Thursday, June 16, 2011
SAW VIII Possibility?
I figured that now would be a better time more than ever to update the blog, with all the rumors circulating about a "SAW VIII". While I can't give any definitive answers at the moment(Due to a temporary lack of ability to get information/confirmation), but some of the evidence I have points to the strong possibility that the SAW franchise is making a come back. This does NOT mean that a SAW VIII, or any other new SAW films for that matter, have been confirmed. This is just an educated guess based on my knowledge of the movie industry and the SAW franchise. New info will be posted as soon as it becomes available.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
SAW VII Review [Major Spoilers!]
SPOILER WARNING: This review will have major spoilers. If you do not wish to have the movie spoiled for you, do not continue!
Ok, so where to start? SAW VII, in most opinions that I've seen so far, and in my personal opinion, is pretty much the least favorable of the SAW franchise. Others(Such as Bloody-Disgusting) put SAW VII higher up on the rankings than SAW IV and SAW V, and I can also agree with that rating too. But one thing is clear: SAW VII doesn't quite reach the same level as the previous films have, it's just not up to par. And as Bloody-Disgusting said best, at some points in the film, it seemed more like I was watching a Final Destination film than a SAW film. But it did certainly have it's good points. For the first time in the SAW franchise, we get an outdoor trap, with a lot of exterior shots. The final installment also does a great job of wrapping up more than most of the questions that we had and the little clues here and there that they've given us over the past seven years. The series ended on a pretty decent high note. They basically ended it exactly the same way they ended the original SAW, with Jigsaw(Or in this case, the person following in Jigsaw's footsteps) locking a person away in the famous Bathroom Trap, saying the well-known catch phrase, "Game over", and locking the door as the victim screams for his life and the credits roll. A pretty strong finish, and a great nod to the original film in my opinion. Not many movies these days throw back to their original film in the final one, and that helped this movie out a lot.
If you recall in my last SAW VII post, I asked if you guys thought this would be the final installment. Well, the reasoning behind that is that if you've seen SAW VII, then you know that Dr. Gordon isn't the only person who takes part in jumping and kidnapping Detective Hoffman at the end. I've heard a few theories and rumors(Very normal for this franchise) as to who it could have been, but there's no concrete answer from a person in the cast/crew, so that leaves an eighth installment open for discussion somewhat, along with a few minor questions that were left unanswered here and there(Obi being in John's flashback in SAW III, what is going to happen to Hoffman after being locked in the bathroom, does Dr. Gordon continue John's legacy, etc). But as I said, for the most part, the SAW team did a pretty great job of finally giving us more answers than questions, and wrapping up some of the biggest questions the fans had. Will there be a sequel? I have no idea, but my money says yes. SAW is pretty much Lionsgate's biggest cash flow at the moment, and after SAW VII became the number one movie in America yet again, I'm betting that Lionsgate isn't going to let SAW die out this easily. But we'll just have to wait and see, it's never a straight answer with the SAW team. One of my only issues with SAW VII was the way they brought back Dr. Gordon. I have no issues with getting closure on Dr. Gordon, but there were much better ways that they could have brought him back(For example, using the character flashbacks in SAW V with Strahm searching through victim files to give closure to the character). For those of you who are unaware, the method of bringing Dr. Gordon back was pulled directly from the SAW messageboard. There's nothing wrong with bringing the character back and using fan ideas to do that, but the idea of him becoming the one to take on Jigsaw's legacy seems a bit unrealistic to me, given the performance in the first SAW, with Dr. Gordon being ready to kill anybody involved in the kidnapping of him and his family. But I'm glad we finally got some closure on the character, and I think it was still a pretty SAW-esque, unique way to bring back the character, rather than just showing a flashback and saying, "This is what happened, and now he's dead" or something similar.
