Review: Saw VI

Saw VI (2009)

 

In my review of Saw V I appear to have made an error of judgement. I said that Saw V was slightly better than both of its sequels (Saw VI and Saw 3D), but after re watching Saw VI I have changed my mind. Saw VI is definitely better than Saw V, and although I’m adamant that I won’t change my mind regarding Saw 3D, this makes Saw VI the 5th best Saw film and not the 6th. So obviously I was pleasantly surprised by what Saw VI had to offer, maybe Strahm’s death in Saw V was a blessing in disguise?

Saw VI revolves around an incredibly cold hearted unethical insurance group “Umbrella Health”. William Easton is the man to be tested in this film, the man who chooses who lives and who dies in the health insurance business. Now he must do the same, but the dying part is right there for him to see. He must reach his family within 60 minutes otherwise he will never see them again. Hoffman on the other hand is trying to cover his tracks by setting 

Strahm up as the Jigsaw accomplice, but runs into some trouble when he makes a mistake.

The detective force behind the Jigsaw investigation is the most veteran for some time. Dan Erickson returns to partner up with the alive Agent Lindsay Perez who was thought to be dead in Saw IV. Hoffman plays detective but only to cover his tracks as he tries to stop his secret being revealed. The protagonist in Saw VI, William Easton goes from zero to almost hero. Unlikable, cold hearted, bastard at the start of the film, becomes much weaker and more human by the end, as he faces his “road to redemption” set of challenges.

Saw VI boasts a rather decent set of traps, especially since everything that could be done looks like it has been done. “Versus” traps are unsurprisingly prevalent, now becoming the trademark of the Saw series. The best trap has to be “The Carousel”. It places six employees of William Easton on a spinning carousel, and four of them must be shot. The decision is up to Easton, who can save up to two of them by piercing through his hand. The goriest trap is probably the first. Simply, who will shed the most flesh to survive? Two people had to cut off as much of their flesh as possible and place it on scales with bloody consequences.

The weak point to Saw VI however is the story. For however strong it is on traps and characters, it lacks in a whole lot of the legacy’s progression. Jill Tuck, Jigsaw’s ex-wife, features far more in Saw VI than she ever has done before, and her involvement is probably the main piece of the Saw puzzle that Saw VI provides. Remember that box she inherited in the prior film? That is key in this instalment. As Hoffman’s character develops and flashbacks reveal more about John Kramer and Amanda, Saw VI will mean far more to fans of the series than anyone else, which probably makes sense since their onto their sixth film.

Anyone who has watched and enjoyed the first five Saw films should not be put off renting Saw VI. It isn’t stronger than the first four films, but it beats Saw V with far better traps, returning characters and a twist at the end which is actually pretty good. Flashbacks reveal more about how Saw VI came to be and we find out what was on that letter than Hoffman wrote to Amanda back in Saw III.

Score: 6.0

Recommendation: Rent if you’re still a Saw fan