"If it's Halloween, it must be Saw," scream the advertisements plastered on television for the latest installment of the franchise. Actually, it's a pretty valid statement; for the past four years, "Saw" has dominated the horror genre by releasing one movie every year, shockingly around this same time. The latest, "Saw IV," promises viewers more twists, more gore and more suspense than any other.
When the film begins, it becomes clear that, yes, Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell) and Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith) are dead, and yet, more dead bodies are piling up. The FBI steps in and Jigsaw's past is unveiled as his ex-wife Jill (Betsy Russell) takes on a greater role than when viewers last saw her through dream sequences in "Saw III." SWAT Commander Riggs (Lyriq Bent) tries to save the would-be victims of Jigsaw's traps by going through the steps Jigsaw would take in plotting a murder.
The movie begins with a very accurate depiction of Jigsaw's autopsy, which will make the casual viewer squirm; for gore hounds and medical students, however, it will be a feast for the eyes. The coroners find a tape in Jigsaw's stomach - remember the tape he was pouring wax on in Saw III? - which is addressed to Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor). The movie continues when the body of Detective Allison Kerry (Dina Meyer) is discovered by Special Agent Strahm (Scott Patterson) and Perez (Athena Karkanis) from the FBI when they step in to take over the investigation.
The agents continue to interrogate Jill and investigate the deaths of the latest victims, while many flashbacks help viewers understand the genesis of Jigsaw's evil. Traps in the film include "The Mute/Blind Trap," the "Scalping Chair," the "Razor Trap" and the ultimate test, the "Melting Ice Block Trap," which was designed for a certain detective who returns to the series from Saw II and III.
Darren Lynn Bousman, the director of Saw II, Saw III and the latest installment, has been enthusiastic about this movie for a long time and promising answers for all the plot holes created in the past few movies. Typically, however, all of these questions are not answered, allowing, ever-so-conveniently, for the fifth installment to be produced. Bell and Mandylor have already signed on for the next movies, which will provide for more interesting plot twists and plot extension.
The soundtrack by Charlie Clouser is amazing, in keeping with the previous ones, as he mixes progressive rock with orchestral music. Clouser, a former member of Nine Inch Nails, remixed the now famous track "Hello Zepp" (heard at the end of every "Saw" movie since the first) to play for over 10 minutes while the final twists play out.
The movie is shocking and surprising - as it should be. While "Saw IV" is gory, it isn't as bad as most (see "Hostel: Part II" or any zombie movie). The scariness of the film is derived from the genius construction of the traps, forcing any viewer to put him or herself in the position of the victim. What would you do if you had to press your face into razors in order to release the constraints binding you?
The plot twists are confusing for less-focused viewers, and it is of the utmost importance that newcomers to the series see the previous installments in order to comprehend the plot. The movies don't seem to be declining in quality, but with every new addition, something is lost from the original, which was more enthralling and interesting due to the unique idea and short film on which it was based.
Fans will want to see this one more than once, and it may be necessary in order to fully understand what may be coming around the corner in the next movie. Remember: Jigsaw's work "will continue."