The traps this year, which is usually what people watch these movies for(Minus the hardcore fans), didn't disappoint at all. For the first time in the franchise, I found myself cringing at some of the traps. The traps for the main storyline were pretty brutal, although the idea for the storyline itself was pretty weak. The main character, Bobby Dagen, wasn't really a flawed or morally wayward individual, as was the case with the last six movies. He was just some dirtbag that decided to lie to make money off of Jigsaw's murders. But getting back to the traps, they were some of the most graphic and cringe-inducing traps in the franchise. One trap finds Bobby Dagen being forced to pull a fish hook that is attatched to fishing line out of the stomach of a woman that was involved in his lies, and she is forced to keep quiet during the entire trap, or be impaled through the neck by four large spikes. This, in my opinion, was one of the most brutal and disgusting traps in the entire franchise. It had a decent amount of blood, but what made it really disgusting was just the thought and concept of this trap, and the actress did an amazing job passing it off as if she actually was having a fish hook removed from her stomach.
One of my other minor issues with SAW VII was the lack of involvement with John(Jigsaw). He only had one or two very minor flashbacks, and basically gets his shortest amount of screen time in the entire franchise. But as far as other characters go, there weren't too many issues. SAW VII chose to introduce, and then kill off, new characters, rather than focus on past characters and capitalizing on their stories and offering some closer. But at the same time, they brought back a decent amount of old characters, and if you pay close attention, you'll find some of them in scenes that you didn't even think they'd be in. Character returns are always a pretty cool thing in the SAW franchise. It's great to see they don't forget the characters that brought the series to the point that it's at now, and character returns are like a little treat for the more hardcore fans who have stuck by the franchise for the entire run.
For the 3D aspect of this film, much like Bloody-Disgusting, I'm pretty much on the fence. Here's what they had to say:
For the most part, I didn't even really notice the 3D moments in the movie, because as usual, I was too wrapped up in the movie and focusing on the story, and analyzing every single detail. But after watching it for the second time, I began catching the shots, and I wasn't very pleased with them. It didn't ruin the movie for me, but it did sort of take away from the SAW feeling of the movie.
The best way I can think to end this review, is to quote Bloody-Disgusting on their closing statements. They're pretty much right on the money with their final words.
I honestly couldn't have said it better myself. A seven year franchise has finally come to a close(At least that's what we're being told), and they ended the franchise in a pretty decent way. All in all, SAW VII was a pretty good movie, and a nice way to end the franchise without totally ruining everything that has been established. It's been fun, and we'll all miss you, SAW!
SAW VII is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD!
Ok, so where to start? SAW VII, in most opinions that I've seen so far, and in my personal opinion, is pretty much the least favorable of the SAW franchise. Others(Such as Bloody-Disgusting) put SAW VII higher up on the rankings than SAW IV and SAW V, and I can also agree with that rating too. But one thing is clear: SAW VII doesn't quite reach the same level as the previous films have, it's just not up to par. And as Bloody-Disgusting said best, at some points in the film, it seemed more like I was watching a Final Destination film than a SAW film. But it did certainly have it's good points. For the first time in the SAW franchise, we get an outdoor trap, with a lot of exterior shots. The final installment also does a great job of wrapping up more than most of the questions that we had and the little clues here and there that they've given us over the past seven years. The series ended on a pretty decent high note. They basically ended it exactly the same way they ended the original SAW, with Jigsaw(Or in this case, the person following in Jigsaw's footsteps) locking a person away in the famous Bathroom Trap, saying the well-known catch phrase, "Game over", and locking the door as the victim screams for his life and the credits roll. A pretty strong finish, and a great nod to the original film in my opinion. Not many movies these days throw back to their original film in the final one, and that helped this movie out a lot.
