Sawn Off

10 March 2010

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Alan Jones is an internationally renowned critic, journalist and broadcaster who has specialised in the horror fantasy genre for over 30 years. He is a co-director of FrightFest, the UK’s biggest genre festival, and is the author of the bestselling ‘Rough Guide to Horror Movies’ and more. He is currently writing a book about the life and work of his friend Guillermo del Toro.

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Lionsgate came to my FrightFest colleagues and I last year with a great idea. Would we be prepared to show all five Saw movies in a row, following that epic marathon with the world premiere of Saw VI timed for midnight, at Thorpe Park where the new Saw ride had just opened. Chills and thrills to be had by all, and then a screamingly exciting vertical drop rollercoaster trip in the dark! What was not to like about the plan? Naturally we gave them the massive thumbs up. But in the scheme of usual Hollywood things, control factors and budget restraints, this terrific launch pad aimed to refresh the Saw series unfortunately didn’t happen. That was more of a shame in the light of Kevin Greutert’s directorial promotion from series editor on Saw VI, which I felt was one of the best in the fear franchise so far.

Let’s face it, every horror fan loved the original Saw – it was a devious nerve-jangler, laden with sneaky twists and wincing turns as it depicted the gruesome games devised by the soon to be iconic Jigsaw, played by the equally emblematic Tobin Bell. Everyone could empathize with his life or death scenarios to teach the value of being alive and it was no surprise the goregasmic slaughter spree became a blockbuster hit.

As for the catchpenny label ‘torture porn’ that seemed to get applied to everything genre around this time, all I can say is, really? Give me more! If those deliciously twisted, fiendishly clever Jigsaw booby-traps became an ever-decreasing-in-impact parade of desperate mutilation – not the grim autopsy opening of Saw IV which was so clinically impressive it must be said – with Jigsaw’s private life turning into something resembling a splatter soap opera, the hack Saws tumbled into something of a Halloween civic duty more than an annually anticipated shock and awe fix.

However I felt producer Mark Burg really put the ground breaking cruel machination cycle back on track with Saw VI mainly because he ensured Greutert hewed close to the original. All the contorted deceptions got relegated to the background accenting current allegory once more. In this case making uncaring bankers and medical insurers the focus of Jigsaw’s from beyond the grave conundrum of carnage.

Before attending the first public screening of every Saw movie from II onwards, I’ve always watched them again so I could be up to speed on the finer points of the convoluted through-line. So I was thrilled to see questions answered in Saw VI, like the Saw III letter contents revealed and The Box opened, as well as being gripped by the involving action hurtling along at breakneck pace to the genuinely surprising conclusion. Ingenuity and poignancy made their way back into the suspenseful fun too thanks to Greutert’s sure handed direction. Saw fans really owe him a great debt for ensuring Saw VII in 3D (whoopee!) should attain its leader status on the October calendar once more.

I know I’ll be there salivating and, be honest, so will you.

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