Saw 4 DVD > Reviews > Fun and Games down at the house of Jigsaw.

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	Lots of gore and makes you think and figure things out .
Disadvantages:	You need to watch it more than once to get all the details .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Ok so this is my second - and hopefully better attempt at this review.

As with most Saw films the opening scene is the clincher, this is not different. Two guys in a trap, the average, fighting against each other for survival, one lives and the film begins. Cut to police station or office, something mundane like that? Don't think so. Autopsy, no problem, green liquids in a dead stomach *borks* seeing Tobin Bell's face - yes FACE pulled away from this skull *shudders* I'm not usually squeemish but this made me twinge a tad and once again the opening scene is set. And a show for whats to come.

So you'll be watching this thinking, it's rubbish he's dead what else could he possibly do. Amanada's dead so she's not doing it. Reveal accomplice number 3, booooo! Well thats what I thought. This is so far the most confusing and by no means leaves it rounded off as I'd hoped it would. More sickening twists and gashs as only Saw can deliver, some more justified than others and all with links into the poor chap's life who has to follow his trail.

So we're still hearing John Cramer's voice from beyond the grave, he had this set out for a looong time before his death. Left excruciatingly detailed instructions for the new guy to follow and here was have Saw 4. Not to spoil it but not the last in this series, from what I've read we'll be seeing Saw 5 this year and Saw 6 in the future. No idea how seeing as I think this one was a push but we'll find out.

So another trail to follow, more victims to suffer and lots of gore in the middle. Our good old friend Rigg shows up again and is the one who has to follow the breadcrumbs which will lead him to Eric Matthews who has been missing for a good long while now. Yes you do get to see where he's been and what has become of him, and does become of him but not specifying what, this is one you need to watch. I'm actually not going to give loads away just because its worth watching to find out. I'm a huge fan of this series so I'll push it on anyone who shows interest hehe.

The one thing that hits me with this series and this one in particular is the guys that think up all the ways to punish John's victims are "regular" guys sitting at home creating this gruesome sequence of events. It's not the re-telling of the evils of a serial killer now long dead it's sane perfectly average guys thinking of horrific ways to punish the people of the world who deserve it. And my god do they write it well. This installment of John Cramer's attack on the world doesn't only focus on those who have done bad but those who have out of in action. I'll detail one trap and one only to make my point, Rigg in his earlier policing days comes across an abused little girl who's father gets away with it and who's mother looks the other way. Not a good existance in John's eyes so not only does he punish the father but involves the mother as well. Pinning them together with some very large spikes the mother is pinned in places that will not kill her if they were removed, however for the father removing the spikes will mean death as they are puncturing all his main arties with no hope of healing even if rescue arrives. The mothers choice, stay as they are and they both eventually die of blood loss or free herself causing her husband's death and her survival. Well you can guess which she chose and when Rigg gets to her she's still pinned by one spike but still alive. By using both the parents as those in the wrong the message is really effective and does make you stop and think there is sometimes more than one person to blame.

Gore and guts, by the bucket full. It is a Saw film after all. From the first to the last scene its punctured eye balls to heads obliterated by giant blocks of ice and random deaths in the middle. Lots of fun for the SFX department and delivered perfectly as you'd expect. My favourite gorey moment? Random extra takes a metal spike at high speed to the face, and it takes her face off. Gross but completely out of the blue and very effective jump moment.

The side story throughout this is John's life before he started down this path of attonement. We see his wife, their life and the trama of losing their child. The meaning behind that hideous puppet is revealed and we also see his first victim which did lead a bad life but is also chosen out of revenge for the death of his child. Not quite the John we're used to seeing but still humanises him somewhat. As for Tobin's performance? On par and as to be expected. Same for the other actors, the producers of Saw have been doing this for 3 other films so they pick their cast well and get what they pay for to the end shot.

As for the twists and details? You definately need to watch this more than once. Figuring out who each victim is and the order in which they were placed in their trap is testing and in good old Saw 2 fashion we are hit with the non linnear time line which confused the hell out of me. As did Saw 2 at the time.

To finalise if you're a fan of the others you won't be disappointed. If you like gore and horror, this is for you. It keeps you guessing right until the end and delivers everything a Saw film should.