If you recall in my last SAW VII post, I asked if you guys thought this would be the final installment. Well, the reasoning behind that is that if you've seen SAW VII, then you know that Dr. Gordon isn't the only person who takes part in jumping and kidnapping Detective Hoffman at the end. I've heard a few theories and rumors(Very normal for this franchise) as to who it could have been, but there's no concrete answer from a person in the cast/crew, so that leaves an eighth installment open for discussion somewhat, along with a few minor questions that were left unanswered here and there(Obi being in John's flashback in SAW III, what is going to happen to Hoffman after being locked in the bathroom, does Dr. Gordon continue John's legacy, etc). But as I said, for the most part, the SAW team did a pretty great job of finally giving us more answers than questions, and wrapping up some of the biggest questions the fans had. Will there be a sequel? I have no idea, but my money says yes. SAW is pretty much Lionsgate's biggest cash flow at the moment, and after SAW VII became the number one movie in America yet again, I'm betting that Lionsgate isn't going to let SAW die out this easily. But we'll just have to wait and see, it's never a straight answer with the SAW team. One of my only issues with SAW VII was the way they brought back Dr. Gordon. I have no issues with getting closure on Dr. Gordon, but there were much better ways that they could have brought him back(For example, using the character flashbacks in SAW V with Strahm searching through victim files to give closure to the character). For those of you who are unaware, the method of bringing Dr. Gordon back was pulled directly from the SAW messageboard. There's nothing wrong with bringing the character back and using fan ideas to do that, but the idea of him becoming the one to take on Jigsaw's legacy seems a bit unrealistic to me, given the performance in the first SAW, with Dr. Gordon being ready to kill anybody involved in the kidnapping of him and his family. But I'm glad we finally got some closure on the character, and I think it was still a pretty SAW-esque, unique way to bring back the character, rather than just showing a flashback and saying, "This is what happened, and now he's dead" or something similar.
The traps this year, which is usually what people watch these movies for(Minus the hardcore fans), didn't disappoint at all. For the first time in the franchise, I found myself cringing at some of the traps. The traps for the main storyline were pretty brutal, although the idea for the storyline itself was pretty weak. The main character, Bobby Dagen, wasn't really a flawed or morally wayward individual, as was the case with the last six movies. He was just some dirtbag that decided to lie to make money off of Jigsaw's murders. But getting back to the traps, they were some of the most graphic and cringe-inducing traps in the franchise. One trap finds Bobby Dagen being forced to pull a fish hook that is attatched to fishing line out of the stomach of a woman that was involved in his lies, and she is forced to keep quiet during the entire trap, or be impaled through the neck by four large spikes. This, in my opinion, was one of the most brutal and disgusting traps in the entire franchise. It had a decent amount of blood, but what made it really disgusting was just the thought and concept of this trap, and the actress did an amazing job passing it off as if she actually was having a fish hook removed from her stomach.
One of my other minor issues with SAW VII was the lack of involvement with John(Jigsaw). He only had one or two very minor flashbacks, and basically gets his shortest amount of screen time in the entire franchise. But as far as other characters go, there weren't too many issues. SAW VII chose to introduce, and then kill off, new characters, rather than focus on past characters and capitalizing on their stories and offering some closer. But at the same time, they brought back a decent amount of old characters, and if you pay close attention, you'll find some of them in scenes that you didn't even think they'd be in. Character returns are always a pretty cool thing in the SAW franchise. It's great to see they don't forget the characters that brought the series to the point that it's at now, and character returns are like a little treat for the more hardcore fans who have stuck by the franchise for the entire run.
For the 3D aspect of this film, much like Bloody-Disgusting, I'm pretty much on the fence. Here's what they had to say:
"Ah yes, the 3D. I'm sort of on the fence. It's technically great - this movie opens things up a bit (an outside trap, several exterior shots) and even the traps themselves are larger, so if any of the movies HAD to be in 3D, it would be this one. And it was SHOT in 3D (not a convert) so it automatically looks better than most of what we're seeing. But I'm not sure it's the right fit for this particular franchise - it felt sort of weird to have characters throwing things at you, as if they were sort of having fun too. Not that I always want a grim-fest, but it feels a bit campy at times. You may disagree, but I've always felt the series is much more intelligent than its given credit for, however this stuff gives it a slightly goofy tone, like a Final Destination movie more than SAW one. "
For the most part, I didn't even really notice the 3D moments in the movie, because as usual, I was too wrapped up in the movie and focusing on the story, and analyzing every single detail. But after watching it for the second time, I began catching the shots, and I wasn't very pleased with them. It didn't ruin the movie for me, but it did sort of take away from the SAW feeling of the movie.
