Review of Saw II (2005) by Halfwelshman — 18 Mar 2012
Saw II is bigger, bloodier, but not better than its predecessor. Sure, Jigsaw's "games" are more extravagant and brutal, but the film lacks the clever plotting and tension of the original Saw.
John Kramer (Tobin Bell) still makes a fantastic horror movie villain - he's charismatic, threatening and utterly deranged, and its great to get under the skin of the character a little in this installment (no matter how unpalatable it might be) and understand what makes him tick.
Donnie Wahlberg's Detective Eric Matthews makes a good enough protagonist, and the explosive extended dialogue scene between him and Kramer is the most compelling in the film. The rest of the cast are a bit underwhelming, and simply serve as lambs to the slaughter for the purpose of entertainment.
I can't really deny that the film has moments that serve a certain deranged craving for schadenfreude found in all human beings, but the film as a whole loses a great deal of its energy and motivation after the first couple of these torture-porn-serving set-pieces.
It just doesn't engage quite as the first film did, and only works on a single level. The film's big twist is also rather underwhelming when compared to the shock of the first film's - this time round, you see it coming a mile off.
Still, Saw II is diverting, and makes for a decent enough Friday night gore-fest, just don't expect anything more.
This review of Saw II (2005) was written by Halfwelshman on 18 Mar 2012.
Saw II has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
