Saw VI - (film review)

           I have to admit that I like sequels.  I also like remakes, but that’s for another discussion.  The greater the amount of sequels a film has, the more intrigued I am to watch them—unless of course all the sequels are direct to DVD, and then I don’t seem to be as interested.  It almost seems as though direct-to-video sequels are not really real, as though they were produced for sheer entertainment value and really hold no bearing over the essence of the original film(s)—for instance, I’m sure if the filmmakers of The Grudge decided to release a theatrical sequel The Grudge 3 would be obsolete.  I particularly enjoy when sequels actually include the number of the installment in the title: (eg. Friday the 13^th part VII: The New Blood, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers).  To release a high numbered sequel is quite audacious—a gamble to determine who will risk embarrassment by walking up to the ticket counter and ask: “One for Saw 6, please.”

The further along the franchise gets, the more intriguing it is to uncover how the storylines from each subsequent sequel are intertwined, unless of course the franchise decides to reboot itself, or ignore the ending of the previous film (ie. Halloween H20, Jason Goes to Hell, etc.).  In instances like these it feels as though the filmmakers and producers cheated the audience and fanbase who remained loyal.  This is definitely not how the interminable sequels of the Saw franchise operate.  Instead, the writers are determined to continuously link all the films as intricately as the possibly can—convoluting the dramatic tension in ways that confuse the audience enough to believe the film is in fact intelligent and clever.

As per my review of the Saw (series), the same holds true for this film.  It is the unmitigated will and intellect of Jigsaw’s master plans that reigns supreme.  However, in this 6^th installment, the ‘Jigsaw-as-morality-god’ is expanded to such a degree that the filmmakers attempt to manipulate the audience to side with Jigsaw who is ultimately pitted against the evil mongering monster President of the Umbrella Health Insurance company.  Of course I do not advocate sympathy for these corporate shells who spew policy in their Brooks Brothers suits, disaffected by those who require the most help.  (The injection of social conscience in the way of health care policy in the United States may seem aptly timed here, however I couldn’t help but continue to think: “Just move to Canada!”  But this is not the central point of the film, so moving on…).

The filmmakers continue to characterize Jigsaw as a rebellious champion making real decisions and affecting real change.  If people are faced with their own mortality, they will value their life more and not crave the drugs, cigarettes, and various other decidedly evil vices that they are addicted to.  Jigsaw claims to have a cure for complacent and destructive addiction—after all those who are addicted to physically harming substances are slowly killing themselves anyway, might as well just speed up the process.  Also, Jigsaw claims in many instances throughout the film that he despises murderers, and that he has never killed anyone, simply placed them in situations that required a varying degree of physical sacrifice to remain alive.  But is this true?  Even if in every instance there was a chance of escape, the sheer placement of the victim in such a situation is juridically and morally defined as murder or attempted murder.  Someone who breaks into your house and attacks you with a knife, cannot repeal his intentions by arguing that he is not a murderer simply because you may have bested him.  The intention is clear, regardless of how self-delusional you may be in rationalizing your actions as justifiable. 

Still, the responsibility of effective horror monsters is not to find plot holes in their own logic, however the writers could insert the odd character or two who manages to resist Jigsaw’s superbly pedantic and uninspired ideologies.  Even Jigsaw’s ex-wife, a social worker who has dedicated her life to help homeless drug addicts, is persuaded by his unfounded logic when he turns up with a completely rehabilitated Amanda—someone she had previously deemed as a ‘lost soul.’  He explains to his ex-wife that their addiction is not simple—but apparently their cure is.  He neglects to take into consideration the monumental social factors (race, sex, gender, institutionalized racism, systemic discrimination that leads to socioeconomic instability and inequity thus furthering potentials for sever mental health issues) that contribute to a person’s life.  The writers are hoping the audience is daft enough to believe a sentiment like ‘addiction is not simple’ by lazily brushing by this monumental claim without providing substantial theoretical evidence to support it.  Maybe they are hoping that Jigsaw’s self-determined conviction will be persuasive enough for people to believe him, or maybe they’re hoping the audience will ‘fill-in-the-blank.’

            Despite these catastrophic flaws the film is actually one of the better entries, with it’s attempt at dealing with social issues most films steer completely clear of—however pedantic the attempt is.  Ultimately, the most enjoyable aspect of the film (for me at least) is the fact that it’s the 6^th one, and it states so in the title.

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Grade: 70% (B-)