The best way I can think to end this review, is to quote Bloody-Disgusting on their closing statements. They're pretty much right on the money with their final words.
"One thing is certain - Marcus, Patrick, and the rest of the gang have done right by the fans here. All issues have been resolved, Dagen's AA-style survivors' meeting brings back a lot of familiar faces, and, while they don't beat you over the head with it, you do get the strongest sense yet of what Jigsaw was trying to accomplish with his "method" and more importantly, whether or not it worked. And ultimately, it's a SAW movie. They didn't pull a Jason Goes To Hell and completely change their MO for the finale - apart from the 3D aspect, there's nothing here that would seem out of place in another entry.
I'm glad the series ended on a relative high note. It's not one of the best ones, but it's better than IV or V, which would put it about in the middle of the pack - and keep in mind I like all of them (even V, the worst one, I'd give a C+). And it will certainly have a longer shelf life than the lazy Paranormal Activity 2, so Kevin Greutert should be ironically happy about the situation - he ended up doing the better film. I know I had some concerns, but it's ultimately a good time at the movies, and the minor pacing/story issues are pretty much forgotten once that final reel kicks in and Charlie Clouser's amazing theme plays that one last time as the series truly comes full circle.
I'll miss you, SAW."
I honestly couldn't have said it better myself. A seven year franchise has finally come to a close(At least that's what we're being told), and they ended the franchise in a pretty decent way. All in all, SAW VII was a pretty good movie, and a nice way to end the franchise without totally ruining everything that has been established. It's been fun, and we'll all miss you, SAW!
SAW VII is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD!
SAW VII: Hit or Miss?
So, now that SAW VII(Or 'SAW 3D') has hit theaters, it's time for a long overdue update. Despite leaving a wake of mixed and negative reviews, the "final chapter" in the legendary SAW franchise has pulled the film series from the grave that previous installment SAW V had dug(Becoming the second film to not make it to the number one movie in America). Lionsgate has once again made SAW the number one movie in America. But the question is, could this just be due to the curiosity surrounding the final chapter, or the fan base being truely dedicated? I'll leave my personal opinions and spoilers out of the mix until SAW 3D is out of theaters, but I think it would be interesting to hear some of the movie-goers' thoughts on the film. So, what did you guys think of the film? Was it a suitable ending to the SAW franchise? Do you think this really is the "final chapter"? Opinions on character returns? Leave your thoughts here in a comment, or hit up the Horror Junkies Twitter at @HorrorJunkies13 with any thoughts, comments, questions, or concerns about the latest installment in the SAW franchise.
SAW VII is now in theaters in heart-pounding 3D and 2D(Where offered)!
SAW VII is now in theaters in heart-pounding 3D and 2D(Where offered)!
Thursday, September 09, 2010
SAW II Game In The Works, New Images Released
If you love SAW, or even if you're just a video-game lover, then this ones for you. Last year's SAW video-game has a sequel in the works, which is slated for an October 19th release, to go along with he release of SAW VII. If you head to Bloody-Disgusting SAW II video-game page, you can check out the sick pictures, and a very interesting concept art image. This is gonna be a good year for the SAW franchise.
SAW II: Flesh and Blood hits shelves October 19th.
Source: Bloody-Disgusting
SAW II: Flesh and Blood hits shelves October 19th.
Source: Bloody-Disgusting
Mystery Characters Returning For SAW VII
As with every year, fans ask questions. One of those is what characters(If any) will return to the next SAW film. I hadn't planned on leakin the info just yet, to maintain the surprise, but I know there will be some people who want to know. For those who want very little spoiled, all I'll say is that two extremely significant characters(One of whom's storyline was previously implied to be overwith) will make a comeback in the last installment of the SAW series. For those of you who want to know, beware,this is a huge spoiler!
Highlight text to reveal spoilers.
[SPOILER]The two returning characters(Among regulars like Hoffman and Jill) are Adam and...Dr. Gordon! Also, Seth Baxter(Pendulum trap - SAW V), Michael(Venus Flytrap - SAW II), and other older characters will be returning. [/SPOILER]
There you have it! SAW VII hits theaters October 29th.
