The first Saw was heavily flawed, grotesque in appearance, and very mediocre. To give that movie a four-star (out of 10, mind you) review was hard, as I don't think there was anything to give it higher than one-star. However, compared to Saw II, the first installment was far more entertaining, which is where this one fails.
The only thing I can say about Saw II that is not negative, is that the devices used for killing these morons are actually quite clever and intriguing in design.
Down to the acting; this cast is ridiculous. Donnie Wahlberg's performance as the harsh, detective father is very lame and uninspired -- probably the biggest cliché of the movie. Tobin Bell is okay, but the material he is given is poor. Everyone else can be tossed back on the street for all the yelling they do; that's acting? The characters are terribly written. There's not one person worth rooting for but Wahlberg's, and to show how stupendously moronic these people are, the writer(s) decided to turn this into a movie more about cabin fever, rather than "let's get out of here, ALIVE". For example, the Hispanic male goes on a killing spree, hyped-up on the desperation of not dying, but in-turn, what good is he doing himself? Another example would have to be a device disguised as a glass box with two slots where one would insert their hands to retrieve something of desire. Now, one of the protagonists wants this object, for without it she will die. She puts her hands in very nonchalantly only to find that she is caught in it, with razor blades twisting and slicing up her wrists as she desperately tries to escape. Now, no matter how desperate people may get, there's always common sense thrown in somewhere, and none of these people comprehend that working as a team might be a more proficient way of living, rather than aimlessly walking around trying to die a ridiculous death.
Anyway, there's a lot I could argue with anyone about on this movie. There's nothing to like, and to give it a one-star would be a little mean, as I did laugh at how bad it was.
After viewing Saw II, it certainly has done something victorious, and that it is the sequel that has made me stop viewing the rest of the series, as I was hoping there would be improvements made from the last one's flaws... nope.
Skip this and the rest.
The only thing I can say about Saw II that is not negative, is that the devices used for killing these morons are actually quite clever and intriguing in design.
Down to the acting; this cast is ridiculous. Donnie Wahlberg's performance as the harsh, detective father is very lame and uninspired -- probably the biggest cliché of the movie. Tobin Bell is okay, but the material he is given is poor. Everyone else can be tossed back on the street for all the yelling they do; that's acting? The characters are terribly written. There's not one person worth rooting for but Wahlberg's, and to show how stupendously moronic these people are, the writer(s) decided to turn this into a movie more about cabin fever, rather than "let's get out of here, ALIVE". For example, the Hispanic male goes on a killing spree, hyped-up on the desperation of not dying, but in-turn, what good is he doing himself? Another example would have to be a device disguised as a glass box with two slots where one would insert their hands to retrieve something of desire. Now, one of the protagonists wants this object, for without it she will die. She puts her hands in very nonchalantly only to find that she is caught in it, with razor blades twisting and slicing up her wrists as she desperately tries to escape. Now, no matter how desperate people may get, there's always common sense thrown in somewhere, and none of these people comprehend that working as a team might be a more proficient way of living, rather than aimlessly walking around trying to die a ridiculous death.
Anyway, there's a lot I could argue with anyone about on this movie. There's nothing to like, and to give it a one-star would be a little mean, as I did laugh at how bad it was.
After viewing Saw II, it certainly has done something victorious, and that it is the sequel that has made me stop viewing the rest of the series, as I was hoping there would be improvements made from the last one's flaws... nope.
Skip this and the rest.