47 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A solid follow up to the horror classic., January 31, 2006
The diabolic Jigsaw is back in the follow up to the smash "Saw" which came out of nowhere to become one of the biggest grossing horror films of all time. Not content to rest on the mayhem he created in the first film, Jigsaw is back kidnapping those he deems unworthy of life, and forcing them to earn their lives back in a series of brutal and bizarre games, where death is all to often the result.
The sequel picks up shortly after the events of the first film where Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) is investigating yet another victim. The fact that the victim is missing a puzzle shaped piece of skin leaves no doubt as to who is behind this killing, and Matthews and his task force set up their efforts to stop the killer before he can strike again.
A sudden inspiration leads Matthews and his team to a factory where they soon discover Jigsaw amongst all of his toys and traps. The frail Jigsaw is dying from a terminal illness, and he reveals to Matthews that he has a game underway, one where a group of people are trapped in a remote house filled with traps that are also filling up with a deadly gas. Only those who can survive the traps and decipher the clues will be able to locate the antidotes and survive the mayhem.
Matthews is even more determined to find the locale of the house as his son is one of the individuals trapped inside slowly dying from the poison. Matthews and his team can see what is happening in the house via a video monitor and while the team attempts to determine the location and save the individuals, Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), plays a dangerous game with Matthews as he attempts to interrogate him for information.
The film moves back and forth from the interrogation to the individuals trapped in the house and keeps the tension going. While not as claustrophobic or as gory as the original, "Saw 2"
benefits from an interesting premise and a rousing finale that sets the stages for the pending "Saw 3". Some may find a bit of issue with the pacing as it does not contain as the tension and scares are scarcer than they are in the first release.
Solid performances throughout makes "Saw 2" a cut above most horror films and is not to be missed by fans of the original.
Bonus Materials Include
Commentary with director Darren Lynn Bousman, Donnie Wahlberg and Beverley Mitchell
Jigsaw's Game Making-of Featurette
Bits and Pieces: The Props of Saw II
Bits and Pieces: The Traps of Saw II
Featurettes
Storyboards
4 stars out of 5
Gareth Von Kallenbach
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
everything one would expect in a good horror film, July 8, 2007
The film has shock value, suspense, gore and realism. I didn't have very high expectations for this film thinking it would be a typical slasher flick, but it really surprised me. I haven't been watching many horror films lately. Maybe there are quite a few good ones being made. Saw II definately delivers.
The film's plot has nothing to do with saws and I have not seen Saw I. Any horror film that gets me thinking is a good film and well worth the price of rental or maybe even purchasing for horror film enthusiasts. The main thing I got out of the film is that we all tend to conjure up our own realities and this can make or break us.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
See Saw II., January 31, 2006
I'm anxiously awaiting the DVD release of Saw II. I saw it (pardon the pun) with some friends of mine and all of us could agree that it was just as awesome as, if not slightly better, than the first one. If you thought Saw was a great horror movie, then don't miss Saw II. Just like in the first one, expect twists and turns and plenty of gore. I don't want to give away too much information, but seriously, if you truly enjoyed Saw, then Saw II will not disappoint! See Saw II!
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