Highlight text to reveal spoilers.
[SPOILER]The two returning characters(Among regulars like Hoffman and Jill) are Adam and...Dr. Gordon! Also, Seth Baxter(Pendulum trap - SAW V), Michael(Venus Flytrap - SAW II), and other older characters will be returning. [/SPOILER]
There you have it! SAW VII hits theaters October 29th.
SAW VII Updates[Spoilers!]
Unless you've been living under a rock since SAW VI hit the big screen, then you know that it's almost time for SAW again, which will be in mind-blowing 3D this year. What you may not know, is that this year's installment will be the final chapter. According to numerous reports and cast and crew interviews, the series, which began in 2004, had originally been planned to hit eight films, and possibly even nine. But, as with every year, this was based on box office performance, and SAW VI did surprisingly poorly when pitted against Paranormal Activity in the box office last year. That spells bad news for SAW fans. Lionsgate is cutting their losses after this year. The storylines planned for SAW VIII have now been incorporated into SAW VII(Or "SAW 3D"), and this will be the last film in the series that forced test subjects to "live or die". Being that this is the last film, it seems as though the people behind the movies are finally giving up some long-sought answers too. The plot is as follows:
For those interested, a few interesting characters have been confirmed as returning for Jigsaw's final game, one of which is the most-anticipated return of the franchise, Dr. Gordon. This much is certain, SAW VII is going to be one wild ride. Fans won't wanna miss this year's installment. Check back for more info as it becomes available.
SAW VII hits theaters in heart-pounding 3D October 29th.
As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw’s brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror...
SAW 3D stars Tobin Bell, Cary Elwes, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Sean Patrick Flannery, and others. SAW 3D is directed by Kevin Greutert, produced by Oren Koules, Mark Burg and Gregg Hoffman.
For those interested, a few interesting characters have been confirmed as returning for Jigsaw's final game, one of which is the most-anticipated return of the franchise, Dr. Gordon. This much is certain, SAW VII is going to be one wild ride. Fans won't wanna miss this year's installment. Check back for more info as it becomes available.
SAW VII hits theaters in heart-pounding 3D October 29th.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
SAW V Script Pages Leaked - Amanda Lives?
The first four pages of the SAW V script have been leaked online! They haven't been confirmed as real or fake yet, but they are the same color as the first drafts of the previous SAW scripts, and the writing style is the exact same. These are most likely the real deal!
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/870/page1st2.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8329/page2pd6.jpg
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4261/page3xl9.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/107/page4uw0.jpg 
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/870/page1st2.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8329/page2pd6.jpg
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4261/page3xl9.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/107/page4uw0.jpg
Page 1
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Page 4
What a great way to start the new year! Updates will be posted as soon as they become available.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Director David Hackl Talks 'SAW V' With B-D!
With the announcement that Lionsgate will bring SAW V to theaters on October 24, 2008, Bloody-Disgusting dropped in a call to our new director, David Hackl, to get a statement for you guys.
"You have to realize that I am probably one of the biggest Saw fans out there. My team and I are the ones who have had the awesome task of designing and building the Saw traps since Saw II. So now I'm about to helm Saw V. I'm as psyched as anyone could be. You can let the fans know that they won't be let down or I will have let myself down. Jigsaw might be dead but that would never stop him and it certainly won't stop me. ...My work has just begun."
Watch for the regular coverage to begin as soon as casting is announced.
Source: Bloody-Disgusting
Monday, December 03, 2007
SAW V To Explain Billy The Puppet
He’s been part of the movie series since the beginning, but although Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is dead the significance of Billy the Puppet has never been truly explained. In the forthcoming SAW movies however, his importance will be revealed as will the real meaning of his tricycle.
The SAW franchise has already lasted four movies and some fans are asking the question why has Bell decided to deal with these elements now. The answer quite simply is because there are fans out there that do want to know their meaning and because they are integral to the stories.
