Review of Jigsaw (2017) by Justinian N — 28 Oct 2017

Jigsaw is back for an eighth film after several years from the conclusion of a terrible supposedly final chapter saw movie. Jigsaw is an okay film, its not terrible neither good. With directors The Spierig Brothers direction and a new set of writers trying to bring back the Jigsaw killer. There was a way of continuing on with the franchise either with a new twists that tries to bring back the torture porn of death traps and either a new killer or perhaps Jigsaw's legacy was not over.

I enjoyed the first few Saw films from the bloody gory death traps, the connection on how every victim has with each other, and the twists that is played with Charlie Clouser's music theme in the final minute of the movies. As every film goes on, it just feels like they straying away from the plots connection and having new victims that has no connections and more bloody traps. Jigsaw film however, does not feel like a Saw movie. The plot feels more like a police procedural drama, were Det. Halloran (Callum Keith Rennie) is following up a case were bodies are discovered. And same with the video tapes of Jigsaw's voice (Tobin Bell). Is the Jigsaw really dead? Or is there a new Jigsaw copycat that is taking over his games? Halloran is trying to follow a lead that has several people playing the game in a hidden barn. Were they are fighting for their lives of going through several death traps, as they are suppose to solve the clues to why they are there. With the help from forensic pathologist Logan and Eleanor (Matt Passmore and Hannah Emily Anderson). They are trying to solve their own mystery when traces of evidence is leading back to Jigsaw being alive and the connections every victim has with each other.

The plot played like a TV police procedural drama which took away from the Saw movies feel. It was fun to see Halloran trying to solve the mystery with the victims and Jigsaw. And than the movie flashes back to the victims in the barn, who are forced to play a game that will end bloody.

The death traps and the bloody sequences are quick and less gory than the previous seven films. And the traps are also quite forgettable this time. Sure, for the audience that can not handle blood and gore will still find this disturbing.

There are also a couple of unpredictable twists that works with the film and is what leaves you talking about it. Definitely not as great as the first film. The cast was also decent. Matt Passmore is a fun new addition. Callum Keith Rennie was okay. And the cast of victims that were forced in death traps are not easily memorable.

Like all horror films, the first couple are usually the best and the rest are just repeats with less of a plot. And this film does not add or bring anything new to the direction of the franchise. Overall, Jigsaw is a fair horror film. The twists works well. The thrills is decent with the victims being forced to injure themselves to survive. The plot does not feel like the Saw movies. And the death traps are forgettable.

I rate the film 3 out of 5 stars. I ll recommend it if you want to watch a bloody torture porn film or if your into that. Otherwise, I ll suggest it as a rental.