Jigsaw is portrayed as a sort of avenging angel in this movie. Out of all the characters, he is the most rational and detached from emotion. The overall tone of the movie almost implies that he is correct and that everyone should just submit to his will and change their lives according to his system of beliefs. The problem with this logic is that if Jigsaw's beliefs are applied to his own life, he should be the one stuck in a deadly trap. His whole point in capturing and torturing people is to show them that they have been wasting their lives and they need to start living and being happy with their lot. He states that one character was chosen because she spends her life doing nothing but trying to save the dead, while her family life is dying. However, this exact same sentence could be applied to Jigsaw. He spends his life trying to save others from emotional death, and this obsession has obviously killed him inside.
Even with all these problems, Saw III does have some merit. The gore in this entry of the series is simply out of control, and exceedingly well done. The tone of the gore has become even more sadistic than in Saw II. An early scene involving chains that have been run through a man's flesh, including his jaw, is absolutely stunning. Pretty much everyone will cringe or look away when he starts ripping the chains out of himself. The final major trap, dubbed "the rack", is one of the most diabolical devices put on film in recent memory. The script is also better than anticipated, and it neatly brings the series full circle, connecting several events that didn't appear to be connected before.
The parallels between Friday the 13th and Saw are occurring with increasing frequency. Jigsaw and Jason both kill in retribution for people not agreeing with their view of how the world should work. While Jason punishes those who do drugs or have pre-marital sex, Jigsaw punishes those who have squandered their lives. Both are unstoppable, invincible whirlwinds of death who can sneak up on anyone, no matter how implausible the situation. Like every Friday the 13th movie ever made, even though the ending of Saw III completely ruined any option for a sequel, Saw 4 is currently in production. Obviously Jason, I mean Jigsaw, will rise again to continue torturing those who don't agree with his world view.
I'll be skipping that one.
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The Courier is similar to "Transporter" with maybe a touch of "The Usual Suspects." The Courier(Jeffrey Dean Morgan) lives and works in New Orleans and appears to live well below his means. He does have a magic Hollywood watch that makes countdown noises only when a camera is on it.
