Review: Saw 3D

We are currently in the process of filling up our feature database and have a new review up for Saw 3D. How does it stack up against the other Saw films? Read more to find out...

After seven movies in seven years, the Saw franchise comes to a close with Saw 3D. Directed by Saw VI helmer Kevin Greutert, Saw 3D wraps up the plotlines continued over the last 6 movies and aims to bring a breath of fresh air back into the franchise with the introduction of 3D and the return of Cary Elwes as Saw’s Dr. Gordon.

Saw VI ended with Mark Hoffman barely escaping a trap set by Jill and Saw 3D starts up right where the last film left off. Hoffman may be out for revenge, but he still has time to set traps for a new batch of victims. The main trap involves Sean Patrick Flanery as a Jigsaw survivor who is in the middle of a press tour to promote a book detailing his Jigsaw experience. We also see the original Saw’s Dr. Gordon return in a supporting role.

The Saw franchise has been spending the last few movies building up Hoffman as the new lead character of the series, and I think they did a pretty good job in Saw VI, but he never seems to reach the level of interest there is in Jigsaw by the finale of Saw 3D. The main problem reasons are the lack of Hoffman’s backstory and the failure to make him a character of his own.  The audience sympathized with Jigsaw because he was motivated by his cancer diagnosis and wife’s miscarriage. While his traps proved to be fatal for many, he tried to give those he targeted a chance at a new life and the many traps in the earlier films seemed like they were escapable. The Hoffman character isn’t fleshed out enough for us to care about him, and he isn’t given a chance to be his own character. Even though he’s the villain who gets the most screen time, he’s still a pawn completing Jigsaw’s work and is never able to leave his shadow.

The traps are what keep people coming back to watch new Saw films and while the traps aren’t as inventive as they have been in the previous installments, the gore factor has been upped. It's always fun for people I watch the Saw films with to discuss whether or not trap X was escapable and how you’d try to get free with the least amount of blood lost. If that sounds like you, you’ll enjoy watching these traps as well.

Does seeing it in 3D or not make a difference? Saw 3D may have been shot in 3D instead of converted, but unfortunately, there are only a handful of minor moments where you know you are watching a 3D film. While directors and critics will argue over how 3D should be over used in a film, I’m all for cheesy in-your-face 3D, as long as it is for the right movie. I think this was a perfect film to go overboard with, but I only recall seeing part of an intestine flying my way in the beginning and a single piece of debris shot at the screen toward the end. For the most part it wouldn’t have mattered if this film was shot in 3D or not.

Even if you are a fan of the Saw franchise, I don’t think you’ll rate this among the best in the series. With over half the films in the series focusing on Hoffman, I’m still not invested enough in his storyline to care about how it’s resolved.  This film is also not a standalone movie, so if you did not watch most of the Saw films (especially the previous film), you won’t have a full understanding of the movie's story.

I’d recommend Saw 3D to fans of the Saw franchise that have seen all of the previous films and are interested in seeing the current storyline wrapped up. For those who were hoping to see more Jigsaw in this movie, don’t get your hopes up. You only see him very briefly in flashback scenes, most from the previous films. If you’ve been a fan of the Hoffman storyline and want to see how it is all wrapped up or if all you care about is the traps and gore, you should enjoy Saw 3D.

Score: 1/5