The Game Comes Full Circle...
I can remember walking out of Saw V last year, and I hate to say it...but I was pretty disappointed. The film just didn't deliver the goods. It's narrative and so called twist made the walk to my car a living hell, and I thought to myself: "They're going to mess up Saw VI". In my review for Saw V, I stated that the Saw blade was getting rusty and dull. It just wasn't the same as it used to be, and the shock factor that made the films so suspenseful was absolutely gone.

Here I am a year later. After waiting for what seems to be decades, I finally got out of the midnight opening of Saw VI. It's difficult to give a sentence that accurately describes what I'm feeling right now, so I'll just say this: HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!! It seems as if the year-wait paid off, because Saw VI is easily the best of the 'second trilogy' in the Saw series.

What makes Saw VI such a smarter film is it's ability to play off the strengths of its predecessors. The film knows its destination, so we get a much more solid story this time around. There has been a lot of build-up in the previous installments, and it's happened for a reason: The pay-off is in this one. It's really incredible how everything in the plot came together so perfectly. All of the events that have occurred thus far have demonstrated a "Domino Effect" -- every character in the series is relevant, and one character's actions can change the entire course of the story and lead to something else. Any questions brought up in the previous installments are cleared up in VI, so we finally get a solid conclusion (I really don't know what the hell they're going to do for Saw VII). When you look up the plot for Saw VI, it seems so simple:

Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood.

Trust me, there's a lot more going on in this film than this. But one thing's for sure: Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood, and that's what mattered most. All of the pieces of the puzzle come together, and you remain on the edge of your seat because you have no idea what's going to happen to these characters. The plot takes dramatic twists and turns that will have your jaw hit the floor. If you're like me and you're a fan of these films because of the stories, then Saw VI will go beyond your expectations.

As for the hard-core Saw fans who are in it for the traps, don't worry: Saw VI is without a doubt the most gruesome of them all. They really raised the bar with this one in terms of the amount of violence shown on the screen. I'm amazed the MPAA didn't give this film an NC-17 rating, because the traps (along with the cinematography) really bring out the gore. The film received an 'X' rating in Spain though, so I'll let you imagine how violent this one is.

Overall, Saw VI was incredibly well done. The story and pacing was perfect. The acting from the main cast (Tobin Bell, Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor, Shawnee Smith, and Peter Outerbridge) was great. The traps were disturbing as hell. And, most importantly: a hard-core Saw fan left the theater with a smile on his face. Saw VI Director Kevin Greutert (editor of the first five installments) really did an astounding job, and while I don't like the fact the series is continuing next year, I hope he's involved with the future installments.

My Spill Rating: FULL PRICE!!!

(Note: I say Full Price for fans of the series. If you know you hate these movies then you know to stay away from them. If you see these casually every year, I would give it a very enthusiastic Matinee!)

P.S. - Michael Moore will love this movie.