Saw III - Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Rated R for strong grisly violence and gore, sequences of terror and torture, nudity and language.

"If its Halloween, it must be Saw." Pretty big words linking a horror movie franchise with a national holiday. Yet for the past two years, Saw has proven to be an unadulterated success that, in my opinion, has saved the exploitation/slasher genre. But is Saw III worthy to hold the title?

As with the previous two Saw films, the plot of Saw III is surprisingly deep and dependent on its surprise ending. Because of this, to avoid the risk of spoilers, I will try to review it as a whole, without delving too deep into specifics. Basically, Saw III picks up right where the second one left off. With Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) nearing death, his assistant Amanda (Shawnee Smith) continues his legacy.

First off, this movie is relentless. With a pace akin to that of a 50-yard sprint, by the first few minutes alone, you've already come close to seeing more death than in the entire first film. If you preferred Saw I's more methodical pacing, you may not enjoy Saw III to the same extent. More similar to Saw II in this regard, its good for what it is, but definitely not for everyone.

As part of the hype-machine leading up to Saw III's release, the creators boasted that it would put the other two to shame in terms of gore. Without a doubt, they did just that. This movie is just plain rude. Even a gore-hound like myself cringed at the seriousness of the brutality. If you're looking for campy, don't look to Saw III. Though, and without spoiling it, I found it ironic that the most difficult scene to watch wasn't an inventive torture trap, but rather a real medical procedure. If you feel the need to prepare yourself for Saw III, I recommend watching a few surgery shows on cable first.

Fast, brutal and questionably entertaining, Saw III delivers what it promised and then some. This movie, no matter how popular the franchise is getting, continues to stick to the roots of its niche genre, and for that I award it. With an ending that should feel satisfying to fans of the previous two films, Saw III breaks all expectations and continues to make this franchise the epitome of the hardcore Halloween movie-going experience.

Rating: 4 / 5