Saw II

Pros: Some cool traps
Cons: Not scary

I thought the original Saw was a brilliantly original horror movie with a great twist at the end. I don’t know anybody who saw that end coming, which made it such a fun movie. Unfortunately, I thought this sequel, Saw II, was pretty ...

Pros: spectacular cinematography
Cons: a bit predictable

After my initial initiation into the sadistic world of the sociopath Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) in the first S AW (2004) it was relatively easy to get into Twisted Pictures and Lions Gate Films joint money making horror flick. ...

Pros: maintains Jigsaw's MO, breakneck pacing
Cons: lack of character development, lack of plot, goes for cheap shock value

I praised the first Saw for being different from the other grindhouse (exploitation) films out that used cheap shock value to win its audiences over instead of working on good plot and pacing. Unfortunately with Dareen Lynn Bousman taking the helm, Saw ...

Pros: Neat gore factor and imagination, mood and tone
Cons: Everything else.

I tend to avoid reviewing anything that has more than 10 reviews when I pull it up. Sometimes, however, it is a good idea to review it just as a matter of personal consistency, whether anyone reads the review. The best things I can say about Saw ...

Pros: Good story, keeps you guessing, good cast, good acting.
Cons: None

Jigsaw [Recorder] Some people are so ungrateful to be alive, but not you, not anymore. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman Donnie Wahlberg as Detective Mathews Tobin Bell as Jigsaw Shawnee Smith as Amanda SAW II 2005 ...

Pros: brilliantly gory, twisted, and sick, major plot twists, grotesque bloodshed
Cons: plot twist shocks not as great, NEEDLES

For the four or five months that I waited for Saw to come out on video, about every person that talked about a movie was talking about how gross and disturbing it was. When I finally saw it, I was mortified, disgusted, and impressed. As ...

Pros: Plot twists(especially at the end), traps/puzzles are much better, gory, acting, etc.
Cons: Read review!

What would you do if you were locked up in a house with 3 hours to live and the air you are breathing was poisonous and it eats your organs and you had 3 hours to search for the antidote? However, that is not all. The puzzles and the tremendous pain that ...

Pros: Retains the creepy visuals and bloody violence from the first film.
Cons: The acting is sketchy, and the twists lack punch.

The original Saw was a first-class horror flick. The highly original story, dedicated performances, and clever plot twists made it one of the best horror films to date. Now the big question for the sequel: can it be done again? The answer is ...

Pros: MUCH better and smarter than the original
Cons: very little...surprising, since I HATED Saw 1

Most of you would agree that Aliens was a better film than Alien. Why do I bring this up? Simple. There are very few sequels that are better than the original. This is definitely one of them. Saw 2 was just smarter than Saw. I hated the original ...

Pros: Tobin Bell, strange concept
Cons: some side characters overblown

I admit I was intrigued with the original, Saw, but like many of these types of movies, the sheep following after aren’t nearly as bad as the original black sheep. I elected to watch Saw II the other day but seriously doubt I’ll ...

Pros: Far better acting/script, clever twist(s), necessary gore
Cons: The storyline ain't as interesting...

Having been very impressed with Saw, I decided to check out the sequel. Once again, I sure wasn't dissapointed... Saw 2 begins with a man strapped in a chair with a death mask fixated onto his face. After severely panicking, the ...

Pros: Troubling deathtrap ideas, (almost) great plot design. Good use of chronology tricks.
Cons: Inconsistent with first movie, too much dialogue with villain, rather predictable acting.

I think that if most viewers are like me, they will check out Saw II simply because of the novelty and impact of the original. Given the originality, educational(?) value, and freakishness of the first Saw, one can hardly be blamed for rushing to ...

Pros: Elevates the original movie's excellent concept, genuinely suspenseful with lots of energy.
Cons: Some of the faster editing goes a little overboard in parts.

Note: this is a re-write of my original review. Saw was a surprise hit in 2004 at the box office and also amongst Horror/Suspense fans. Made for a low budget of barely over a million dollars, it grossed over $55 million at the box office and ...

Pros: Good atmosphere, clever plot
Cons: Too over-the-top, gratuitous gore

For all that they may be to fans around the world, the Saw films began as a trailer. Eight minutes of summary that turned out to be enough to warrant the production of a feature film. One year later, Saw II continues the phenomenon started by those eight ...

Pros: Good trap sequences. Good Opening Sequence. Unique Colors.
Cons: Terrible scripting, acting, and intelligence of characters.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS BUT WON'T RUIN ANY SUDDEN TWIST Saw II was put into production the weekend after Saw 1 was released into theaters. Many people since have jumped onto the Saw phenomenon and became hardcore Saw fans. The first ...