Source: RabidDoll.com
“I can tell you that the tricycle that has appeared in all four ‘Saw’ films has a very simple and human explanation to it which I hope that in V and VI we will both understand and have a window into,” said Bell. “The origins of Billy, the meaning of that, I think you will see when you see IV that we’ve started to enter into that area. I think there is some marvelous storyline yet to be told.”
The SAW franchise has already lasted four movies and some fans are asking the question why has Bell decided to deal with these elements now. The answer quite simply is because there are fans out there that do want to know their meaning and because they are integral to the stories.
“I think those two objects are simple things and everyone kind of has seen Billy since the beginning,” he continued. “Well, what is that? And why? Although perhaps you don’t think about it, it has its effect on you. He has his effect and the tricycle has its effect when it enters the scene. I’m interested to show what those origins are. I think fans are really interested in known what the origins of very specific moments, especially Saw fans who are into the details. They just are. I’m always impressed with that.”
Source: RabidDoll.com
Ending Already Written for SAW V
The biggest thrills of the SAW movies are their surprise endings, which seem to keep audiences guessing even more than M. Night Shyamalan's latest creations. That's why the producers of the SAW sequels are starting there and working backwards.
Oren Koules said in an interview,
Burg may even have plans to make SAW V and SAW VI at the same time, though coming up with two shocking, surprising scripts for one epic shoot may not be possible (especially now with the WGA in full effect). This plan also hinted at which characters from SAW IV might become the focus of a SAW V.
If SAW V does go ahead, it looks like Jigsaw will remain a factor. Despite having his head on a morgue scale on the posters for SAW IV, Koules wants actor Tobin Bell back for "as many as he wants."
The boys know that they won't always be making a SAW movie a year. They're prepared to accept their fate when the grosses go down.
Koules says,
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Oren Koules said in an interview,
"We just basically locked down the ending about a month ago so it's working off of what happens from there. There's nothing guaranteed. It's really Mark [Burg] and I looking at each other and saying, 'Okay, this story works, let's go.' When it doesn't, we won't go. We'll miss a year, we'll miss two years. It's two things: If we have a story that works and the fans want to see it. It's such a simple equation. Right now we're working on some things on V. There's nothing definitive."
Burg may even have plans to make SAW V and SAW VI at the same time, though coming up with two shocking, surprising scripts for one epic shoot may not be possible (especially now with the WGA in full effect). This plan also hinted at which characters from SAW IV might become the focus of a SAW V.
"It was an idea of ours to try and keep the cast together because it's really difficult with Scott [Patterson] doing a TV series and other people doing other shows that we're going to try to. I'd say it's not out of the question but it's going to be really hard for us to get the screenplay to Saw VI where we want it to be to be able to do it."
If SAW V does go ahead, it looks like Jigsaw will remain a factor. Despite having his head on a morgue scale on the posters for SAW IV, Koules wants actor Tobin Bell back for "as many as he wants."
The boys know that they won't always be making a SAW movie a year. They're prepared to accept their fate when the grosses go down.
Koules says,
"I think we'll all know. As of the tracking, as of today and as of everything else right now, we're still rolling. Listen, we're surprised. There's going to be a day we wake up, we don't have a $25 million weekend, we have a $4 million weekend. We're fine. We own the films. We're okay."
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
SAW V Still On Track for 2008
After reports that the SAW franchise would finally take a year off, producer Mark Burg countered that he's still aiming for October 2008 to unleash SAW.
Should all go according to plan, co-producer Oren Koules wants to take October 2008 to the next level.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
"This is the first time we've actually started developing story ideas before a movie came out. We have a really good take for where we want to go with the next one but it's not good enough yet. My goal is to have another Saw movie next year. However, if the script doesn't come together, then we won't. We've got a really close idea. We've got two thirds of a really good idea but I've spent the last weeks, four hours a day, meeting with the writers to flesh it all out."
Should all go according to plan, co-producer Oren Koules wants to take October 2008 to the next level.
"I would be surprised if we're not out for '08. The only argument is I want to play on Halloween day because 10/31 next year is Friday. They want to go 10/24. It's a big debate. We're '08 unless something dramatic happens. We have a pretty good story. We're not there yet but we have a really good story."
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
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